Canada u20 preparing for 2016

Rising star Andrew Coe is one of nine returning players included in a 57-strong longlist released as part of Canada’s preparations for the 2016 World Rugby u20 Trophy. The tournament will kick off in Harare, Zimbabwe, on April 19, almost a full month earlier than the 2015 rendition in Portugal and well ahead of the first tier u20 Championship to take place in England in June.

Despite finishing in second place in 2015, Canada are not guaranteed entrance to the 2016 tournament, as only one team from North America will be awarded a spot. This means that – as in 2015 – Canada will face off against their USA counterparts in a two-game series hosted south of the border in February. Given the criticisms levied at World Rugby for that same situation last year, it is grossly disappointing that one of the world’s upcoming nations is guaranteed to miss out on the development opportunity.

Canada’s chances look pretty reasonable given the quality of the names on the list, and in particular the continuity in the coaching staff. Jeff Williams returns as head coach with Ken Goodland steering the forwards. They will this year be joined by Nova Scotia senior provincial coach Jack Hanratty as manager who will no doubt also be helping on the training paddock.

The first selection camp took place from September 29 to October 3 at Shawnigan Lake, with 39 of the list taking full part, the other 18 unavailable or overseas. Also in attendance at the camp were some impressive ‘guest coaches’, including former World Cup standouts Gary Dukelow, Morgan Williams, and Ander Monro. Ontario high performance manager David Butcher was also on hand, having joined the province from the Scottish Rugby Union in March of this year.

Props Brendan Blaikie, Cali Martinez, and Matt Tierney are among the returnees, though Blaikie is now listed as a hooker. Tierney is currently on an academy contract with Pau in France and did not attend the camp. Newfoundland’s Justin Aylward was a non-travelling reserve for last year’s side.

Second row standout Reegan O’Gorman is currently in Christchurch, New Zealand, but is expected to be included come the spring. Tall timber Adrian Wadden is another familiar name, so too hirsute no8 Luke Bradley, one of the most impressive ball carriers on show in Portugal.

Hard-running centre Phil Berna, also a capable loose forward, is among an impressive group of midfielders named, while speedsters Coe and Theo Sauder are set to star in the wide spaces once more. The trio are the only returnees among the backline, but there are plenty of new names for Canadian fans to look forward to.

England-based Roddy Giles and Robbie Povey are in the mix for selection once again and they will have competition at the flyhalf position from domestic names like Mitch Richardson and Ben Scher. The midfield is arguably even more congested with talent, boasting exports Gino Paolella and France-based George Barton, along with Ontario specimen Trent Cooper.

With only a half-dozen loose forwards named, versatile players Wadden, Berna, and Barton could get a look there. Another interesting name is Nova Scotia’s Isaac Berglund, a hugely physical athlete listed as a centre but often used in the back row while at Dartmouth High. Berglund could well be lost to Canadian rugby for now, with several NCAA Division 2 schools interested in recruiting the star defensive end for their football programs.

New Zealand export Liam O’Hallahan is in the running as a fullback, while the blazing speed of Mississauga’s D’Shawn Bowen is sure to get a good look on the wing. Cathal Long is a big man option on the wing who hails from Trinidad & Tobago, while Guelph Gryphons standout Brandon McLeod comes from the unfashionable Cobourg Saxons in the Toronto Rugby Union’s Russell Division.

The list will be trimmed down to 30 for a final selection camp in late January, after which a squad of 26 will be chosen to travel to the USA and – if successful – the u20 Trophy in Zimbabwe.

FORWARDS
Justin Aylward (Baymen), Marco Caza (Beaconsfield), Bryce Colquhoun (Brandon Barbarians / UBCOB Ravens), Curtis Delmonico (UBCOB Ravens), Luc Laplante (Red Deer Titans), Cali Martinez (Bayside / UBC Thunderbirds), Dylan Parson (Oshawa Vikings / Guelph Gryphons), Callum Passingham (Campbell River / UBC Thunderbirds), Matt Tierney (Mississauga Blues / Pau, FR), Brendan Blaikie (Markham Irish / Queen’s Golden Gaels), Foster DeWitt (Campbell River / UBC Thunderbirds), AJ Quattrin (Aurora Barbarians / Laurier Golden Hawks), Connor Sampson (Burnaby Lake), Matt Beukeboom (Lindsay / Queen’s Golden Gaels), Lucas Cunningham (Aurora Barbarians / Seneca Sting), Trevor Helgason (UBCOB Ravens / Queen’s Golden Gaels), Conor Keys (Barrhaven Scottish / UVic Vikes), Reegan O’Gorman (Vancouver Rowing Club / Marist Albion, NZ), Shane Thiessen (Manitoba Wombats), Adrian Wadden (Oakville Crusaders / McMaster Marauders), Luke Bradley (Port Alberni / UVic Vikes), Nick Davidson (Saint John Trojans), Jason Hignell (Abbotsford), Peter Milazzo (Toronto Saracens / Western Mustangs), Nakai Penny (UBC Thunderbirds), Marcello Wainwright (Toronto Saracens / Guelph Gryphons)

BACKS
Matt Gallagher (Bayside / UVic Vikes), Jack Hughes (Calgary Hornets), Cole Keffer (Capilano / UBC Thunderbirds), Aria Keshoofy (Ottawa Gee-Gees), Keaton Porter (Aurora Barbarians), Gavin Rowell (Abbotsford / UVic Vikes), Cooper Coates (Halifax Tars), Nick Collett (Bayside / UBC Thunderbirds), Roddy Giles (Bedford Blues, UK), Robbie Povey (Northampton Saints, UK), Mitch Richardson (Stoney Creek / McMaster Marauders), Ben Scher (Vancouver Rowing Club), George Barton (Cowichan), Isaac Berglund (Dartmouth), Phil Berna (UBCOB Ravens / UBC Thunderbirds), Niko Clironomos (UBCOB Ravens / UBC Thunderbirds), Trent Cooper (Oshawa Vikings / James Bay), Kyle Lagasca (Toronto Saracens / Guelph Gryphons), Will Manhire (London Scottish, UK), Aidan McMullan (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue), Gino Paolella (Bayside / Grammar TEC, NZ), Jean-Bernard Sansoucy (Abénakis), D’Shawn Bowen (Mississauga Blues / Westshore), Aaron Evison (James Bay), Cathal Long (UVic Vikes), Brandon McLeod (Cobourg Saxons / Guelph Gryphons), Theo Sauder (Vancouver Rowing Club / UBC Thunderbirds), Kolby Steen (Abbotsford), Andrew Coe (Markham Irish / UBC Thunderbirds), Sean Hase (UBCOB Ravens), Liam O’Hallahan (Grande Prairie Centaurs)

Head Coach – Jeff Williams
Assistant Coach – Ken Goodland
Manager – Jack Hanratty