Canada Men’s u20 squad heading to Uruguay next week

Canada has named a 26-man under-20 squad to Uruguay next week as part of its preparations for the World Rugby u20 Trophy qualification series against the USA in June. First up for the young Canadians will be their Uruguayan counterparts on Tuesday, May 9, followed by Spain on Saturday, May 13. Both matches will be played at the Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo.

Adam Roberts returns as Head Coach and based selections on a training camp held at Shawnigan Lake School in February. Six players each are selected from the Pacific Pride national development program and UBC. Five players from last year’s squad are included with another three ruled out with injury.

The returnees are prop or lock Joe McNulty, 6’8″ (2.04m) lock Caden Wilson, back rows Taine Claque and Sol Jacques, and winger Alastair Marshall. Unavailable were prop Tyler Matchem, hooker Michael Di Lella, and second row Alastair Bruce.

A dozen selections are part of the Toronto Arrows academy program, most notably Brenden Black who became the youngest starter in Major League Rugby history in March. Black is one of five players named who could feature at either flyhalf or fullback. Midfielder Noah Flesch is the brother of senior Arrows flanker and Canadian international Mason Flesch.

The two-game qualifier set against the USA will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday, June 6, and Saturday, June 10. The winner on aggregate will travel to Nairobi, Kenya, for the u20 Trophy tournament that kicks off on July 15.

 

PROP
Aaron Clark (Pacific Pride)
Cole Kelly (Trinity College, IR)
Evan Roy (Ottawa Gee-Gees)
Charles Trollip (Guelph RFC)

HOOKER
Jordy Auger (UVic Vikes)
Jeffrey Young (Cardiff Met, UK)

SECOND ROW
Muiredach Casey (UVic Vikes)
Joe McNulty (UBC Thunderbirds)
Caden Wilson (UBC Thunderbirds)

BACK ROW
Callum Arneson (UBC Thunderbirds)
Taine Clague (UVic Vikes)
Sol Jacques (UBC Thunderbirds)
Jaiden John (Pacific Pride)
Olly Wiseman (Cardiff Met, UK)

SCRUMHALF
Stephen Webb (Balmy Beach)
Brady White (Pacific Pride)

FLYHALF/FULLBACK
Brenden Black (Toronto Arrows)
James Clarke (Pacific Pride)
Owain Cormack (UBC Thunderbirds)
James Thiel (Pacific Pride)
James Webb (Queen’s Gaels)

CENTRE
Noah Flesch (Pacific Pride)
Marcus D’Acre (Queen’s Gaels)
Liam Poulton (UVic Vikes)

WING
Alastair Marshall (UBC Thunderbirds)
Craig Mitchell-Hermann (James Bay)

 

NON-TRAVELING RESERVES
Ethan Lee (back row, UBC Thunderbirds)
Cormac Saint (scrumhalf, Cal Golden Bears, US)
Kieran Martin (centre, UBC Thunderbirds)
Sam Brown (wing, Claremont Lions, US)

UNAVAILABLE
Tyler Matchem (prop, Pacific Pride)
Bauer Mercer (prop, Queen’s Gaels)
Michael Di Lella (hooker, Guelph Gryphons)
Alastair Bruce (lock, Pacific Pride)
Grant Meadows (back row, Brock Badgers)