Strong Canada squad named for u20 Qualifiers

Toronto Arrows winger Avery Oitomen is set to take his talents to the international stage when Canada faces off against the USA in June for a spot in the World Rugby u20 Trophy. Oitomen is one of four players attached to professional clubs in an impressive list of 32 that begins training on May 18.

Lock or flanker Quentin James arrives from Perpignan in France, with another Top 14 academy member set to lead in Stade Français scrumhalf Will Percillier. A new name is Saracens Academy flyhalf James Biss, who also plays for the highly regarded Eltham College in London.

Tyler Duguid, a 6’5″ prop or lock, spent time training with the Crusaders Academy in New Zealand along with flyhalf Brock Webster, recently named Canada’s Young Player of the Year and already capped for both Canada ‘A’ and on the HSBC Sevens Series. Percillier and former national u18 captain Tyler Rowland, a tighthead prop, attended the same program a year earlier.

Head Coach Jeff Williams returns along with nine from the side that traveled to Romania last year. Duguid, Rowland, James, and Percillier were among them. Second row Reid Davis, flyhalf Campbell Clarke, midfielders Lachlan Kratz and Kevin Vertkas, and outside back Gabriel Casey all return.

A 10th, prop Guerschom Mukendi, will miss out due to work commitments. Also unavailable are England-based No8 Alistair Bulman and RMC fullback Glenn Butler. The trio was part of the team’s tour to Spain and Portugal in February.

Other notables include former Toronto Wolfpack signing Quinn Ngawati, who will compete against Kratz and Vertkas for a starting centre role. Three Carson cousins are named from BC, among them imposing UVic eightman Nick Carson. Outside back David Richard suited up for Canada at the Hong Kong Sevens.

Canada will play the Junior All-Americans on June 4 and June 8 at Shawnigan Lake School on Vancouver Island. The winner on aggregate will earn a ticket to São José dos Campos, Brazil, where the u20 Trophy tournament will begin from July 9 to 21.

FORWARDS
Tyler Duguid (Nor’Westers), Brock McCartney (Abbotsford) Tyler Rowland (UBC Thunderbirds), Josh Tweed (Bayside / UBC Thunderbirds), Stefan Zuliani (Queen’s Gaels), Jared Augustin (Oshawa Vikings / Queen’s Gaels), Michael McCarthy (Swilers), Frank Carson (UBC Thunderbirds), Reid Davis (James Bay), Brandon Hebert (SABRFC), Quentin James (Perpignan, FR), David Carson (UBC Thunderbirds), Nick Carson (UVic Vikes), Mason Flesch (Cobourg Saxons), Will Matthews (Beaconsfield), Connor McKinney (Swilers), Siaki Vikilani (Burnaby Lake)

BACKS
Kevin Oh (Waterloo County), Will Percillier (Stade Français, FR), James Biss (Eltham College / Saracens, UK), Campbell Clarke (Swilers), Thomas Isherwood (Foothills Lions / Westshore), Brock Webster (Oshawa Vikings), Lachlan Kratz (UVic Vikes), Quinn Ngawati (Westshore), Reece Tudor-Jones (UVic Vikes), Kevin Vertkas (Westshore), Gabriel Casey (Bytown Blues / UVic Vikes), Jarvis Dashkewytch (UVic Vikes), Antoine de la Fontaine (Sherbrooke Abénakis / Saint Mary’s, US), Avery Oitomen (Toronto Arrows), David Richard (Mississauga Blues)