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Canada has officially qualified for Rugby World Cup 2019 so it’s time we take our first look at how the team stands. In terms of selection Canada closer resembles Argentina than the USA or Uruguay in that a number of positions are still up for debate. Each case must be taken individually but in general greater uncertainty should be seen as a concern rather than an opportunity.
The arrival, success, and expansion of Major League Rugby not only benefits the Eagles but also Canada. If the Arrows had not pushed for inclusion in 2019 there would be huge gaps in the team in terms of professionalism. There are 15 players in the extended list of 42 who will be running out in MLR this coming season.
As things stand a quarter of the side will be either be playing amateur club rugby or no domestic rugby at all between now and next September. Particularly of concern is that three incumbent starters are on that list, including the current first choice #10. Every one of Canada’s opponents will have professional options at the pivotal flyhalf position.
As a reminder, the below list is a reflection of actual selection not opinion. The starting point is the match against Hong Kong, with the only debate on the right wing. In this case we have opted for Matt Evans who only missed the Hong Kong match due to injury, with Taylor Paris instead selected on the bench.
CANADA
| ## | NAME | CLUB | POS | CAPS |
FIRST CHOICE
| 1 | Hubert Buydens | New Orleans Gold (US) | LH | 50 |
| 2 | Ray Barkwill | Castaway Wanderers | HO | 56 |
| 3 | Matt Tierney | Pau (FR) | TH | 15 |
| 4 | Mike Sheppard | Toronto Arrows | LO | 3 |
| 5 | Evan Olmstead | Auckland (NZ) | LO | 27 |
| 6 | Kyle Baillie | New Orleans Gold (US) | FL / LO | 21 |
| 7 | Lucas Rumball | Toronto Arrows | FL | 25 |
| 8 | Tyler Ardron | Chiefs (NZ) | N8 | 31 |
| 9 | Phil Mack (c) | Seattle Seawolves (US) | SH | 54 |
| 10 | Gordon McRorie | Calgary Hornets | FH / SH | 37 |
| 11 | DTH van der Merwe | Glasgow Warriors (UK) | WI | 55 |
| 12 | Ciaran Hearn | London Irish (UK) | CE | 63 |
| 13 | Ben LeSage | UBC Thunderbirds | CE | 9 |
| 14 | Matt Evans | Cornish Pirates (UK) | WI / FB | 40 |
| 15 | Theo Sauder | Toronto Arrows | FB / FH | 5 |
Where other teams look comparatively settled, there are really only five spots in the team that one could consider settled. Evan Olmstead, Tyler Ardron, Phil Mack, and DTH van der Merwe are undoubtedly automatic selections, while Kyle Baillie has surely secured his spot in the run-on side.
Hubert Buydens and Ray Barkwill would be considered clear favorites at this point but 10 months is a long time considering their ages will be 37 and 39 respectively at the start of the tournament. In such a case they were selected Barkwill would be the oldest man competing with only Uruguay’s Rodrigo Capó Ortega standing between he and Buydens.
Matt Tierney, Mike Sheppard, and Lucas Rumball all have fights for their starting spot ahead of them. Sheppard has only just pushed into the team, a bolter at the age of 29. Jake Ilnicki, Brett Beukeboom, Josh Larsen, and Matt Heaton in particular are all in contention for starting positions.
Gordon McRorie is primarily a scrumhalf and a selection few would have predicted a year ago. His preference over Shane O’Leary was the biggest talking point of November. Ciaran Hearn is less than a month away from his 33rd birthday and both he and Ben LeSage face pressure from Nick Blevins, Conor Trainor, and possibly Connor Braid though the latter appears to be focused on the HSBC Sevens Series at the moment.
Out wide Theo Sauder has taken his chances and then some. He is now in prime position to hold the #15 jersey through to Japan though the level of opposition will be significantly higher. Matt Evans is the more experienced option there, and it remains a possibility that he will be restored with Taylor Paris coming back into the run-on side on the wing.
REPLACEMENTS
| 16 | Eric Howard | New Orleans Gold (US) | HO | 17 |
| 17 | Djustice Sears-Duru | Toronto Arrows | LH | 44 |
| 18 | Jake Ilnicki | Yorkshire Carnegie (UK) | TH | 33 |
| 19 | Brett Beukeboom | Cornish Pirates (UK) | LO | 35 |
| 20 | Matt Heaton | Darlington Mowden Park (UK) | FL | 21 |
| 21 | Jamie Mackenzie | Toronto Arrows | SH | 13 |
| 22 | Nick Blevins | Calgary Hornets | CE | 55 |
| 23 | Taylor Paris | Castres (FR) | WI | 27 |
Eric Howard has been unable to shake Barkwill from his starting spot and his lack of playing time in the Repechage suggests Kingsley Jones still has concerns about his set piece game. DJ Sears-Duru has become the default second half impact sub, while Ilnicki has only recently seen his starting role to go Tierney.
Similarly both Beukeboom and Heaton might have been expected to start in the Repechage, but Sheppard and Rumball have pushed ahead. The battle should continue through to the tournament and there are younger players who may yet push for a spot in the coming months.
Jamie Mackenzie has returned from the barrens to take the spot of his future Arrows teammate Andrew Ferguson, while Blevins and Paris – as above – are in a fight for a first choice spot.
TRAVELING RESERVES
| 24 | Noah Barker | James Bay | LH / HO | 4 |
| 25 | Cole Keith | Toronto Arrows | TH | 9 |
| 26 | Paul Ciulini | Toronto Arrows | LO | 8 |
| 27 | Josh Larsen | Austin Elite (US) | LO | 9 |
| 28 | Luke Campbell | James Bay | N8 / FL | 6 |
| 29 | Shane O’Leary | Ealing Trailfinders (UK) | FH | 10 |
| 30 | Patrick Parfrey | Swilers | FH / FB | 24 |
| 31 | Conor Trainor | Nevers (FR) | CE | 32 |
Jones has made it clear that – barring a dramatic change of opinion – he will travel with only two specialist hookers, meaning the versatile Noah Barker finds himself in an advantageous position. With Sheppard moving into first choice carrying two extra specialist locks seems excessive. Luke Campbell missed out on the Repechage but is the next loose forward on the depth chart.
The non-selection of O’Leary remains a mystery for many and it remains to be seen if he will win the trust of Jones in the coming months. Patrick Parfrey is another who has been trialled at flyhalf with mixed success. His versatility is in his favor but if McRorie is preferred at flyhalf and Sauder also considered cover, there is a question of whether there is room for both O’Leary and Parfrey in the traveling squad.
NON-TRAVELING RESERVES
| 32 | Benoît Pifféro | Blagnac (FR) | HO | 20 |
| 33 | Rob Brouwer | Toronto Arrows | LH | 9 |
| 34 | Ryan Kotlewski | Westshore | TH | 4 |
| 35 | Conor Keys | Rotherham Titans (UK) | LO | 9 |
| 36 | Lucas Albornoz | Northland (NZ) | FL / LO | 1 |
| 37 | Dustin Dobravsky | Castaway Wanderers | N8 / FL | 6 |
| 38 | Andrew Ferguson | Toronto Arrows | SH | 10 |
| 39 | Guiseppe du Toit | UVic Vikes | FH / CE | 12 |
| 40 | Doug Fraser | Castaway Wanderers | CE | 3 |
| 41 | Kainoa Lloyd | Toronto Arrows | WI | 6 |
| 42 | Brock Staller | Seattle Seawolves (US) | FB | 15 |
Benoît Pifféro is next up at hooker and some consider him a contender for first choice but Jones evidently does not see things this way. Next in line are Arrows duo AJ Quattrin and Steven Ng. Canadian-eligible Paddy Finlay is a starter at All-Ireland D1A side Clontarf, would he answer if called upon?
Depth at loosehead prop is something of a concern with soon-to-be 36-year-old Rob Brouwer next in line and the younger Liam Murray curiously being trialled at tighthead of late. Bryce Worden has played both sides of the scrum for Burnaby as has another former u20 cap – UBC’s Cali Martinez. Similarly South African hopeful Clint Lemkus can play either side and will be qualified just ahead of the World Cup.
Whether there is enough time for fringe players like Conor Keys, Lucas Albornoz, Adrian Wadden, Reegan O’Gorman, or Matt Beukeboom to press for spots remains to be seen. Of those Albornoz or Beukeboom might have the best chance with their ability to cover lock and flanker.
Uncapped options in the loose forwards include a pair of promising young opensides in u20 captain James O’Neill and Nakai Penny of the Seattle Seawolves. New Austin Elite signing Travis Larsen could move up as a blindside or No8 cover, and Justin Blanchet is at Bedford Blues though injuries continue to hamper his playing time.
A trio of ball-carrying No8 options are with the sevens program in Admir Cejvanovic, Matt Mullins, and Jake Thiel. Cejvanovic has the best chance having been capped in XVs previously but it seems unlikely that any will be knocking on the door in the immediate future. Similarly the return of Adam Zaruba is one to ponder. He has played in both the forwards and backs in XVs but a serious run for the World Cup would require some specialization.
With Phil Mack captain and first choice scrumhalf there are few openings at scrumhalf until post-RWC when players like Will Percillier and Jorden Sandover-Best should become more visible at the senior level. Will Kelly is a hopeful at flyhalf, currently in the Dragons academy overseas, and Robbie Povey is extra cover at Coventry where he is seen primarily as a fullback.
There are some backs who could still squeeze in. Jordan Wilson-Ross has useful utility value, and Dan Moor put himself back in the shop window with his new Arrows contract. George Barton struggled with injury last season at Seattle but his athletic profile is unique and one that could see him rise up the ladder very quickly.
Cole Davis looks to be working his way into the sevens program. Already there is Andrew Coe, perhaps the most coveted member of the side who was outstanding in both the CRC and the Arrows midfield. Of all the current sevens players it’s Braid and Coe who offer the most in the limited time left before Japan.
