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Major League Rugby is now in its second off-season, and this one has a very different feel to the first a year ago. Big name signings Mathieu Bastareaud, Adam Thomson, and Steffon Armitage have already hit the press and more international talent will be unveiled over the next couple months.
Three new teams are joining up and a host of new players will be required. Among several who could be available following the World Cup are a number of Canadian internationals, many coming off contract with overseas clubs. These players do not count as imports which increases their value to MLR sides.
Below is a selection of a dozen Canada representatives who would not look out of place in 2020. Intentionally left out are two players – Evan Olmstead and Will Kelly. Olmstead has indicated he will be pursuing an overseas contract while Kelly is expected to sign for the Arrows after spending several weeks training with them at the end of this past season.
JORDAN OLSEN – HOOKER
Olsen was a bolt from the blue when he was called up to the Canadian squad for the Americas Rugby Championship. The New Zealander qualifies thanks to Canadian parents and though the World Cup appears to have come too soon to make his mark, a strong Mitre 10 Cup campaign could see Olsen shoot up the pecking order quickly. After biding his time behind Blues regular Matt Moulds, Olsen will be first choice for the Taniwha in 2019. Mobile, technically sound, and at 27 he is entering the prime of his career.
RYAN KOTLEWSKI – TIGHTHEAD PROP
Experienced props are hard to come by and Canadians proved relatively popular last season with five posted outside the Arrows. At 29 years old Kotlewski has six test caps to his name and is currently playing for the Canberra Royals in Brumbies territory. In May he earned selection to their reserve side to play against Japan ‘A’ and is Super Rugby is unlikely to come calling a spot in the MLR ranks seems like a good fit. At 265lbs (120kg) he would be a solid addition to the front row stocks.
REEGAN O’GORMAN – LOCK
Canada has long been a producer of quality big men and after an unusually sparse period the depth chart is filling up again. O’Gorman comes from a rugby family with ties to New Zealand and he has spent the past four years in Christchurch sharpening his skills. After impressing mightily with the u20s he graduated quickly to test honors but untimely injuries have kept O’Gorman out of the running since his 2017 debut. He now looks to be on the mend and if he can get through a Heartland campaign with South Canterbury, the 23-year-old will be in demand.
CONOR KEYS – LOCK
One of three second row prospects to come through that same age grade side, Keys is still growing into his 6’6″ (1.98m) frame but is already an imposing figure. He has taken a big step up in recent months, starting ahead of Josh Larsen in the final ARC match against the Eagles in Seattle and playing a full 80 minutes. After a year of seasoning with the Rotherham Titans in England’s third division – National One – Keys is now back in Canada and part of the World Cup training squad. Given his qualifications he should be a shoe-in for an MLR deal in 2020.
ADRIAN WADDEN – LOCK
The third from that cohort who also played a bit of blindside flanker. Wadden is in a slightly different situation as he is currently attending Leeds Beckett University in the UK and will be returning for one more season. He was a starter for the team and played in the BUCS Super League final earlier this year. An agile lineout specialist who has been capped at Canada ‘A’ level, Wadden hails from Mississauga and looks a good bet to join the Arrows once his LBU commitments are done.
LUCAS ALBORNOZ – LOCK / BACK ROW
Born in Canada but raised in Argentina, Albornoz has just one test cap to his name though he has floated around national selection for a few seasons. Most recently the 28-year-old has been plying his trade in New Zealand with the Northland ‘B’ side, but he was called into the senior Taniwha squad in 2018 and started at lock in the Championship Semi Final against Waikato. While perhaps most at home on the blindside flank, Albornoz has the ability to cover lock and No8 comfortably. That versatility proves highly useful in a club environment, with the likes of Nikola Bursic and Brad Tucker prime examples.
JUSTIN BLANCHET – FLANKER
Many were confused by his continual absence from Canadian training squads given that Blanchet has been a professional since 2012, first in the Exeter Chiefs academy and then with Bedford Blues in the RFU Championship. The 6’4″ (1.93m) flanker was finally called up in 2019 and impressed during the ARC. Blanchet is normally found on the blindside and is known for his tackling prowess, while also being a useful lineout target. After five seasons as a regular with the Blues, the Montreal native is now a free agent while preparing with Canada for the World Cup.
MATT HEATON – FLANKER
Another Quebec native who loves to tackle, Heaton quickly established himself as Canada’s first choice openside flanker after making his debut in 2016. Now with 21 caps to his name, the 26-year-old has the likes of Lucas Rumball from the Arrows and Seawolves standout Nakai Penny to contend with but remains in a good position to make the World Cup. At 6’3″ (1.90m) he has good size for a No7 and is renowned for his extremely high levels of fitness – he is a certified crossfit instructor. Heaton has been playing for Darlington Mowen Park in National One, captaining them this past season, but is now looking for a new home and a few MLR sides should come calling.
JORDEN SANDOVER-BEST – SCRUMHALF
The classic distributor. Sandover-Best is short in stature but very, very quick, reminiscent of Japan’s Fumiaki Tanaka. With crisp service and a good rugby brain, he has been on the fringes of the Canadian side but has had limited opportunities behind Phil Mack and Arrows pair Andrew Ferguson and Jamie Mackenzie. Sandover-Best has one cap on his resume, a 25-minute cameo against Russia last June, and at 24 still has plenty of time for more with Mack’s time winding down. The UBC graduate, now with the UBCOB Ravens, certainly knows how to win – he has been a leading member of five consecutive Rounsefell Cup-winning teams in the BC Premier League.
CIARAN HEARN – CENTER
Need some experience in the midfield? Look to further. Hearn has been playing international rugby for a over a decade and has more than 50 caps to his name along with four seasons on the World Sevens circuit. Chosen by many as the top No13 in the pool stage of the 2015 World Cup, he has since gravitated more towards inside center but is more than comfortable at either and can also slot in as a fullback if needed. He has now departed London Irish after four seasons and while edging towards the end of his test career, Hearn still has the legs for a couple seasons of MLR and would be a perfect mentor for a young backline.
BEN LeSAGE – CENTER
At the opposite end of what should be a solid professional career is 23-year-old LeSage. Another off the UBC production line, he drew the interest of the Arrows this past year but opted to stay in school to finish his degree first. LeSage can play either midfield spot but prefers outside center where he has made all but one of his 11 test starts since debuting in 2016. This past November he got the nod ahead of Conor Trainor for the all-important Repechage series and Canadian coach Kingsley Jones is an unabashed fan of LeSage’s qualities. The Calgary native has a good rugby brain, distributes well, and is a committed defender. The Arrows might have first dibs on this one.
PETER NELSON – FULLBACK
The surprise inclusion in Canada’s World Cup training squad. An age-grade starter for Ireland, Nelson qualifies thanks to a Canadian grandmother and is certain to make his test debut in the Maple Leaf during the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup. The left-footer has spent the last eight seasons with Ulster and has played more than 50 games in the Guinness Pro Championship. Primarily a fullback but also a capable flyhalf or center, if Nelson isn’t snapped up by a European club after the World Cup he should be highly sought-after in MLR.
