BC Bears name strong squad for CRC opener

Phil Mack headlines a powerful BC Bears squad as head coach Tony Healy has named his match day 23 for the Canadian Rugby Championship opener against the Prairie Wolf Pack on Friday evening. Thunderbird Stadium will host the two Western Canadian regional sides with the Bears intent on restoring some provincial pride having last won the competition in 2009. With Mack assuming a player-coach role the Canadian scrumhalf is one of five capped players in the side with the majority of the rest boasting age-grade or ‘A’ international selection on their resume.

Two professional players have joined the squad with tighthead prop Jake Ilnicki stepping in following the completion of his Northampton Saints contract and Clermont Auvergne academy member George Barton looking to gain valuable game time. The latter earned his first test caps during the Americas Rugby Championship and most recently leading the national u20 side to a spot at the World Rugby u20 Trophy tournament later this summer.

Burnaby loosehead Anthony Luca made his international debut in the recent June tests. ARC utility back Brock Staller looks set to play on the wing and Guiseppe du Toit, a reserve midfielder against the Eagles in San Diego, could wear the No 10 shirt in the absence of Connor Braid.

Friday’s match kicks off at 7pm local time, 10pm Eastern, and will be streamed live by BC Rugby. Following the one-off match the Bears will face nearly a month off before concluding the season with a round-robin tournament in Calgary starting on August 13.

FORWARDS
Paul Ahn (UBCOB Ravens), Neil Courtney (UBC Thunderbirds), Jake Ilnicki (Castaway Wanderers), Anthony Luca (Burnaby Lake), Andrew Lackner (Burnaby Lake), Jordan Reid-Harvey (Capilano), Craig McLaughlin (Burnaby Lake), Cam Polson (Castaway Wanderers), Connor Weyell (UBC Thunderbirds), Luke Campbell (James Bay), Travis Larsen (James Bay), Nakai Penny (UBC Thunderbirds), Taitusi Vikilani (Burnaby Lake)

BACKS
Phil Mack (James Bay), Gavin Rowell (UBC Thunderbirds), Guiseppe du Toit (UVic Vikes), Harjun Gill (UBCOB Ravens), George Barton (Cowichan), Doug Fraser (Castaway Wanderers), Mike Nieuwenhuysen (James Bay), Anton Ngongo (Castaway Wanderers), Brock Staller (UBCOB Ravens), Aaron McLelland (UBCOB Ravens)