43 Players Named to Canada U20 Challenger Preparation Camp
Rugby Canada announced the attendees at the rugby camp at Shawnigan Lake that has been running since August 8th. There are 43 players attending and 30 will be selected for the trip to Chile in October. There’s no mention yet of a squad match at the end of the camp.
One slightly annoying aspect of the Rugby Canada release is the continual focus on universities as the pathway without any mention of clubs. This statement, “Rugby Canada has worked closely with university programs across the country to coordinate player availability and scheduling ” seems to be out of the blue, what about clubs? Would it have been more appropriate to state, “Rugby Canada has worked closely with university programs and clubs across the country”? I passed my concerns over to Bob, my Ai assistant, to see if they had any merit.
Yes. Relying on university programs to act as the de facto high-performance engine for men’s rugby is administratively convenient but strategically flawed.
When a national union limits its high-performance identification to the academic pipeline, it systematically devalues the trade-school route and the community club system—the very places where a significant portion of Canada’s working-class and regionally diverse talent actually resides.
Amen, Bob, preach! Congrats to the 43 players selected, from both universities and clubs.
from Rugby Canada
With the 2026 World Rugby U20 Challenger Tournament set to take place October 2–17 in Santiago, Chile, Rugby Canada has selected 43 players to attend the Men’s U20 Summer Preparation Camp, running August 8–22 at Shawnigan Lake School in British Columbia.
“We get one preparation window before Chile, so everything at Shawnigan is pointed at two things: having the team ready to compete, and selecting the best 30 tourists from the 43 athletes in camp,” said Head Coach Christiaan Esterhuizen. “We have coached this group virtually for nine weeks – weekly calls, players logging their skills and their S&C, fitness testing, video, and problem-solving as a squad, etc. The players have already done a lot of the work and camp is where it becomes a team. These players come from across the country and from overseas clubs, and two weeks living and training together is what turns a group of good individuals into a side that plays for each other in Chile.”
Head Coach, Christiaan Esterhuizen will be joined by assistant coaches Hubert Buydens, Sandro Fiorino, Jalan Farris, Rhys Gregory (NextGen Coach), along with support staff Avi Sharabi (Strength and Conditioning), Erin Schatkowsky (Lead Therapist), Naomi Ogawa (Athletic Therapist), Tom Morrissey (Analyst) and Ryan Sinclair (Team Manager).
Rugby Canada has worked closely with university programs across the country to coordinate player availability and scheduling ahead of the 2026 World Rugby U20 Challenger Tournament. In collaboration with participating universities, adjustments have been made where necessary to accommodate players selected for the competition, while Rugby Canada has also provided programs with a depth chart to identify players who may be called into the U20 pathway.
The tournament represents an important development opportunity for the next generation of Canadian rugby players, providing valuable international competition and experience at the U20 level. World Rugby will cover player travel to the tournament, helping ensure selected athletes can take part in this important stage of their development.
CANADA’S U20 MEN’S RUGBY TEAM
FORWARDS
Manraj Randhawa (Abbotsford, BC) – Abbotsford Rugby Club
Colin Mitchell (Thorsby, AB) – Capilano RFC
Jacob Blackwood (Tsawwassen, BC) – University of British Columbia / Bayside Sharks
Josiah Ashworth (Crowborough, UK)
William Lloyd (Collingwood, ON) – Georgian Bay Titans
Ethan Samuels (North Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
Ben Koolen (Kingston, ON) – Hartpury University / Gloucester Rugby
Adam Robinson (Kingston, ON) – Queen’s University / Kingston Panthers RFC
Alistair Yeomans (Streetsville, ON) – University of Guelph / Brantford Harlequins
Josh du Toit (Cape Town, RSA) – University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC
Porter Gook (Lethbridge, AB) – Westshore RFC
JJ Kinnear (London, UK) – Loughborough University / Wimbledon RFC
Carter Nickless (Kirkland, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
Sebastian Poyser (Bishops Stortford, UK) – University of Nottingham / Bishop Stortford
Noah Poyser (Bishops Stortford, UK) – Harrow School / Bishop Stortford
Ronin Smith (Calgary, AB) – University of Victoria, East Coast Bays RFC / Calgary Saints RFC
Sam Johnston (Victoria, BC) – University of Victoria / Castaway Wanderers
Emmanuel Soroh (London, UK) – St Albans School
Coen Quinn (Ottawa, ON) – Queen’s University / Castaway Wanderers
Eliot Marschall (Sedbergh, UK) – Nottingham University / Toronto Scottish
Liam Kinghorn (Calgary, AB) – University of British Columbia / Calgary Irish
Cole Thompson (Toronto, ON) – Babson College / Toronto Scottish
Ewan Weber-Smith (Victoria, BC) – University of British Columbia
Jackson Priestman (Kemptville, ON) – University of Guelph / Barrhaven Scottish RFC
BACKS
Chris Rose (Victoria, BC) – Westshore RFC
Rogan Moir (Waterloo, ON) – Waterloo County
Brek Ball (West Vancouver, BC) –University of Western Ontario
Ben Crowley (Blackrock, IRE) – UCDS, Blackrock College RFC
Jonty Nicholas (Shawnigan Lake, BC) – University of British Columbia
Joe Kaufmann (Kingston, ON) – Kingston Panthers RFC
Waka Raina (Ottawa, ON) – Queen’s University / Bytown Blues
Evan Davies (Toronto, ON) – University of Guelph / Balmy Beach RFC
Koen Schroeder (Stoney Creek, ON) – Brock University / Burlington Centaurs
Liam Turnbull (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / UBCOB Ravens
Adam Stander (Kimberly, RSA) – Queen’s University / Oakville Crusaders
Malin Hazl (Guelph, ON) – University of Guelph / Guelph Goats RFC
Sam Blundell (Nanaimo, BC) – Pacific Pride
Noah Hudson (Bolton, ON) – Aurora Barbarians
Lewis Ahrens (Vancouver, BC) – UBCOB Ravens
Adam Burnett (Dubai, UAE) – Dubai College / Toronto Nomads
Owen Williams (Fall River, NS) – Riverlake RFC / Enfield RFC
Cooper Allen (Thornbury, ON) – Trent University / Georgian Bay Titans
Luke Prest (Duncan, BC) – Cowichan RFC / Pacific Pride