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The final rounds of an abrupt Canadian Rugby Championship season are upon us, with each team set to play two games in a span of four days. Swilers Rugby Park in St. John’s will host the first as the BC Bears travel as far east as they can get to try and find and add a ‘W’ to their 0-2 record.
They will have to do so against a solid home team that is missing a couple key players but have added three more. Canadian internationals Mike Hamson and Brett Johnson are absent, though they are expected to be included for Sunday’s finale against the Wolf Pack. Balmy Beach utility back Colin Alexander and TMR flanker Lucas Hotton also miss out.
Replacing Hamson on the flank is new Canada cap Matt Heaton. Aidan McMullan is an unusual choice on the left wing after impressing as a flyhalf replacement against the Blues, and Paddy McNicholas brings his goal-kicking boots back to the right wing having been sorely missed in the last outing.
The Rock have opted for two second row subs in Chris Browne and Conor Keys, and there is another surprise among the reserves. Former Ontario Blues standout and Canadian World Cup scrumhalf Jamie Mackenzie joins the team for the last two games of the schedule. He will play second fiddle to national u20 grad Tony Pomroy but expect him to see significant time in the second half.
BC have opted to make numerous changes after dropping their opening two matches. Only captain Anthony Luca and flanker Josh Clarke survive in the pack. Alex Mascott and Cody McClary get their first starts of the competition in the front row, and there are two lineout specialist in Sam Clark and Craig McLaughlin at lock. Brendan Kelliher is recalled on the blindside with Clarke slipping to openside and Canada 7s star Admir Cejvanovic at no8.
It’s all change again in the backline. Jorden Sandover-Best makes way for Cody Rockson at scrumhalf, with UBC’s Cully Quirke in line to make his full CRC debut in the midfield alongside clubmate Brock Staller. Gareth Marsden is at fullback and a major surprise is Phil Mack on the wing. The 30-year-old World Cup scrumhalf has not played the full version since and returns to the CRC for the first time since 2012.
With so many changes it’s difficult to predict how the new-look team will perform but in terms of individual quality it’s a formidable offering. The Rock, as ever, are very challenging at home and will look to soften up the BC pack in the early goings. If the Bears front up and win enough ball they have more than enough firepower to be successful but that’s far from a guarantee.
The match kicks off at 6pm local time (1:30 Pacific) and will be streamed live by Bell Alliant.
ATLANTIC ROCK
1 Frank Walsh 2 Owen Parfrey (capt.) 3 Jordon Power 4 Jon Phelan 5 Brad Lester 6 Matt Murphy 7 Matt Heaton 8 Zac Coughlan 9 Tony Pomroy 10 Patrick Parfrey 11 Aidan McMullan 12 Emil Sehic 13 Alex Rogers 14 Paddy McNicholas 15 Jack Fitzpatrick
16 Martial Lagain 17 Alex Forrest 18 Keelan Chapman 19 Chris Browne 20 Conor Keys 21 Jamie Mackenzie 22 Bryce Thomassin 23 Dan Lantos
BC BEARS
1 Anthony Luca (capt.) 2 Alex Mascott 3 Cody McClary 4 Sam Clark 5 Craig McLaughlin 6 Brendan Kelliher 7 Josh Clarke 8 Admir Cejvanovic 9 Cody Rockson 10 Guiseppe du Toit 11 Manar Kulkhan 12 Cully Quirke 13 Brock Staller 14 Phil Mack 15 Gareth Marsden
16 Micha Govorchin 17 Nik Hildebrand 18 Adrian Longbone 19 Liam Chisholm 20 Kevin Leask 21 Jorden Sandover-Best 22 Doug Fraser 23 Crosby Stewart
