News
Crowley names Churchill Cup squad
May 26 2008
New Canada coach Kieran Crowley has named a 28-man squad for the forthcoming Churchill Cup tournament, where the Canucks will play Argentina and Scotland A.
Crowley and assistant John Tait have blended experience with youth taken from the recent Canada east v Canada West clash in Ontario.
There are a number of players returning from professional contracts in europe, as well as a sprinkling of Canadian-based players from last year's Rugby World Cup.
There are also some significant absences due to injury, particularly Clermont lock Jamie Cudmore, Albi's Forrest Gainer, and Agen's Colin Yukes.
Cudmore's younger brother Luke gets a first call into the second row, and back-row Nanyak Dala, who has been in fine form for the Sevens team this year, also makes the cut.
James Pritchard and DTH van der Merwe look to be the first-choice wings, outside a settled cetre pairing of Mike Pyke and Auckland-born David Spicer.
"Clearly I have seen the World Cup video, and have seen a number of games in the British Columbia league, but the information the staff have provided has been instrumental so hats off to all the guys for their help on this," said Crowley on the national rugby website, currently on an ambassadorial tour across Canada to develop club relationaships.
"It is an exciting time, and we have worked hard to get the mix right, but it is not an overnight process."
Canada assemble on June 1 in Ottawa and will play Scotland A on June 7 to open the sixth Churchill Cup.
They then travel to Toronto where a game Argentina XV will await them at Fletchers Fields in Markham, on June 14. The whole tournament then moves to Chicago for finals day on June 21.
Canada Churchill Cup squad:
Backs: Ed Fairhurst (Cornish Pirates/Victoria, BC), Pat Fleck (Vancouver Meraloma/Vancouver, BC), Ciaran Hearn (The Rock/Castaway Wanderers/St. John's, NFLD), Bryn Keys (Velox/Aurora/Abbotsford, BC), Justin Mensah-Coker (Albi, FR/Vancouver, BC), Ander Monro (Colorno, Italy/Edinburgh, SCO), James Pritchard (Bedford Blues, UK), Mike Pyke (Montauban, FR/Victoria, BC), Ryan Smith (Montauban, FR/Brampton, ON), David Spicer (Auch RFC, FR/Victoria, BC), Dean Van Camp (Velox/Aurora/Port Perry, ON), DTH van der Merwe (James Bay/Saskatchewan Prairie Fire).
Forwards: Ollie Atkinson (Moseley RFC/Aurora Barbarians), Stu Ault (Barrhaven Scottish/Eastern Ontario Harelquins/Perth, ON), Aaron Carpenter (James Bay AA/Brantford Harlequins/Brantford, ON), Luke Cudmore (London Irish Academy/Squamish, BC), Nanyak Dala (Saskatoon Wild Oats/Saskatchewan Prairie Fire/Saskatoon, SK), Scott Franklin (Brive/Regina, SK), Tyler Hotson (Northern Suburbs, Aus/UBC Old Boy Ravens), Ben Johnson (Crimson Tide/James Bay AA), Adam Kleeberger (UVic Vikes/Victoria, BC), Mike Pletch (McMaster University/Lucan, ON), Pat Riordan (UVic Vikes/Burnaby, BC), Devin Stubel (Brantford Harlequins/Castaway Wanderers), Kevin Tkachuk (Glasgow Warriors/Regina, SK), Doug Wooldridge (Cowichan RFC/Lindsay, ON), Mike Webb (Vancouver Rowing Club/Newfoundland Rock/West Vancouver, BC), Andrew Wilson (Doncaster Knights, UK/Oakville Crusaders/Oakville, ON).