Canadian Overseas Pro Update

As the European club season reaches a close and Super Rugby leans towards the playoffs, it’s time to look back and see how Canada’s overseas contingent fared in the 2018-19 campaign. Only a handful of Canadian internationals are currently based in the Southern Hemisphere – Tyler Ardron the most prominent. Europe, along with Major League Rugby, will provide a significant pool of players that Kingsley Jones will draw on to form his World Cup squad later this year.

In general the form of Canada’s overseas group will please the selectors. The big names have been playing well while even those hampered by injuries have taken their chances when given. Nearly all of those who would have been expected to contend for spots on the plane to Tokyo have put their hand up. To have genuine competition for spots in several positions, particularly flanker and the outside backs, is a rare and encouraging situation for Jones et al.

It’s worth noting that eight players are out of contract at the moment. The clash between the European club season and the World Cup has unfortunately made Tier 2 internationals less desirable, but fortunately the growing strength of MLR provides an alternative if only for the short-term. A couple may bide their time and look to pick up deals after November, but at least half can be expected to play on North American soil in the 2020 season.

 

ENGLAND

We start in the Premiership, where only one Canadian has touched down this season. Evan Olmstead returned to Newcastle Falcons after narrowly missing out on a Super Rugby deal with the Blues following his outstanding Mitre 10 Cup campaign for Auckland. The second coming started out well but did not go exactly as planned, with Dean Richards again reverting to conservative tactics and the team was subsequently relegated. Olmstead has now departed Newcastle and has yet to put pen to paper with another club.

Things in the Championship went well for some, less so for others. Only greater team success could have improved what was a career-best season for Shane O’Leary at Nottingham. The club finished mid-table but their flyhalf topped the scoring charts. O’Leary started every league game and played almost every minute. He signed a one-year extension in April.

Also playing exceptionally well this season was Brett Beukeboom. Named club captain for Cornish Pirates last August, he started every game and led his charges to 5th-place finish. He has now spent seven seasons in England, four in Penzance, and has one year remaining on his contract.

Playing alongside Beukeboom at the Mennaye is veteran outside back Matt Evans. Largely a fullback for Canada, it’s been on the wing where Evans has played much of his rugby for the Pirates. The 31-year-old got through the season relatively unscathed injury-wise but couldn’t quite lock down a regular starting position with two younger young flyers pushing through. Evans signed a new one-year deal in February that will see him spend a 9th season in Cornwall.

Injury has followed Justin Blanchet around like a lost puppy and cost him much of the first half of the season with Bedford Blues. When he finally got back on the pitch he made up for lost time, impressing in his Canada debut during the Americas Rugby Championship and getting a decent run of games for Bedford down the stretch. Blanchet, however, will not be continuing with the Blues next season, his destination a mystery at the moment.

Also a free agent is Ciaran Hearn, who ended his four-year association with London Irish this season. Hearn did not make a competitive appearance for the club in the new year and it was no surprise that the 33-year-old was not re-signed. He would be a welcome addition to any MLR side if he intends to play on following the World Cup.

A knee injury cut short Jake Ilnicki‘s Championship season with Yorkshire Carnegie. As it happens the club has all but capsized with a move to part-time professionalism next season. Thankfully now recovered, Ilnicki has not wasted any time finding new digs as he is now playing for the Seattle Seawolves and will contest the MLR Shield this coming weekend.

Dan Moor also made the jump to MLR, but did so much earlier. He quickly established himself as a first choice winger at Carnegie but when the opportunity arose to head home to Toronto, he took it with both hands and captained the Arrows to a Semi Final in their inaugural campaign.

Former Canada u20 flanker Lachlan Currie has recently switched to the front row and was set to play hooker for Carnegie until a dislocated shoulder ended his trial run early. Australian-born, he has now returned to Queensland where he is playing for Bond University in the province’s top amateur division.

Taking one step down to National One we find Matt Heaton, who was a standout for Darlington Mowden Park in his third season with the club. The Quebec native captained the side following his return from the World Cup Qualifiers and was a staple on the openside flank. He has bid adieu to DMP and returned back to Canada to prepare for Japan. Following that, could MLR be his next stop?

The same question will be asked about Conor Keys. North American second rows are in high demand on this side of the pond and MLR clubs in need will be perking their ears up to hear that the 22-year-old is heading home after spending the season with Rotherham Titans. Keys was a regular in match day squads, coming on as a second half sub when not starting.

Robbie Povey was signed up by Championship club Coventry in September after getting a run with Leicester’s ‘A’ side in the Premiership Shield. Finding game time proved difficult, however, and he made the move to Sale FC in February. There Povey quickly earned his place as first choice fullback and also got a few starts at flyhalf. It’s not immediately clear if he will be staying with the side next season.

Another versatile back, Sam Hayward, joined Birmingham Moseley this season. The u20 and Canada ‘A’ select played 16 games this season mostly as a centre. With a new Director of Rugby recently confirmed it remains to be seen if Hayward will continue with the side.

A name that will bring back many positive memories is James Pritchard. Canada’s all-time leading scorer was still chugging along at the age of 39 for Ampthill this past season. After helping the side earn promotion to the Championship for the first time, he has finally opted to hang up the boots.

One more worth mentioning while we’re still on England is Adrian Wadden. The 22-year-old lock started all but one game – 19 matches – for Leeds Beckett University in the BUCS Super League, packing down beside Harlequins academy grad John Okafor in the Championship Final against Hartpury, who ultimately defeated LBU to win their third straight title. Wadden has one more season left in Leeds, after which a move to the Arrows could be on the cards.

 

GUINNESS PRO 14

Before we move across the Channel there are two Canadians on Pro 14 books this season. DTH van der Merwe is the most obvious. His return to Glasgow Warriors from Newcastle could not have proved more savvy. A shoulder injury looked to have ended van der Merwe’s season early, but he returned ahead of schedule to make the finals. A locked-in starter under coach Dave Rennie, DTH will be sticking around Glasgow for at least one more season.

Not in the senior squad but in the Dragons academy program was Will Kelly. The 21-year-old flyhalf stuck it out with the beleaguered Welsh region until February, when he was called into the Canada squad for the ARC and made his test debut against Brazil. Kelly has since been training with the Arrows and looks likely to sign with the club for the 2020 MLR season.

 

FRANCE

Once home to several Canadian players, France has not been as populated of late with only three senior squad players in the top two divisions. Taylor Paris is the most prominent name, and it was a good year for the 26-year-old winger. He started 17 games for Castres, including 5 of 6 in the Champions Cup. The club didn’t reach the title-winning heights of last season but they remained a formidable outfit with Paris an essential component in big games. There is one year left on his contract.

There were two Canucks in Pau’s senior academy this past year, next year there will be none. Matt Tierney was in his fourth year with the club and played seven senior matches. In February he signed a new 3-year-deal but two months later Simon Mannix was out the door as Director of Rugby and suddenly it seems Tierney is no longer in the plans. His contract was ended for ‘extra-rugby‘ reasons at the end of May, with the club quickly moving to sign French international Mohamed Boughanmi from La Rochelle. If Tierney does not find a new home in Europe, there should be several MLR clubs ringing him with tighthead props in very short supply.

The second man to leave Pau is Matt Beukeboom. Brett’s younger brother has been a starter for the academy side at lock or blindside flanker but despite positive reviews was never given a chance in the senior side. Instead of toiling for another year in the academy, Beukeboom has opted to sign a senior deal with Pro D2 side Montauban. Next season will be a big one for the 22-year-old.

Taking to the skies for the Perpignan academy side this season was Quentin James. Like Beukeboom, he has family ties to the national side with dad Mike one of Canada’s greatest forwards in the professional era. James was a regular starter, playing both blindside flank and lock, but has opted to change camps next season. He’ll stay attached to a Top 14 club as he moves to Paris with Stade Français, leaving behind USAP who have been relegated to Pro D2.

Already tearing up the turf at Stade is Will Percillier. One of the hottest properties in Canadian rugby, the current u20 captain has impressed the management so much since his arrival in January that the goal-kicking scrumhalf has been signed up for another three years. Look for Percillier to make his senior club debut some time next season.

There was but one Canadian in the Pro D2 this season. Conor Trainor was in his second season with Nevers and played half their games, used exclusively as an outside centre. The club fell off slightly at the end of the season to miss out on promotion but should be near the top against next year with Trainor still under contract.

One more is on the way to the Biarritz academy. Shawnigan Lake captain and Canada u18 standout Ciaran Breen will join the former French champions as they look to build their youth program with an eye towards returning to the Top 14. A strong running inside centre with good footwork and offloading ability, Breen is one to watch in the next World Cup cycle.

At the semi-pro level you’ll find Benoît Pifféro in National One. Despite the classification, the season is almost as arduous as the full-timers with Pifféro suiting up for 21 games this season with Blagnac, most as a starter. He captained the side on a couple occasions and with the sudden retirement of Ray Barkwill is now Canada’s most experienced hooker.

 

NEW ZEALAND

Away to the south in the land of Mordor are four brave Canucks, one of whom is playing his trade in mythical Super Rugby. Tyler Ardron is making Ospreys fans curse their management with every step as he continues his excellent form with the Chiefs. After being confined to lock for almost all of last season, he has split his time between the engine room and the back of the scrum this year. He signed a new two-year deal in March.

The other two are in the Mitre 10 Cup with Northland. Once-capped Lucas Albornoz made his debut for the Taniwha in October and started at lock in the Semi Final after impressing with their development side. He is currently in Whangarei where he plays for club side Waipu.

Jordan Olsen made himself available for Canada this year and debuted in the ARC though he remains uncapped. He has been in the Taniwha squad for five seasons but has largely played second fiddle to Blues regular Matt Moulds. With Moulds now heading to Worcester in the English Premiership, Olsen could get his chance to be first choice for Northland this year.

It was another year of frustration for second row Reegan O’Gorman. The 1.98m (6’6″) athletic specimen hasn’t featured for Canada since the 2017 ARC with shoulder injuries ruining his international ambitions. He signed for South Canterbury in August but was injured in the preseason and missed out once again. O’Gorman celebrated his 23rd birthday last month and still has time on his side if he can get himself back to fighting fitness.