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Mark Anscombe has named his strongest available side to face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday. This will be the new Canadian coach’s first November test series in charge of the side and he will have to face challenging opposition without star players Tyler Ardron and Jeff Hassler among a host of others. Despite the limitations Canada will field a starting team with 13 players who have professional experience and an impressive outside back division composed entirely of European-based stars.
James Bay halfback duo Connor Braid and Phil Mack are included in the team after a year’s hiatus. Braid starts at flyhalf with Mack set to act as an impact sub for starting scrumhalf Gordon McRorie. Second row Brett Beukeboom, centre Conor Trainor, and wing DTH van der Merwe also return to the side for the first time since the World Cup. Beukeboom and van der Merwe have recovered from injury while Trainor joins the side after leaving the national sevens program.
Aaron Carpenter will captain the side for the 14th time in his 75th cap, just one short of Al Charron’s all-time Canadian record of 76. He leads a virtually unchanged forward pack with Beukeboom replacing Jamie Cudmore the only alteration to the run-on side. Rob Brouwer steps in for Ontario Blues teammate Tom Dolezel as reserve loosehead prop, and HSBC Sevens Series standout Admir Cejvanovic is set to make his test debut as a replacement back row.
Canada have never beaten Ireland in eight previous attempts, though they managed a draw at Fletcher’s Fields in June 2000. In the four meetings since their smallest margin of defeat is 19 points, with a 50-7 closing score during the 2015 World Cup last September. The match kicks off at 7:15pm local time, 2:15pm Eastern, and will be broadcast live on CBC.
CANADA
1 Djustice Sears-Duru 2 Ray Barkwill 3 Jake Ilnicki 4 Brett Beukeboom 5 Evan Olmstead 6 Kyle Baillie 7 Lucas Rumball 8 Aaron Carpenter (capt.) 9 Gordon McRorie 10 Connor Braid 11 Taylor Paris 12 Ciaran Hearn 13 Conor Trainor 14 DTH van der Merwe 15 Matt Evans
16 Eric Howard 17 Rob Brouwer 18 Matt Tierney 19 Admir Cejvanovic 20 Matt Heaton 21 Phil Mack 22 Patrick Parfrey 23 Nick Blevins
