Canada longlist for July tests includes 13 Arrows

Canada has named a 40-man longlist for upcoming internationals against Wales on July 3 and England on July 10. Included are 18 of the 35 players who traveled to Japan for Rugby World Cup 2019 and 16 players who have yet to win their first test cap.

Of the 35 professionals named, 29 come from Major League Rugby with 13 of those from the Toronto Arrows. Six are based in France, while the five currently playing amateur rugby are all part of Rugby Canada’s centralized development program known as the Pacific Pride.

As expected no players currently preparing for the Tokyo Olympics are named, though two players have been released from that group to join the tour – former Arrows winger Kainoa Lloyd and Canada u20 fullback Brennig Prevost. The latter was not part of November’s High Performance camp.

Among a handful of notable absentees are Castres tighthead prop Matt Tierney and Montauban flanker Matt Beukeboom. Austin winger Jeff Hassler is ruled out with injury and there is no sign of Northland captain and hooker Jordan Olsen.

With Tierney out it leaves only two specialist tightheads though Cole Keith covers both sides of the scrum. Among the seven locks named Kyle Baillie and Corey Thomas are also comfortable in the back row. Siaki Vikilani is named despite missing all 10 of Toronto’s games to date with a knee injury.

It’s the first senior test squad for Canada since RWC 2019. According to a brief release, a final traveling roster will be named in mid-June though it’s not clear how many will make the trip.

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Cole Keith (Toronto Arrows)*
Liam Murray (Houston SaberCats)**
Djustice Sears-Duru (Seattle Seawolves)*

HOOKER
Foster Dewitt (Pacific Pride)**
Eric Howard (NOLA Gold)*
Dewald Kotze (Pacific Pride)**
Andrew Quattrin (Toronto Arrows)*

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Jake Ilnicki (Seattle Seawolves)*
Tyler Rowland (Toronto Arrows)**

LOCK
Kyle Baillie (NOLA Gold)*
Paul Ciulini (Toronto Arrows)
Tyler Duguid (Montpellier, FR)**
Conor Keys (Rugby ATL)*
Josh Larsen (New England Free Jacks)*
Evan Olmstead (Biarritz, FR)*
Corey Thomas (LA Giltinis)**

BACK ROW
Tyler Ardron (Castres, FR)*
Mason Flesch (Toronto Arrows)**
Matt Heaton (Rugby ATL)*
Lucas Rumball (Toronto Arrows)*
Michael Smith (San Diego Legion)**
Siaki Vikilani (Toronto Arrows)**

SCRUMHALF
Ross Braude (Toronto Arrows)**
Fraser Hurst (Utah Warriors)**
Will Percillier (Stade Français, FR)

FLYHALF
Will Kelly (Toronto Arrows)
Peter Nelson (Bressane, FR)*
Shane O’Leary (Rouen Normandie, FR)*
Robbie Povey (Houston SaberCats)

CENTER
Guiseppe du Toit (Toronto Arrows)*
Spencer Jones (Toronto Arrows)**
Lockie Kratz (NOLA Gold)**
Ben LeSage (Toronto Arrows)*
Quinn Ngawati (Rugby United New York)**

WING
Cole Davis (Austin Gilgronis)
Doug Fraser (Old Glory DC)
Kainoa Lloyd (Pacific Pride)*
Isaac Olson (Pacific Pride)**

FULLBACK
Patrick Parfrey (Toronto Arrows)*
Brennig Prevost (Pacific Pride)**

*RWC 2019 selection
**uncapped