Canada names roster for November tests

Rugby Canada have named a 36-man training group to prepare for upcoming tests against the Netherlands on November 12 and Namibia on November 19. Both matches will be played in Amsterdam. The squad will be trimmed by four names prior to departure.

Included are 27 of the 32 players that recently traveled to Brazil with Canada ‘A’. The five absentees are loosehead prop Emerson Prior, second row Izzak Kelly, utility back Gabe Casey, and midfield twins Takoda and Talon McMullin.

Additions are loosehead prop Djustice Sears-Duru, back rows Luke Campbell and Piers von Dadelszen, flyhalves Peter Nelson and Shane O’Leary, center Dawson Fatoric, and outside back trio Andrew Coe, Kainoa Lloyd, and Brock Webster. O’Leary recently signed with the Toronto Arrows and could win his first cap since the 2019 World Cup.

Eight players could make their test debuts if selected. The newcomers are tighthead props Kyle Steeves and Conor Young, back row trio Callum Botchar, Owain Ruttan, and Matt Klimchuk, versatile back Alex Russell, and wingers D’Shawn Bowen and Josiah Morra.

Several overseas professionals are not included. Among them are World Cup trio Matt Tierney, Evan Olmstead, and Tyler Ardron. Montpellier lock Tyler Duguid and Montauban center Liam Bowman, both uncapped, are also missing along with Pro D2 pair Matt Beukeboom and Will Percillier.

This will be the first time Canada has played against the Netherlands at senior level. A scheduled match against Namibia at RWC 2019 was cancelled due to damage caused by Typhoon Hagibis.

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Foster DeWitt (New England Free Jacks) 1 cap
Liam Murray (Dallas Jackals) 3 caps
Djustice Sears-Duru (LA Giltinis) 62 caps

HOOKER
Andrew Quattrin (New England Free Jacks) 14 caps
Lindsey Stevens (LA Giltinis) 2 caps

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Tyler Rowland (Toronto Arrows) 7 caps
Kyle Steeves (Pacific Pride) uncapped
Conor Young (New England Free Jacks) uncapped

SECOND ROW
Kyle Baillie (Toronto Arrows) 34 caps
Conor Keys (New England Free Jacks) 28 caps
Josh Larsen (New England Free Jacks) 19 caps
Corey Thomas (LA Giltinis) 9 caps

BACK ROW
Callum Botchar (Pacific Pride) uncapped
Luke Campbell (Old Glory DC) 15 caps
Matt Klimchuk (Pacific Pride) uncapped
Lucas Rumball (capt., Toronto Arrows) 45 caps
Owain Ruttan (Toronto Arrows) uncapped
Siaki Vikilani (Toronto Arrows) 7 caps
Piers von Dadelszen (Oxford University, UK) 1 cap

SCRUMHALF
Ross Braude (Toronto Arrows) 10 caps
Jason Higgins (San Diego Legion) 7 caps

FLYHALF
Gradyn Bowd (Old Glory DC) 10 caps
Peter Nelson (Aurillac, FR) 15 caps
Shane O’Leary (Toronto Arrows) 14 caps
Robbie Povey (Houston SaberCats) 11 caps

MIDFIELD
Dawson Fatoric (Canada Sevens) 2 caps
Ben LeSage (LA Giltinis) 26 caps
Alex Russell (Canada Sevens) uncapped
Josh Thiel (Canada Sevens) 1 cap

OUTSIDE BACKS
D’Shawn Bowen (Canada Sevens) uncapped
Cooper Coats (Canada Sevens) 7 caps
Andrew Coe (Rugby New York) 14 caps
Kainoa Lloyd (San Diego Legion) 21 caps
Josiah Morra (Canada Sevens) uncapped
David Richard (Canada Sevens) 1 cap
Brock Webster (Canada Sevens) 7 caps