Braid set for Canada comeback

Connor Braid is back. The 26-year-old has not played for Canada since a nasty collision with Italy’s Gonzalo García last September left him with a broken jaw and a bad concussion. After reportedly contemplating retirement, he returned to the pitch with James Bay in the spring but did not make himself available for international selection, opting instead to pursue a career in real estate. It was bad news for Canada. Braid was emerging as an automatic selection at the inside centre position, where his combination of footballing skills and physical strength made him an effective ‘2nd 5/8’ rather than merely a Northern Hemisphere style crash-ball centre.

The good news is that he has thrown his hat back in the ring, and he’s expected to be in Canada’s European touring squad when’s its confirmed in the coming days. This time it’s understood he’s been earmarked for the troublesome flyhalf position. New coach Mark Anscombe has evidently not been overly seduced by Canada’s current halfback options – and who could blame him – and has sounded out Braid as the man for the job, for now at least.

It’s not an alien role, quite to the contrary. Braid was seen primarily as a no10 when he first emerged on the international scene and that’s where he’s played his rugby for the Bays since making his return. In fact, if the rumors are true, he could be joined by his James Bay halfback partner on November’s tour. Phil Mack has played his last game for Canada’s 7s side but the little magician might well be called upon to inject urgency into a sterile attack next month.

It’s not exactly desperate measures – Braid is a most welcome re-addition while Mack is only 31 and still a lethal stepper as evidenced by his input with the BC Bears this summer. That said it’s something of an indictment of Canadian rugby that the incumbents have been deemed unsatisfactory, or at least in need of serious improvement. It’s a harsh truth but a truth nonetheless. Canada has had serviceable halfbacks in the days since Morgan Williams and Gareth Rees, but no bona fide stars. It’s no surprise that names like Gordon McRorie, Robbie Povey, and Dan Joyce are being looked at from beyond the branches of Canadian domestic rugby. There is promise on the horizon but the howling menagerie of the Aviva Stadium is no place for an apprentice.

McRorie and Patrick Parfrey were the first choice halfbacks in June and again for the Americas Pacific Challenge, though Povey pushed Parfrey to the midfield and showed glimpses of his potential with a handy kicking game and a willingness to take on the line. Parfrey has been a mixed bag at the no10 position and it’s no surprise that he’s been pushed out to inside centre against this weekend with James Bay – Braid is playing no10 – where he has looked more comfortable. He is strong defensively at either position and he could well be seen as ideal bench cover for the inside backs, with the starting no12 role a possibility for another son of Newfoundland.

Ciaran Hearn has been seen as exclusively an outside centre for club and country for the past couple seasons, pairing with Braid or Nick Blevins for Canada, but with Conor Trainor playing professionally and in good form for Vannes it seems the midfield alignment used against Namibia and Samoa in November of 2014 – 10 Braid 12 Hearn 13 Trainor – has a good chance of running out again. Hearn has always had strong attributes for the inside centre role, and it’s perhaps a testament to the form of Blevins and Braid that kept him on the outside.

Speaking of Blevins, the hard-running Albertan has been out of sight since June and was not among Canada’s centralized training group but if he is fit he should travel. Other midfield options look to be uncapped Ben LeSage, who caught the eye in Montevideo, Mozac Samson, or Brock Staller. The latter looks likely to go as a utility provided he’s back in working order.

Any hopes of seeing DTH van der Merwe in the midfield were dashed by Jeff Hassler’s desperately unlucky Achilles injury suffered on Ospreys duty. Canadian fans dream of the day when Hassler, van der Merwe, and Taylor Paris all feature in the backline but that day is now pushed a year down the line at best. As it stands Paris and van der Merwe will man the wings, with Matt Evans at fullback. Evans has been in brilliant form for the Cornish Pirates and surely the only thing keeping him out of a Premiership contract is the plethora of English talent already available. Matt Brown, Alex Goode, Ben Foden, Mathew Tait, Chris Pennell, Tom Homer, Mike Haley… there’s a reason why Nick Abendanon shipped off to France.

Staller will cover fullback if fit. Otherwise there could be a surprise return for Jordan Wilson-Ross, whose CFL ambitions haven’t quite gone as planned and he will instead play at outside centre for James Bay this weekend. Injuries to Dan Moor and Phil Mackenzie have opened the door for someone. While it could just as plausibly be a third halfback, a bolter might be Kainoa Lloyd. His stock has risen considerably this season after a blistering end to the CRC with the Blues and an equally impressive showing in Uruguay. His skills need work – passing, catching, kicking – but the Mississauga missile is rapid and seems to break tackles at will.

Of course the wingers don’t much matter if they don’t see the ball, and the halfbacks will struggle with the basics if the forwards can’t win the ball. It was like seeing a pink unicorn when Evan Olmstead stole a lineout early in the game against Japan. Remember the previous coaching regime didn’t even bother to contest. Asking for more of the same isn’t really a priority right now. Winning clean ball at the set piece is. If you can’t win your own ball at the fundamental sources of possession – the scrum, lineout, and kickoff – you are sunk.

A handful of props are in contention to man the front lines. Djustice Sears-Duru will start at loosehead. He hasn’t seen much game time at Glasgow yet but his ability to break the gain line is critical to the game plan. Tighthead looks like Jake Ilnicki. After a slow start with Manawatu he looked comfortable at the end of the season and held his own at the scrum. Next up is the man-mountain Matt Tierney at Pau. Against Bath on the weekend he did not look out of place in the loose, though he ran into some problems against England prospect Nick Auterac in the scrum. There are 35-year-old men who have suffered in that situation nevermind Tierney, all of 20.

If five props travel that leaves two spots. Andrew Tiedemann is on the centralized roster and can fill in on both sides of the scrum so seems a good bet, and then there’s Doug Wooldridge who is captaining Castaway Wanderers at the moment. Wooldridge was the World Cup tighthead and Canada’s best scrummager so it’s not unreasonable to think he might be back in favor, though he has yet to play under Anscombe. Jason Marshall is still out and it’s not clear when or if he’ll be back. Tom Dolezel was the backup loosehead in June and with Hubert Buydens out injured the only alternative looks to be his Ontario Blues teammate Rob Brouwer. It’s no coincidence that Ryan Kotlewski is wearing no1 for Westshore this weekend rather than his usual no3.

Ray Barkwill continues to play every game for Canada at hooker. With Eric Howard seemingly unavailable until January with school commitments look for Benoît Piffero to be included. The World Cup second stringer has returned to Blagnac this season and has started a couple games this month for the Fédérale 1 side. Martial Lagain hardly saw the field in Uruguay and Alex Mascott looks more a project at this stage. Former u20 cap Richard Townsend starts for Richmond this weekend in the British & Irish Cup. A good match might be enough to see him put on standby.

The second row has problems but options. Jamie Cudmore and Jebb Sinclair have been out for weeks and it’s a tall order to come in from the cold to face Ireland. Thankfully Evan Olmstead has been doing sterling work for Newcastle and will be one of the first names on the team sheet. Brett Beukeboom is back in business for Cornish Pirates and a decent bet for the other spot. Cam Pierce has been a regular with the Pau Espoirs but hasn’t seen the field for the senior side yet this season. Likewise Paul Ciulini who is at Perpignan. Kyle Baillie could be asked to cover but he’s needed in the back row. If experience is required there’s always Jon Phelan who is currently turning out for UBCOB Ravens.

That leaves the back row. Greener than the Dingle Peninsula. Tyler Ardron is out after having thumb surgery, and Nanyak Dala broke down again in Uruguay. John Moonlight is staving off a mutiny. Richard Thorpe is coaching Chinnor. That leaves Aaron Carpenter as the only senior citizen available and he’s played all of two games for London Welsh this season. Matt Heaton, Lucas Rumball, and Baillie will have to step up on the flanks, with Admir Cejvanovic the backup at no8. Further injuries are not authorized at this time. Each man will be issued an extra roll of tape and some magic spray.

Left field selections could be Josh Larsen, Justin Blanchet, or George Barton. Larsen might have the best chance of the three having seen a fair chunk of action for Northland in the Mitre 10 Cup. Being able to cover lock and blindside flanker is also in his favor. Blanchet is a human torpedo whose tackling would be useful against both Samoa and Romania, but we’ve had no indications that he’s on the radar. Barton is at Clermont Academy and has a couple France u20 centres in front of him at the moment. At 19 he’s still a couple years away.

Overall the outlook is stormy. Torrential downpours in Dublin, scattered showers in Bucharest, thunder and lightning in Grenoble. Too many backs and not enough back rows. To beat Romania the forwards must hold the scrum, win the collisions, and not give away cheap penalties. The key to Samoa is controlling possession, tempo, and field position. Ireland is all about the experience. Enjoy the culture and soak up the atmosphere. Maybe ask Jonny for an autograph.

Welcome back Connor. We’ve missed you.