Canada Name Men’s U20 Team to Travel to Fiji in May/June for Matches vs Samoa, Fiji, Tonga
Coach Christiaan Esterhuizen has selected 32 players to make the trip to Fiji in May/June to play Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. There is no JWRT U20 championship this year, and there’s been no mention from World Rugby on what future plans are for U20 programs outside of the Tier 1 nations who are holding their Junior World U20 Championships in June/July in Italy.
The tournament is called the Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge and is Canada’s debut in the competition.
CANADA’S U20 MEN’S RUGBY TEAM
FORWARDS
Adam Doane (Sutton, ON) – University of Victoria / Aurora Barbarians
Alexander Muir (Victoria, BC) – University College Dublin / UBCOB Ravens
Alistair Yeomans (Mississauga, ON) – University of Guelph / Mississauga Blues
Andrew Neveu (Uxbridge, ON) – Durham College / Oshawa Vikings RFC
Angus Dewar (Vancouver, BC) – Queen’s University / UBCOB Ravens
Austin Allen (Thornbury, ON) – Trent University / Georgian Bay Titans
Ben Koolen (Banbury, ENG) – Bloxham School / Gloucester Rugby
Brighton Feldman (Langford, BC) – University of Victoria / Westshore RFC
Coen Quinn (Ottawa, ON) – Queen’s University / Bytown Blues RFC
Cole Harris (Uxbridge, ON) – Pacific Pride / Brock RFC
Daragh Doyle (Quebec City, QC) – Clontarf FC
Elijah McQueen (Fergus, ON) – University of British Columbia / Fergus Highland Rugby
James Noftall (Conception Bay South, NL) – University of British Columbia / Swilers RFC
Kaea Griffiths (Penzance, ENG) – Camborne RFC
Kyle Finan (Barnsley, ENG) – Leeds Beckett University / Red Deer Titans
Liam Kinghorn (Calgary, AB) – University of British Columbia / Calgary Irish
Quinn Foley (Oakville, ON) – University of Guelph / Oakville Crusaders
Simroy John (Clapham Heights Christ Church, BRB) – Shawnigan Lake School
BACKS
Daniel Muzaliwa (Cape Town, RSA) – University of Waterloo / Waterloo County
Evan Davies (Toronto, ON) – Balmy Beach RFC
Jimmy Leach (London, UK) – Brunel University
Jonty Nicholas (Wiltshire, UK) – University of British Columbia
Joshua McIndoe (Victoria, BC) – University of Victoria / Greerton Marist Rugby Club
Kohl Kletke (Oakville, ON) – Western University / Oakville Crusaders
Liam James (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / UBCOB Ravens
Liam Turnbull (Vancouver, BC) – UBCOB Ravens
Matthew Bennett (Durban, RSA) – University of Victoria / Westshore RFC
Morgan Di Nardo (Toronto, ON) – University of Victoria
Reece Thompson (Minesing, ON) – University of Victoria / Barrie Rugby
Rowan Closs (Uxbridge, ON) – Brock Rugby Club
Spencer Cotie (Victoria, BC) – University of Victoria / Castaway Wanderers
Stephen Webb (Toronto, ON) – University of British Columbia / Balmy Beach Rugby Club
NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES
Daniel Lucic (Oakville, ON) – University of Guelph / Oakville Crusaders
Finn Hughes (Peterborough, ON) – Wilfrid Laurier University / Peterborough Pagans
Joe Kaufmann (Kingston, ON) – Kingston Panthers / La Salle School
Josh du Toit (Cape Town, RSA) – University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC
Max McGavern (Newcastle, AUS) – University of British Columbia / St Joseph’s
Mitchell Buie (Victoria, BC) – Pacific Pride / Westshore RFC
Noah Kynaston (Esquimalt, BC) – Pacific Pride / Castaway Wanderers
Sam Blundell (Nanaimo, BC) – Pacific Pride
The cover photo is the 2019 U20 that defeated USA. There are some notable names from that squad that went on to play at a higher level including Tyler Duguid, Tyler Rowland, Thomas Isherwood, Brock Webster, Quinn Ngawati, Gabe Casey, David Richard, Will Percillier. We’ve posted below the match 23 from the 2nd game of the series in 2019.
1. Stefan Zuliani, Queens University, Ontario.
2. Jared Augustin, Queen’s University, Ontario.
3. Tyler Rowland, UBC, Ontario
4. Frank Carson , UBC, BC.
5. Tyler Duguid, Edmonton Norwesters, Alberta
6 Quentin James. Stade Francais, BC.
7. Will Matthews, Beaconsfield, Quebec.
8. Nick Carson, UVic, BC
9. Will Percillier, Stade Francais, BC.
10 Brock Webster, Oshawa Vikings, Ontario
11 Jarvis Dashkewytch, UVIC, BC
12 Quinn Ngawati, WestShore RC, BC.
13 Gabe Casey, UVIC, Ontario
14 David Richard, Mississauga Blues, Ontario
15 Thomas Isherwood, WestShore RC, Alberta
16 Mike McCarthy, Swilers RFC, Newfoundland.
17 Josh Tweed, UBC, BC.
18 Guerschom Mukendi, Stoney Creek RC, Ontario
19 Reid Davis, James Bay AA, BC
20 Siaki Vikilani, Burnaby, BC
21 Jack Carson, Castaway Wanderers, BC
22 James Biss, Saracens, England
23 Antoine de la Fontaine, Sherbrooke, Quebec
from Rugby Canada
Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team will compete in the 2025 Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge, with 32 players announced for the travelling squad by Christiaan Esterhuizen, Head Coach of Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team.
Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team will compete in the 2025 Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge, with 32 players announced for the travelling squad by Christiaan Esterhuizen, Head Coach of Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team.
Ahead of travelling to Fiji, the team will convene on Vancouver Island in May for a two-week camp, training out of Langford as well as at Shawnigan Lake School.
This will be the second edition of the Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge, and will see Canada take on Samoa on May 28, Fiji on June 2, and Tonga on June 7 at King Charles Park in Nadi.
Earlier this year, a long list of players for Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team for 2025 was announced. Players were identified and selected via their participation in university and club competition and tournaments like the U19 Canadian Rugby Championship, past performance with Canada’s age grade programs, and recommendations from provincial coaches. Available players also participated in a four-day training and alignment camp at Vancouver’s St. George’s School, held alongside HSBC SVNS Vancouver.
“Participating in the 2025 Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge is a critical step in developing our young Canadian players,” said Esterhuizen. “Competing against top Pacific nations like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga will test our players’ resilience and adaptability while providing them with a taste of international rugby. This experience will provide exposure to different playing styles and prepare our players for future international competitions. It’s a valuable opportunity to grow, learn and measure ourselves against some of the best.”
Head Coach Christiaan Esterhuizen will be joined on staff by John McFarland (Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team Defence Coach), Hubert Buydens (Pacific Pride Development Academy Forwards Coach), Cory Hector (University of Guelph), Paddy Watson (Balmy Beach RFC), Conor Turner (Strength and Conditioning Coach), and Erin Schatkowsky (Athletic Therapist).
Rugby Canada would like to thank Adera and the Canadian Rugby Foundation for their support of Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team.
from Oceania Rugby
Nadi, Fiji – The stage is set for a spectacular fortnight of Pacific rugby as Oceania Rugby brings two of its flagship regional tournaments to the heart of the islands this June. Rugby fans can look forward to the Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge in Nadi, followed by the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship in Sigatoka.
These two cornerstone tournaments are vital pathways for emerging talent and part of Oceania Rugby’s ongoing commitment to strengthening rugby across the Pacific and beyond.
The Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge this year marks a milestone occasion with Canada making its debut, joining traditional Pacific powerhouses Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga in what promises to be an electrifying youth talent contest.
The Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship also returns to Fijian soil for the first time since 2019, with the reigning champions Fiji looking forward to playing in front of their fans at home ahead of this years Rugby World Cup. . With all matches at Lawaqa Park, fans in Sigatoka can expect a women’s rugby festival as the region’s best, take to the field once again.
Frank Puletua, CEO of Oceania Rugby, shared his enthusiasm:
“These championships come off the back of an incredibly successful 2024 for Oceania Rugby. Last year, we delivered a highly competitive Women’s Championship in Brisbane and staged the first-ever Oceania Rugby Sevens in the Solomon Islands—an historic milestone for our region. 2025 marks another important step forward as we bring both the U20s Challenge and Women’s XVs Championships to Fiji, deepening our commitment to hosting more world-class events right here in the Pacific. We are focused on growing the game at every level—especially among emerging players—and creating more opportunities for our island nations to shine on home soil.”
Stephen Aboud, Rugby Canada High Performance Director:
“The kind invitation from Oceania Rugby to participate in the Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for our players to test themselves in a meaningful and competitive environment. The experience of training together in a high performance environment and playing against some wonderfully talented teams cannot be understated. This event will provide our men’s high performance staff with a credible program to identify players with the potential for future senior international honours.”
Alana Thomas, Fiji Rugby Union Women’s High Performance Manager:
“The elevation of both U20s and Women’s programs in consecutive tournaments is monumentally significant for rugby development in Fiji and the Pacific. This approach gives visibility to women’s rugby, which has historically been underrepresented, creates pathways for young players to see potential professional future and reinforces the Pacific region’s growing importance in international rugby.”
Josh Taumalolo Tonga Rugby Union Junior Ikale Tahi Head Coach:
“These opportunities are really important for our local players. For the U20s, it lets them compete against the top teams, which helps them improve and get ready to play at a higher level. In Tonga, one of the challenges we face is not having a clear pathway for local players. High-performance events like this are key because they give our players a chance to grow, learn, and get better in a structured way. These tournaments help create a path for our players to develop, which is important for the future of rugby in Tonga. They are not only important for individual growth but also for building a stronger team, ensuring that rugby keeps growing in Tonga.”
Viliame Gadolo, Fiji Rugby Union’s Elite Pathways and Performance Manager:
“As hosts, Fiji Rugby takes immense pride in bringing together Pacific teams and international guests. This tournament serves as a powerful testament to Fiji’s positioning as a nation, unifying the Pacific through rugby, showcasing world-class sporting capabilities and highlighting the rich rugby culture and tradition of the Pacific.”
OCEANIA RUGBY U20s CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
Venue: King Charles Park, Nadi Dates: 28 May, 2 June, 7 June 2025 Teams: Fiji, Canada, Samoa, Tonga
Round 1 – Wednesday 28 May
2:00 PM – Samoa U20s vs Canada U20s
4:00PM – Fiji U20s vs Tonga U20s
Round 2 – Monday 2 June
2:00 PM – Samoa U20s vs Tonga U20s
4:00 PM – Fiji U20s vs Canada U20s
Round 3 – Saturday 7 June
2:00 PM – Tonga U20s vs Canada U20s
4:00 PM – Fiji U20s vs Samoa U20s
OCEANIA RUGBY WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Venue: Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka Dates: 6 June, 10 June, 14 June 2025 Teams: Fiji, Samoa, Tonga
Round 1 – Friday 6 June
2:00 PM – Fijiana XV vs Manusina XV
Round 2 – Tuesday 10 June
2:00 PM – Manusina XV vs Lofa XV
Round 3 – Saturday 14 June
4:00 PM – Fijiana XV vs Lofa XV
Experience the Action
Fans across Fiji and the Pacific are encouraged to come out in full force, as both tournaments promise fast-paced, physical, and passionate rugby—backed by the energy of local supporters and the vibrant Pacific spirit.
Stay up to date with ticketing info, live broadcasts, at www.oceaniarugby.com and by following @oceaniarugby on all social platforms.