Cole Keith added to Canada’s Centralized Group

Rugby Canada’s new Centralized Athlete Program is now at its intended full compliment of 20. Originally revealed as 19 players, the newest addition to the roster is 19-year-old Sussex, New Brunswick, native Cole Keith. The young prop was invited to join the training group after impressing in the recent James Bay fixture against Castaway Wanderers. Keith came through the match with glowing reviews after squaring up at tighthead against an experienced front row of John Braddock, Clayton Thornber, and Canadian international Doug Wooldridge.

Selected to the de facto Canada u19 select side after standing out with the Atlantic Rock age grade sides, Keith is one of four players in the program who will receive financial support while remaining eligible for the 2017 national u20 side. Hard-running no8 Jake Thiel, Ontario flyhalf Will Kelly, and versatile utility back Aidan McMullan are also earmarked for next year’s rub at the World Rugby u20 Trophy. Kelly will join the squad in January along with hooker Eric Howard after completing academic commitments.

Keith finds himself in esteemed company with the other two props in the group both vastly experienced players with professional experience in the form of Hubert Buydens and Andrew Tiedemann. Buydens missed out on a Mitre 10 Cup contract with Manawatu Turbos due to a knee injury sustained while playing for the San Diego Breakers in PRO Rugby, while Tiedemann was recently released from the final year of his contract by cash-strapped French Pro D2 club Bourgoin.

Graduates of this year’s u20 program are second row pair Conor Keys and Adrian Wadden, while flanker Ollie Nott and flyhalf Guiseppe du Toit were part of the 2015 side. All four traveled to the UK on the recent Canada ‘A’ tour, with Nott ruled out of the Americas Pacific Challenge competition with injury.

The new Centralized Athlete Program allows participating players the opportunity to receive monthly financial support as well as daily access to Rugby Canada facilities and coaches. Early morning gym sessions are supplemented with technical skill practices in the afternoons, with the players released to CDI Premier League clubs for Thursday training and weekend matches.