Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The Ontario Arrows have unveiled their jerseys for the 2018 season. While the new ‘elite’ level rugby team will not be part of any competition officially in the coming year, they have committed to six exhibition games in the spring against similar teams from the USA.
A confirmed sponsor list includes Waypoint Investment Partners, BlackShire Capital, 360centre360, and Dineen Coffee Co. along with support from both Rugby Ontario and Rugby Canada.
Of interest is that XBlades are the apparel partner. The Australian company is also supplying kit to Major League Rugby sides for the inaugural season beginning in April. While the Arrows have not yet fully committed for the 2019 season, they will play against current sides Houston and Utah as well as New York, a new team who are set to join MLR in Year Two.
Staff and players are yet to be unveiled with a venue for their two home fixtures on April 14 and May 5 also still a mystery. The Arrows were led by Ontario Blues coach Chris Silverthorn in their lone run-out in 2017 against Glendale, a match that saw players from the BC Bears and Atlantic Rock supplementing a strong core of Blues players.
It’s expected that players from all four Canadian Rugby Championship sides will be part of the playing group in 2018, with ‘imports’ aiming to qualify for Canada on residency also set to join. Bears fullback Aaron McLelland, originally from New Zealand, is one such player who is already on the Canadian sevens radar despite being ineligible until the fall of 2019.
