Canada Names U20 Team for Uruguay Tour: Matches Against Uruguay and Spain May 9th and 13th
Rugby Canada have been fairly tight lipped about the U20 program this year with the team already in the air to Uruguay before announcing the team selections and matches. The first question many will have, are the games live streamed, and the Rugby Canada announcement doesn’t specifically tackle that question but does say, “Results from the matches in Uruguay will be posted to Rugby Canadas social media accounts”. That doesn’t sound promising but we’ll see if anything develops over the next week.
The breakdown of the 14 forwards and 12 backs selected is as follows: 6 from UBC, 6 from the Pacific Pride, 4 from UVic, 4 from Ontario universities, 3 from UK universities, and 3 from clubs.
For some background here is our article on the camp held in February where 46 players were trying out for the squad. There are 3 forwards selected who weren’t at the camp, Cole Kelly from Trinity College, Olly Wiseman from Cardiff Met and Caden Wilson from UBC who was on the injured list. In the backs it was James Clarke who recently joined the Pride in March.
There are a few surprise omissions, the two #10s who logged the most time in the BC Premier, Alex Gamage for UVic and Justin Taylor for the Pride didn’t get the nod. Gamage played well in that trial match in February, leading the Canada Black team back from a 26-0 deficit at the half. Also no sign of Darwin Douglas the big prop from Shawnigan who went to Cardiff Met, he was physically dominant at the high school level but we haven’t had any updates on his progress at Cardiff.
It will be interesting to see who will be the starting #10, Brendan Black was the starting #10 for Canada Red in that trial match and they ran up a 26-0 half time lead before the subs came in. Owain Cormack has been playing mostly fullback for UBC but is a contender. Jake Thiel can also play #10 and James Webb was the starting #10 for Team Black at the trial.
Uruguay and Spain are two tough matches and if Canada does well it should bode well for the important June matches versus USA in June.
from Rugby Canada
Canadas U20 Mens Rugby Team will play two fixtures in Uruguay this May in preparation for a two game series against the USA in June to determine the North America berth for the 2023 World Rugby U20 Trophy.
The team will play Uruguays U20 mens team on Tuesday May 9 at 8:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. ET) and Spains U20 mens team on Saturday May 13 (exact time TBC). Both matches will take place at Charrua Stadium in Montevideo.
Developing our group of U20 men at home over the past two years has given us an opportunity to rebuild the program, said U20 Mens Director Dr. Pat Parfrey. The support for this tour means we will face the type of competition needed to develop our rugby players who will end up on the international stage. Our goal is to re-establish a culture of success that will carry forward to future generations.
The team was selected following a U20 Mens Long List Camp that was held over February 17 to 20 at Shawnigan Lake School in BC.
Its exciting to get on the road and face some great competition, said U20 Mens Head Coach Adam Roberts. Every day preparing for this tour and every minute were on it is about coming together as a strong unit and readying ourselves for the World Rugby U20 Trophy qualifier in June.
On June 6 and 10 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Canadas U20 Mens Rugby Team will meet the USA in a two game series that will determine the North America berth for the 2023 World Rugby U20 Trophy, which returns for the first time since 2019. Eight teams will compete in Nairobi, Kenya from July 15 to 30, with the winner earning promotion to the World Rugby U20 Championship for 2024.
Results from the matches in Uruguay will be posted to Rugby Canadas social media accounts.
CANADAS U20 MENS URUGUAY TOUR ROSTER
FORWARDS
Callum Arneson (Fernie, BC) University of British Columbia / Hillcrest Villagers
Jordan Auger (Ottawa, ON) University of Victoria / Barrhaven Scottish
Muiredach Casey (Ottawa, ON) University of Victoria / Barrhaven Scottish
Taine Clague (Victoria, BC) University of Victoria / James Bay AA
Aaron Clark (Calgary, AB) Pacific Pride / Canucks RFC
Sol Jacques (Penticton, BC) University of British Columbia / Penticton Harlequins
Jaiden John (Mississauga, ON) Pacific Pride / Mississauga Blues
Cole Kelly (Mississauga, ON) Trinity College Dublin / Wicklow RFC
Joe McNulty (North Vancouver, BC) University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC
Evan Roy (Ottawa, ON) University of Ottawa / Ottawa Beavers
Charles Trollip (Guelph, ON) Guelph RFC
Caden Wilson (Vancouver, BC) University of British Columbia
Olly Wiseman (Chiswick, UK) Cardiff Met RFC / London Wasps
Jeffrey Young (Toronto, ON) Cardiff Met RFC / Toronto Nomads
BACKS
Brenden Black (Oakville, ON) Guelph University / Oakville Crusaders
James Clarke (St. Johns, NL) Pacific Pride / Swilers RFC
Owain Cormack (North Vancouver, BC) University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC
Marcus DAcre (Oakville, ON) Queens University / Oakville Crusaders
Noah Flesch (Coburg, ON) Pacific Pride / Coburg Saxons
Alastair Marshall (Hudson Bay, SK) University of British Columbia / Regina Rogues
Craig Mitchell-Hermann (Abbotsford, BC) James Bay AA
Liam Poulton (Chilliwack, BC) University of Victoria / Castaway Wanderers
James Thiel (Abbotsford, BC) Pacific Pride / Abbotsford RFC
James Webb (Toronto, ON) Queens University / Balmy Beach RFC
Stephen Webb (Toronto, ON) Balmy Beach RFC
Brady White (Pictou County, NS) Pacific Pride / Pictou County RFC
NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES
Samson Brown (Vancouver, BC) Claremont College Lions / UBC Old Boys Ravens
Ethan Lee (Vancouver, BC) University of British Columbia / Ravens RFC
Kieran Martin (White Rock, BC) University of British Columbia / Bayside RFC
Cormac Saint (Vancouver, BC) University of California (Berkeley) / Mother Lode RC
UNAVAILABLE DUE TO INJURY
Alastair Bruce (Cape Town, RSA) Pacific Pride / Bishops Diocesan College
Michael Di Lella Jr. (Orono, ON) Guelph University / Ajax Wanderers
Tyler Matchem (Pictou County, NS) Pacific Pride / Pictou County RFC
Grant Meadows (Richmond Hill, ON) Brock University / Aurora Barbarians
Bauer Mercer (Bowmanville, ON) Queens University / Oshawa Vikings