Article content continued

“There is a gulf between the top 14 and the rest, you know, they’ve just shown that against Russia beating them 85-15. We believe that we’ve got a chance on the day. But as I said, it has to be an almighty performance from us, and a little bit of luck.”

Photo by DAMIEN MEYER / PNG

For the first two games, anyway, there’s quite the narrative at play for Trainor.

He’s faced down Italy twice before, in 2012 a 26-15 loss and then at the 2015 RWC, a thrilling but heartbreaking 23-18 loss. And he scored two tries for Canada in their game against the All Blacks in 2011.

In that second Italian game, there’s a grand case of “what if,” as in “what if there was no VAR in this one?”

Trainor, some likely recall, threw a pass to teammate Phil Mackenzie that was ruled — after video review — to have been tossed forward. In the days before video replay and the television match offical, the officials might have let the pass go. Mackenzie completed the play by scoring a try in the corner.

He’s not over the call, he said, a call that truly changed the game.

“Four years, there hasn’t been enough time,” he said. “Just to be sure, I need to throw the ball backwards an inch or so the next time.”

In the upcoming match against Italy, Canada’s billing as an underdog is correct according to Trainor.

“We’re going to be right in that game,” he said. “Italy are going to be terrified. They’re meant to win. If they lose they’ll be ridiculed.

“We’re just going to pressure Italy and they’re going to be under the pressure. They’re going to have the whole country expecting them to win. And we’re just gonna be in their face all day.