Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Rugby Canada has announced a 43-strong Men’s under-20 long-list to participate in a training camp at Shawnigan Lake School from January 3-7. The group will begin preparations for the World Rugby u20 Trophy qualifier in June, with a selected team to play two matches in Portugal on February 17 and 20.
Included are ten players who were part of Canada’s team that traveled to Brazil for the 2019 u20 Trophy tournament earlier this year, with two more selected but unavailable. Seven players are currently part of the Pacific Pride development program based in Victoria.
Five players are unavailable due to overseas commitments. Second row Tyler Duguid and midfielder Ciaran Breen are with professional clubs in France, while hooker/flanker Scott Butterworth and flyhalf James Biss are attached to English Premiership academy sides. Lock or back row Piers von Dadelszen is currently attending Oxford University.
English-born but Canadian-qualified fullback Alex Brundage arrives from the University of California, while flanker Ethan Fryer plays his club rugby for the Eastside Lions in Kirkland, Washington. Matt Terry, Ian McLean, and Orion Schmok return from Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand respectively.
Canada will compete against the USA for the North American spot in the 2020 World Rugby u20 Trophy. Next year’s event will be hosted by Spain at Villajoyosa between September 14 and 27.
FORWARDS
Alex Chitan (UBC Thunderbirds), Willem den Ouden (Calgary Hornets), Brock McCartney (Abbotsford), Iain McTavish (UBC Thunderbirds), Josh Tweed (UBC Thunderbirds). Austin Creighton (Strathcona Druids), Caleb Gerth (Trinity Western Spartans), Mike McCarthy (Pacific Pride), Liam Casey (Queen’s Gaels), Adam Ford (Guelph Gryphons), Izzak Kelly (UBC Thunderbirds), Matt Terry (U of St. Andrews, UK), Alasdair Bulman (UBC Thunderbirds), Nick Carson (UVic Vikes), Ethan Fryer (Eastside Lions, US), Austin James (Pacific Pride), Will Matthews (Queen’s Gaels), Zephyr Melnyk (Nanaimo Hornets), Connor McKinney (Guelph Gryphons), Ian McLean (Sydney Uni, AU), Orion Schmok (Mount Albert Grammar, NZ), Siaki Vikilani (Pacific Pride)
BACKS
Cole Brown (McMaster Marauders), Kevin Oh (Waterloo Warriors), Lucas Okano (UVic Vikes), Matt Percillier (UBC Thunderbirds), Andrew Easson (UVic Vikes), Ethan Turner (Abbotsford), Brock Webster (Pacific Pride), Jarvis Dashkewytch (UVic Vikes), Eric Godden (Queen’s Gaels), Sion Griffiths (Castaway Wanderers), Lachlan Kratz (UVic Vikes), Cody Nhanala (Pacific Pride), Jordan Austin (James Bay), Luca Di Battista (Concordia Stingers), Michael Reid (Nor’westers), EJ Rerri (McMaster Marauders), David Richard (Pacific Pride), Matthew Turi (Abbotsford), Alex Brundage (Cal Golden Bears, US), Thomas Isherwood (Pacific Pride), Ben Russell (McGill Redmen)
UNAVAILABLE
Scott Butterworth (Exeter University, UK), Jack Carson (UVic Vikes), Kyle Steeves (Manitoba Wombats), Tyler Duguid (Narbonne, FR), Cameron Hurst (Guelph Gryphons), Rienk van der Ploeg (Queen’s Gaels), Piers von Dadelszen (Oxford University, UK), James Biss (Saracens, UK), Ciaran Breen (Biarritz Olympique, FR), Reece Tudor-Jones (UVic Vikes)
