Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Patrick Parfrey has been summoned to join up with Canada’s World Cup squad as an injury replacement. The versatile back, who has started tests at both flyhalf and inside centre, will take the spot of Connor Braid, who came off injured early in the narrow defeat to Italy on Saturday. Parfrey will be the second player added to the group since the tournament began, with James Pritchard called up earlier in the week.
Braid put in a heavy tackle on Gonzalo Garcia in the opening seconds of the match, and was then taken out by Garcia off the ball just a minute later. Despite looking wobbly, he stayed in the game until Nathan Hirayama kicked the opening points, at which time Braid was replaced by Conor Trainor. Rugby Canada have yet to confirm the specifics of Braid’s injury, but are expected to confirm the change on Monday. Braid announced on social media that he was ‘heavily medicated.’
Parfrey, 23, was first called into the Canadian squad in 2012 after graduating from the national u20 program. He has won seven caps with two test starts, the last coming in the no10 jersey against Romania in November of last year. The St. John’s, Newfoundland, native played for Canada ‘A’ in the Pacific Challenge earlier this year and the Atlantic Rock in this year’s Canadian Rugby Championship but was not part of the Pacific Nations Cup squad.
