Canada names u20 Trophy Longlist

Head coach Jeff Williams has named a squad of 37 players to prepare for the upcoming World Rugby u20 Trophy competition. The final travelling squad of 26 heading to Romania will be named on August 19 following a warm-up match against BC u23.

Included in the group are 22 players who were part of the squad that defeated the USA over a two-leg qualifier series in Texas last month. Flyhalf Logan Martin-Feek misses out due to injury while hooker Tyler Wong, prop Stephen Mallard, and a second flyhalf Steve Commerford are unavailable.

Ontario and Canada u19 loosehead Guerschom Mukendi joins the squad after impressing in the recent national championships. Also plucked out of that competition are tall timber BC forwards Frank and Nick Carson, and Quebec No8 Andreas Dionisopoulos. Another Quebec resident in Concordia second row Jackson Marquardt returns to the group after missing out on the the trip south, so too UBC prop Sam Turner and hooker Harrison Smith.

Alberta prop Tyler Duguid is called up from the national u18 side having recently spent time playing club rugby in Christchurch, New Zealand. James Bay hooker Tyler Rockwell, from Calgary, is one of two players named in the Prairie Wolf Pack senior Canadian Rugby Championship squad along with team captain and flanker James O’Neill. A new name from Shawnigan Lake is Guilherme Sala de Melo Costa, a heavyweight lock originally from Brazil.

In the absence of Commerford and Martin-Feek there are three players competing at flyhalf. Brennig Prevost lined up at fullback during both matches against the All-Americans. The newcomers are BC’s Jack Scher and 17-year-old Campbell Clarke from the Atlantic Rock. As with Prevost both have experience playing in the No15 shirt for national age-grade sides.

Lachlan Kratz is added to the pool of midfielders and two speedsters from the national sevens training group come into the outside backs. James Hammond has represented the Maple Leafs development side while fellow Toronto native Josiah Morra has already played in four stops on the HSBC Sevens Series.

Canada will play four games at the tournament beginning on August 28. In the pool stage they will face Portugal, Uruguay, and Fiji before one final placing match. The winner of the tournament will qualify for the top-tier 2019 World Rugby u20 Championship, to be held in Argentina.

FORWARDS
Tyler Duguid (Nor’Westers / New Brighton, NZ), Gavin Kratz (Castaway Wanderers / UVic Vikes), Guerschom Mukendi (Stoney Creek Camels), Emerson Prior (Trent Excalibur), Tyler Rowland (Toronto Nomads / UBC Thunderbirds), Sam Turner (UBC Thunderbirds), Jack McRogers (Aurora Barbarians / McMaster Marauders / Ontario Arrows), Tyler Rockwell (Bow Valley Grizzlies / James Bay / Prairie Wolf Pack), Harrison Smith (UBC Thunderbirds), Frank Carson (UBC Thunderbirds), Reid Davis (Bayside Sharks), Quentin James (Perpignan, FR), Jackson Marquardt (Barrhaven Scottish / Concordia Stingers), Ben Newhook (Vandals), Guilherme Sala de Melo Costa (Shawnigan Lake), Nick Carson (Castaway Wanderers), Andreas Dionisopoulos (TMR), Pete Ingoldsby (Exmouth, UK), Jackson Matthews (Beaconsfield / UVic Vikes), James O’Neill (Calgary Canucks / UVic Vikes / Prairie Wolf Pack), Owain Ruttan (Cobourg Saxons / UBC Thunderbirds), Michael Smith (Bayside Sharks / UBC Thunderbirds)

BACKS
Brock Gallagher (Strathcona Druids / James Bay), Will Percillier (Cowichan Piggies / UBC Thunderbirds), Brandon Schellenberger (Castaway Wanderers), Campbell Clarke (Swilers), Brennig Prevost (Castaway Wanderers / UVic Vikes), Jack Scher (St. George’s), Mostyn Findley (Regina Rogues / UVic Vikes), Lachlan Kratz (Castaway Wanderers), Seth Purdey (UCal Golden Bears, US), Kevin Vertkas (Toronto Nomads / UBC Thunderbirds), Elias Ergas (Capilano / UBC Thunderbirds), Ethan Hager (Brantford Harlequins / UVic Vikes), James Hammond (Toronto Nomads), Jack McCarthy (Vandals / UVic Vikes), Josiah Morra (Toronto Saracens)

INJURED/UNAVAILABLE
Stephen Mallard (Swilers), Tyler Wong (Capilano / UVic Vikes), Steve Commerford (Peterborough Pagans / Brock Badgers), Logan Martin-Feek (Westshore / UVic Vikes)

STAFF
Head Coach – Jeff Williams
Assistant Coach – Adam Roberts
Strength and Conditioning Coach – Adam Kleeberger
Manager – Dr. Pat Parfrey
Co-Manager – Mike Flynn
Video Analyst – Derrick Pue
Physiotherapist – Kiyomi Thompson