Cole Keith added to Canada’s Centralized Group

Rugby Canada’s new Centralized Athlete Program is now at its intended full compliment of 20. Originally revealed as 19 players, the newest addition to the roster is 19-year-old Sussex, New Brunswick, native Cole Keith. The young prop was invited to join the training group after impressing in the recent James Bay fixture against Castaway Wanderers. Keith came through the match with glowing reviews after squaring up at tighthead against an experienced front row of John Braddock, Clayton Thornber, and Canadian international Doug Wooldridge.

Selected to the de facto Canada u19 select side after standing out with the Atlantic Rock age grade sides, Keith is one of four players in the program who will receive financial support while remaining eligible for the 2017 national u20 side. Hard-running no8 Jake Thiel, Ontario flyhalf Will Kelly, and versatile utility back Aidan McMullan are also earmarked for next year’s rub at the World Rugby u20 Trophy. Kelly will join the squad in January along with hooker Eric Howard after completing academic commitments.

Keith finds himself in esteemed company with the other two props in the group both vastly experienced players with professional experience in the form of Hubert Buydens and Andrew Tiedemann. Buydens missed out on a Mitre 10 Cup contract with Manawatu Turbos due to a knee injury sustained while playing for the San Diego Breakers in PRO Rugby, while Tiedemann was recently released from the final year of his contract by cash-strapped French Pro D2 club Bourgoin.

Graduates of this year’s u20 program are second row pair Conor Keys and Adrian Wadden, while flanker Ollie Nott and flyhalf Guiseppe du Toit were part of the 2015 side. All four traveled to the UK on the recent Canada ‘A’ tour, with Nott ruled out of the Americas Pacific Challenge competition with injury.

The new Centralized Athlete Program allows participating players the opportunity to receive monthly financial support as well as daily access to Rugby Canada facilities and coaches. Early morning gym sessions are supplemented with technical skill practices in the afternoons, with the players released to CDI Premier League clubs for Thursday training and weekend matches.

NAME POSITION AGE CAPS
Hubert Buydens Prop 34 43
Cole Keith Prop 19 0
Andrew Tiedemann Prop 28 38
Eric Howard Hooker 23 5
Alex Mascott Hooker 22 0
Kyle Baillie Lock / Flanker 25 6
Conor Keys Lock 20 0
Adrian Wadden Lock / Flanker 19 0
Nanyak Dala Flanker 32 37
Ollie Nott Flanker 21 0
Admir Cejvanovic No8 26 0
Jake Thiel No8 18 0
Gordon McRorie Scrumhalf 28 21
Gradyn Bowd Flyhalf 24 4
Guiseppe du Toit Flyhalf / Centre 21 0
Will Kelly Flyhalf 18 0
Patrick Parfrey Flyhalf / Centre 24 14
Brock Staller Centre / Fullback 24 3
Dan Moor Wing 26 7
Aidan McMullan Fullback / Flyhalf 19 0

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Formally created in June 2015, this website's goal is to increase media exposure of the Tier 2 rugby nations, and create a hub with a focus on the stories of rugby in the Americas - North, Central and South.

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