Canada West Selects Name Roster for Coast to Coast Cup in Halifax
Canada West have named their 28 player travelling roster for next week’s Coast to Coast tournament. The tournament starts Saturday May 28th with Canada West playing Tuesday May 31st and Saturday June 4th.
Almost as interesting as the tournament is how men’s high performance rugby is evolving in Canada. During the CRC (Canadian Rugby Championship) years, the Provincial unions would put out teams. The domestic component of the national team was selected from that competition. Then the MLR came along and it became the default for providing the domestic players for the national team. We all saw how that worked out this world cup cycle. The scope was too narrow, there wasn’t enough competition for spots, another layer was needed.
Along came the Coastal Cup in the fall, organized not by the Provincial Union but by an entrepreneurial grassroots effort led by Curry Hitchborn, Phil Mack, Christian Esterhuizen among others. It brought together the playing resources of UBC, the Pacific Pride and the BC clubs. It has morphed into the Canada West team participating in the Coast to Coast Cup.
Meanwhile Jamie Cudmore was doing something similar in the Atlantic provinces, organizing an Atlantic Selects team. In Ontario and Quebec the Toronto Arrows Academy was the focal point for upcoming high performance players. There’s definitely a more entrepreneurial feel to this competition compared to the days of the CRC run by the Provincial Unions. The question now is what happens to those players who standout in this tournament? Will they get a shot at national selection with only two games this summer. There’s an obvious need for a couple of Canada “A” or Canada Selects matches to complete the pathway.
Schedule
Game 1 May 28: Atlantic Selects vs. Toronto Arrows, Wanderers Ground, Halifax, 7:30 PM ADT
Game 2 May 31: Canada West Selects vs. Toronto Arrows, Graves-Oakley Park, Halifax 6 PM ADT
Game 3 June 4: Atlantic Selects vs. Canada West Selects- Graves-Oakley Memorial Park, Halifax, 4 PM ADT
from Rugby Canada
Canada West Selects 28-man travelling roster has been confirmed ahead of the teams participation in the Coast to Coast Cup.
Led by Rugby Canada Academy Head Coach Phil Mack, the West Selects take on the Toronto Arrows Senior Academy on May 31 before a clash with the Atlantic Selects on June 4. Both matches are being played at Graves-Oakley Memorial Park in Halifax NS.
Tickets can be purchased here. All matches from the tournament will be streamed live on The Rugby Network.
Last weeks 40-17 win over the American Raptors at Shawnigan Lake School on Vancouver Island, during which Island and Mainland squads each played two separate 40-minute matches as well as a 20-minute match against each other, was used as a selection tool for the Coast to Coast Cup roster.
I want to thank all the players who put their hands up for selection, it was a difficult task picking the final squad and that speaks to the quality of players that turned up, said Mack. From a competition standpoint we know that the Arrows and Atlantic teams will be strong and as a group we are looking forward to the challenge. The Canada West Selects squad wouldnt have been possible without a lot of help from local rugby builders here in BC and I want to acknowledge everyone who pitched in along the way to provide the players with unique experience.”
It is a very exciting prospect to take this exciting group of players on tour, commented Canada West Selects Assistant Coach Christian Esterhuizen. The break with COVID was obviously very concerning for most of the players. There is a strong desire amongst the players to build relationships with previous rivals and be a part of something bigger. Hopefully this tour can give some of the players the recognition they deserve as part of the journey within the structures of Rugby Canada.
CANADA WEST SELECTS TRAVELLING COAST TO COAST CUP ROSTER
Willem Den Ouden (Calgary, AB) Pacific Pride
Jacob Bossi (Victoria, BC) University of British Columbia
Jesse Mackail (Palmerston North, New Zealand) UBC Old Boys Ravens
Dan Cooper (Sunderland, ON) Pacific Pride
Kyle Steeves (Winnipeg, MB) St Pauls
Favour Olaniyan (Gibsons, BC) Trinity Western
Spencer Cooper (Vancouver, BC) Vancouver Rowing Club
Alastair Bruce (Cape Town, South Africa) Pacific Pride
Reid Davis (White Rock, BC) – Bayside Rugby Club
Callum Botchar (Vancouver, BC) Pacific Pride
Izzak Kelly (White Rock, BC) – University of British Columbia
Cody Nhanala (Ottawa, ON) Pacific Pride
Jalan Farris (Wainuiomata, New Zealand) – Meraloma Rugby Club
Zephyr Melnyk (Gabriola, BC) Pacific Pride
Matt Klimchuk (Regina, SK) Pacific Pride / Regina Rogues
Alex Jordan (Newmarket, ON) James Bay Athletic Association
Owen Brombal (Guelph, ON) – James Bay Athletic Association
Crosby Stewart (Prince Rupert, BC) – James Bay Athletic Association
Gradyn Bowd (Red Deer, AB) Castaway Wanderers
Mike Moloney (Lyndoch, Australia) – Capilano RFC
Max Stewart (Cape Town, South Africa) Pacific Pride
Talon McMullin (White Rock, BC) – Bayside Rugby Club
Connor Byron (Abbotsford, BC) – University of British Columbia
Johnny Franklin (Bowen Island, BC) – Capilano RFC
Dawson Fatoric (Ottawa, ON) – Pacific Pride
Jack Morris (Oakville, ON) Pacific Pride / University of Guelph
Gabe Casey (Ottawa, ON) University of Victoria
Jacob Bourne (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
CANADA WEST SELECTS TOURING STAFF
Phil Mack Head Coach Pacific Pride
Christian Esterhuizen – Assistant Coach Vancouver Wave and Maraloma Rugby Club
Curry Hitchborn – Assistant Coach University of British Columbia
Hubert Buydens – Assistant Coach Pacific Pride
Michael Deasy – Mens Rugby Canada S&C
Brock Turner- Tour Manager
Jamie Niell Physiotherapist
NON-TRAVELLING COACHES/SUPPORT STAFF
Sean White Canada Senior Mens Sevens
Didier Banse – University of British Columbia
Mike Hall – S&C