Rugby Canada Name 32 Players Travelling to Spain for La Vila Tournament
from Rugby Canada
Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team’s roster for La Vila International Rugby Cup has been named by Head Coach Kingsley Jones. The 32-player squad will travel to Villajoyosa, Spain this November for the new four-team tournament featuring Canada, Spain, the United States and Brazil.
Kyle Baillie, Tyler Rowland and Andrew Coe are all set to return to international competition, having been unavailable for the summer’s Fiji and Tonga tour. Baillie, who was named to the 2023 All-MLR Second Team following a strong season with Old Glory DC, will bring experience to Canada’s young forward pack. Recently re-signed with the Toronto Arrows, Rowland is one of the youngest yet most seasoned props in the MLR, and Coe, a fullback with Rugby World Cup and Olympic experience, was named to the 2023 All-MLR Honourable Mention Team following his second season with Rugby New York.
Five players could earn their first cap for Canada in Spain. Pacific Pride Academy graduates Ciaran Breen and Zephyr Melnyk were named to their first senior men’s tour earlier this year, travelling with the team to Fiji and Tonga. Dewald Kotze, another former Pacific Pride player who has represented Canada at the U20 level, is coming off his first full season with the Dallas Jackals, with the Seattle Seawolves’ Reid Watkins also on the hunt for his first cap. A standout player this summer with the Atlantic Selects, Jamin Hodgkins played with Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team in 2022 and spent 2023 studying and playing in Wales.
Joining the roster from Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team are Matthew Oworu, Josiah Morra and Josh Thiel. Both Oworu and Morra earned their first caps for Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team in 2022 ahead of the 2023 World Rugby Sevens Series, going on to play a significant role in Canada’s crucial Series Play-off victory earlier this year. Thiel, who debuted with Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team in 2018, returned to Canada’s men’s sevens program in January following three seasons with San Diego Legion.
“I am greatly looking forward to working with this group in Spain and building upon our learnings from our summer tour,” said Head Coach Kingsley Jones. “We have 23 players on the roster who travelled with us to Fiji and Tonga, building continuity and cohesion. This is an exciting roster with players of varied backgrounds and experiences, along with many who have spent time with the Pacific Pride and our age grade teams. A common quality in each of these players regardless of experience is their work ethic and wholehearted dedication to the team. I know that they are all eager to come together as a group and get to work in Spain.”
Broadcast information will be announced shortly. Tickets are on sale here.
MATCH INFORMATION
November 11 vs Spain
11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET / 8:00pm local time
November 18 Third Place Play-off
7:00am PT / 10:00am ET / 4:00pm local time
November 18 Final
11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET / 8:00pm local time
CANADA’S MEN’S RUGBY TEAM SPAIN TOUR SQUAD
FORWARDS
Andrew Quattrin (Holland Landing, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / New England Free Jacks
Cole Keith (Apohaqui, NB) – Belleisle Rovers RFC / New England Free Jacks
Conor Keys (Stittsville, ON) – Barrhaven Scottish / Ottawa Ospreys / New England Free Jacks
Conor Young (Yamba, Australia) – Greater Sydney Rams / New England Free Jacks
Dewald Kotze (Edmonton, AB) – Strathcona Druids RFC / Dallas Jackals
Djustice Sears-Duru (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / San Diego Legion
Foster Dewitt (Courtney, BC) – Westshore RFC / New England Free Jacks
Izzak Kelly (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC / University of British Columbia / Spotswood United RFC
Kyle Baillie (Summerside, PEI) – Halifax Tars / Old Glory DC
Liam Murray (Langley, BC) – Dallas Jackals
Lucas Rumball (Scarborough, ON) – Balmy Beach RFC / Toronto Arrows
Mason Flesch (Cobourg, ON) – Pacific Pride / Toronto Arrows
Matthew Klimchuk (Regina, SK) – Regina Rogues / Pacific Pride
Matthew Oworu (Calgary, AB) – Pacific Pride
Piers Von Dadelszen (Vancouver, BC) – Oxford University
Siaki Vikilani (Vancouver, BC) – Burnaby Lake RFC / The American Raptors
Tyler Rowland (Mississauga, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Pacific Pride / Toronto Arrows
Zephyr Melnyk (Gabriola Island, BC) – Nanaimo Hornets / Pacific Pride
BACKS
Andrew Coe (Markham, ON) – Rugby New York
Ben LeSage (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Canucks / New England Free Jacks
Ciaran Breen (Victoria, BC) – Cowichan RFC / Toronto Arrows
Gabe Casey (Ottawa, ON) – University of Victoria
Isaac Olson (Vernon, BC) – New England Free Jacks
Jamin Hodgkins (Bermuda) – Cardiff Met University
Jason Higgins (Cork, Ireland) – San Diego Legion
Josh Thiel (Victoria, BC) – James Bay AA
Josiah Morra (Toronto, ON) – Castaway Wanderers / Toronto Saracens
Kainoa Lloyd (Mississauga, ON) – Queen’s University / Houston SaberCats
Mitch Richardson (Stoney Creek, ON) – McMaster University / Toronto Arrows
Peter Nelson (Dungannon, UK) – Dungannon RFC / Toronto Arrows
Reid Watkins (Okotoks, AB) – Seattle Seawolves
Robbie Povey (Northampton, UK) – Long Bukby RFC / Houston SaberCats
NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES
Callum Botchar
David Richard
D’Shawn Bowen
Emerson Prior
Jack Shaw
Jacob Bourne
Jake Thiel
Kyle Steeves
Liam Bowman
Noah Bain
Reid Davis
Tyler Wong
Canada Name 43 Player Long List: Top European Pros Missing – Duguid Eligible to Play for France Next Year
Rugby Canada have announced a long list of 43 players of which 32 players will travel to Spain. Since there isn’t a full camp or an intersquad match it’s likely the 32 travelling players are already known to Kingsley Jones and for the 11 players not travelling it’s mostly a signal that they’re under future consideration or at least on the radar.
The most obvious omissions are the European professionals, in particular the two top forwards Tyler Duguid and Tyler Ardron, who play in the Top 14 in France. Tyler Duguid at 23 will be eligible to be selected for France next year, completing 60 months of residency. That should concern Canadian rugby fans. It’s unlikely under the current management at Rugby Canada that either Duguid or Ardron would consider playing for Canada. Hopefully a year out from Jones’ contract expiration, someone at Rugby Canada would contact them to find out if there’s a Canadian coach they would play for and take that into serious consideration.
There’s a few new names on the list, I think this is the first mention of Zephyr Melnyk who is playing in Wales, Noah Bain who played in NZ with Izzak Kelly and Jacob Bossi is on the list, Bossi isn’t but Kelly is. Callum Botchar who made the Taranaki Development team is on the list. The Taranaki NPC team is in the finals so it’s a strong region. Jake Thiel is on the list, as is David Richard, both are listed for the PanAm 7s (Nov 3-4) in Chile so it’s unlikely they’ll get selected for XVs in Spain a week later. Matt Oworu isn’t on the PanAm list so may feature in XVs.
Missing is Gradyn Bowd, so the #10s would be Robert Povey and Peter Nelson. Reid Watkins made the long list but the go to #9s for Jones have been Braude and Higgins.
from Rugby Canada
CANADA’S MEN’S RUGBY TEAM SET TO COMPETE IN LA VILA INTERNATIONAL RUGBY CUP THIS NOVEMBER?
Tuesday October 17, 2023 (Langford, BC) – Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team will play two matches this November in the four-team La Vila International Rugby Cup in Villajoyosa, Spain.
Canada will play against hosts Spain at El Pantano Stadium on Saturday November 11 at 8:00pm local time (11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET), having last played Spain in Ottawa in July 2022. With the United States and Brazil competing as well, the following weekend will see the winners of the first set of games play in the final, with kick-off scheduled for 8:00pm local time (11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET) on Saturday November 18. This will be preceded by the third place play-off at 4:00pm local time (7:00am PT / 10:00am ET).
“We’re looking forward to what should be two good test matches, and I’m excited to get back into it with the boys and represent Canada on the world stage,” said Lucas Rumball. “We have had limited games together and know that the more matches we can play at a higher level, the better. These will help us develop both as individuals and as a team, and we are looking forward to getting straight to work in Spain.”
“Since returning from Fiji and Tonga in August, we have had a number of players training out of the National Training Centre in Langford, with others gaining valuable experience in domestic leagues and abroad in leagues such as New Zealand’s NPC,” said Head Coach Kingsley Jones. “This week we are holding integrated training sessions with several West Coast-based players and the Pacific Pride Academy, a great collaborative and competitive opportunity for players as we near our departure to Villajoyosa. Our players are hungry to return to international competition and eagerly await our November 11 meeting with Spain.”
A long list of 43 players has been named, from which a 32-player travelling roster will be selected.
Broadcast information will be announced shortly. Tickets are on sale here.
CANADA’S MEN’S RUGBY TEAM LA VILA INTERNATIONAL RUGBY CUP LONG LIST
FORWARDS
Andrew Quattrin (Holland Landing, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / New England Free Jacks
Callum Botchar (Vancouver, BC) – Pacific Pride / New Plymouth Old Boys
Cole Keith (Apohaqui, NB) – Belleisle Rovers RFC / New England Free Jacks
Conor Keys (Stittsville, ON) – Barrhaven Scottish / Ottawa Ospreys / New England Free Jacks
Conor Young (Yamba, Australia) – Greater Sydney Rams / New England Free Jacks
Dewald Kotze (Edmonton, AB) – Strathcona Druids RFC / Dallas Jackals
Djustice Sears-Duru (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / San Diego Legion
Emerson Prior (Brockville, ON) – Peterborough Pagans / Utah Warriors
Foster Dewitt (Courtney, BC) – Westshore RFC / New England Free Jacks
Izzak Kelly (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC / University of British Columbia / Spotswood United RFC
Jake Thiel (Victoria, BC) – James Bay AA
Kyle Baillie (Summerside, PEI) – Halifax Tars / Old Glory DC
Kyle Steeves (Winnipeg, MB) – Manitoba Wombats / Dallas Jackals
Liam Murray (Langley, BC) – Dallas Jackals
Lucas Rumball (Scarborough, ON) – Balmy Beach RFC / Toronto Arrows
Mason Flesch (Cobourg, ON) – Pacific Pride / Toronto Arrows
Matthew Klimchuk (Regina, SK) – Regina Rogues / Pacific Pride
Matthew Oworu (Calgary, AB) – Pacific Pride
Piers Von Dadelszen (Vancouver, BC) – Oxford University
Siaki Vikilani (Vancouver, BC) – Burnaby Lake RFC / The American Raptors
Tyler Rowland (Mississauga, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Pacific Pride / Toronto Arrows
Tyler Wong (North Vancouver, BC) – Pacific Pride / Toronto Arrows
Zephyr Melnyk (Gabriola Island, BC) – Nanaimo Hornets / Pacific Pride
BACKS
Andrew Coe (Markham, ON) – Rugby New York
Ben LeSage (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Canucks / New England Free Jacks
Ciaran Breen (Victoria, BC) – Cowichan RFC / Toronto Arrows
David Richard (Milton, ON) – Mississauga Blues RFC
D’Shawn Bowen (Toronto, ON) – Pacific Pride / Toronto Arrows
Gabe Casey (Ottawa, ON) – University of Victoria
Isaac Olson (Vernon, BC) – New England Free Jacks
Jack Shaw (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / Rugby Atlanta
Jamin Hodgkins (Bermuda) – Cardiff Met University
Jason Higgins (Cork, Ireland) – San Diego Legion
Josh Thiel (Victoria, BC) – James Bay AA
Josiah Morra (Toronto, ON) – Castaway Wanderers / Toronto Saracens
Kainoa Lloyd (Mississauga, ON) – Queen’s University / Houston SaberCats
Liam Bowman (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / Toronto Arrows
Mitch Richardson (Stoney Creek, ON) – McMaster University / Toronto Arrows
Noah Bain (Abbotsford, BC) – University of Victoria
Peter Nelson (Dungannon, UK) – Dungannon RFC / Toronto Arrows
Reid Watkins (Okotoks, AB) – Seattle Seawolves
Robbie Povey (Northampton, UK) – Long Bukby RFC / Houston SaberCats
Ross Braude (Pretoria, South Africa) – Toronto Arrows