Canada and USA set for u20 Trophy qualifying series

Canada will host the USA for a two-match series starting this weekend that will decide North America’s entry into the World Rugby Men’s u20 Trophy tournament. The winner on aggregate between the two matches will travel to Scotland to compete between July 2 and 17.

The USA were convincing winners last year but finished 7th at the u20 tourney in Kenya. A 10-day training camp was held in Bellingham, Washington, starting on May 18. Former Rugby ATL hooker Neethling Gericke is Head Coach and five players are currently contracted to Major League Rugby sides.

Canada last appeared at the Trophy in 2019, though it should be noted the tournament was cancelled for three consecutive years starting in 2020 due to the pandemic. A four-week training camp under the guidance of Head Coach Christiaan Esterhuizen was held at Shawnigan Lake in preparation for the series.

Both matches will take place on Vancouver Island. Shawnigan Lake School will be the backdrop for the first, to be played at 3pm local (6pm Eastern) time on Saturday. The second game will take place at Starlight Stadium in Langford on Thursday, June 6, at 7pm local (10pm Eastern). Streaming details are yet to be confirmed by Rugby Canada.

 

CANADA MEN’s u20 ROSTER

PROP
Angus Dewar (UBCOB Ravens / Queen’s Gaels)
Brighton Feldman (Westshore / UVic Vikes)
Finlay Kennedy (Bournemouth, UK)
Thorson Noble (UBC Thunderbirds)
Justin Tasse (Calgary Hornets / Westshore)
Charles Trollip (Brantford Harlequins / Guelph Gryphons)

HOOKER
Riku Konrad (UBCOB Ravens)
Noah Kynaston (Castaway Wanderers)
Dylan Shaw (Toronto Scottish / Guelph Gryphons)
Jeffrey Young (Toronto Nomads / Bedwas, UK)

SECOND ROW
Ryan Cozens (Sidmouth, UK / Cardiff Met, UK)
Daragh Doyle (Clontarf, IR)
Brodie Lowry (Beaconsfield / RMC Paladins)
Eric Vann (Burlington Centaurs / UofT Blues)

BACK ROW
Austin Allen (Georgian Bay Titans / Trent Excalibur)
Presley Bosa (Capilano / Western Mustangs)
Kyle Finan (Red Deer Titans / TWU Spartans)
Jaxson Jones (Cowichan / UVic Vikes)
Liam Kinghorn (Calgary Irish / UBC Thunderbirds)
Grant Meadows (Aurora Barbarians / Brock Badgers)
Garin Schroeder (Burlington Centaurs / Western Mustangs)
Olly Wiseman (Cardiff Met, UK)

SCRUMHALF
Ben Greenstein (UBCOB Ravens / Queen’s Gaels)
Brady Howlett (Abbotsford / TWU Spartans)
Jesse Kilgour (Barrie RFC / Pacific Pride)
Paddy Kirwan (Meralomas / Pacific Pride)

FLYHALF
Ty Driscoll (Castaway Wanderers / Pacific Pride)
Caleb Seumanutafa (Bayside Sharks / UBC Thunderbirds)

CENTER
Spencer Cotie (Castaway Wanderers / UVic Vikes)
Jimmy Leach (Chinnor, UK / Brunel University, UK)
Marco Mitchell (UBCOB Ravens / UBC Thunderbirds)
Liam Turnbull (UBCOB Ravens)

OUTSIDE BACKS
Matthew Bennett (UVic Vikes)
Morgan DiNardo (Toronto City Rugby / UVic Vikes)
Lockhart MacGregor (Abbotsford / UVic Vikes)
Thomas Wells Richards (Balmy Beach / Waterloo Warriors)

 

USA MEN’s u20 ROSTER

PROP
Nikotimo Mateiwai (Bond University, AU)
Asa Rosenmeier (Brown University)
Asbjorn Ross (UCLA)
John-Henry Rouse (St. Mary’s)
Luke Schaefer (Lindenwood)
Thomas Wagner (Randwick, AU)

HOOKER
Cade Crist (Cal Berkeley)
Seth Smith (Houston SaberCats, MLR)

LOCK
George Engels (Army West Point)
Miles Malone (Cal Berkeley)
Brice Muller (Babson College)
Braemar Murray (Anthem Carolina, MLR)
Maseah Young (St. Bonaventure)

BACK ROW
Logan Ballinger (Life University)
Dylan Fortune (Anthem Carolina, MLR)
Tevita Kutu (Anthem Carolina, MLR)
Daniel Lowther (St. Bonaventure)
Graeme Pedegana (Anthem Carolina, MLR)

SCRUMHALF
Judd Berman (Trinity College, IR)
Paddy Casey (Cal Poly)
Spencer Huntley (San Diego Mustangs)
Solomon Williams (Cal Berkeley)

FLYHALF/FULLBACK
Ollie Cline (Central Washington)
Emmett Cook (Cal Barkeley)
Rand Santos (Cal Berkeley)
Ben Saunders (GCU)

MIDFIELD
Dom Besag (St. Mary’s)
Tito Edjua (Brown University)
Max Threlkeld (Cal Berkeley)
Jordan Vassel (Life University)

WING
Keelan Farrell (Esher, UK)
Corbin Smith (Hartpury, UK)