No Sevens players in Canada ‘A’ roster for APC

No players from this year’s HSBC Sevens Series squad have been named in the Canada ‘A’ roster for the Americas Pacific Challenge. Instead the group is largely that which traveled to France in August, with three uncapped players selected for the trip to Montevideo.

A disagreement between the national governing body and the Sevens team regarding the recent Rugby Canada decision to prioritise the XV-a-side game appears to have cost Kingsley Jones access to a number of players he had hoped to bring into consideration ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers in November. Drastic changes to player pay and sevens-specific training time have driven a rift between the two parties with the players now seeking legal representation.

In the meantime Jones will have to proceed a largely domestic roster. Hoping to have access to some overseas professionals, he is limited to just a handful of Major League Rugby participants and two UK-based players for what are the last international matches ahead of the Repechage competition.

Ontario Arrows captain Mike Sheppard and New Zealand-raised back row Travis Larsen are the only players in the forwards without test experience, while Clayton Meeres earns a recall to the ‘A’ side six years after playing in the old Americas Rugby Championship format.

World Cup scrumhalf Gordon McRorie returns from long-term injury and is set to be test at the problem position of flyhalf, and versatile three-quarter Jordan Wilson-Ross is recalled after impressing with the Atlantic Rock in the Canadian Rugby Championship. Notable absentees are CRC standout Grant Crowell, scrumhalf Jamie Mackenzie, and midfielder Ben LeSage who are all unavailable.

Joining the Canadian coaching staff for the first time is former national captain Aaron Carpenter. The 35-year-old has been coaching with the Ontario Arrows since retiring due to concussion at the end of 2017. He joins Henry Paul as assistants to Jones.

Canada will play against Uruguay, Argentina, and Tonga in the senior ‘A’ competition. All matches will be streamed live by World Rugby. A detailed roster list can be seen here.

FORWARDS
Noah Barker (BC Bears), Hubert Buydens (New Orleans Gold, US), Cole Keith (Ontario Arrows), Ryan Kotlewski (Prairie Wolf Pack), Djustice Sears-Duru (Ontario Arrows), Ray Barkwill (Castaway Wanderers), Eric Howard (New Orleans Gold, US), Paul Ciulini (Ontario Arrows), Conor Keys (Rotherham Titans, UK), Mike Sheppard (Ontario Arrows), Kyle Baillie (Atlantic Rock), Luke Campbell (BC Bears), Dustin Dobravsky (BC Bears), Matt Heaton (Darlington Mowden Park, UK), Travis Larsen (BC Bears), Lucas Rumball (Ontario Arrows)

BACKS
Andrew Ferguson (Ontario Arrows), Phil Mack (Seattle Seawolves, US), Gordon McRorie (Prairie Wolf Pack), Patrick Parfrey (Ontario Arrows), Nick Blevins (Prairie Wolf Pack), Guiseppe du Toit (BC Bears), Doug Fraser (BC Bears), Jordan Wilson-Ross (Atlantic Rock), Kainoa Lloyd (Ontario Arrows), Clayton Meeres (BC Bears), Theo Sauder (BC Bears), Brock Staller (Seattle Seawolves, US)