Ontario Arrows Announce Squad for 2018 Opener Against Houston SaberCats

 

26 February 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ONTARIO ARROWS ANNOUNCE SQUAD FOR 2018 OPENER AGAINST HOUSTON SABERCATS

The Ontario Arrows Rugby Club has announced its squad for the opening match of the club’s 2018 spring campaign.

Canada’s first privately-funded high-performance rugby team will begin its six-match spring season with a road tilt against Major League Rugby’s Houston SaberCats. The match will be played at the 7,500-seat capacity Constellation Field in Sugar Land, TX this Saturday.

Arrows head coach Chris Silverthorn has selected a strong 23-man squad for the upcoming match, bringing together a mix of those with proven national and international-level experience along with young, up-and-coming talent. The travelling roster includes four Canadian internationals, while several others have been capped at Canada’s under-20 and senior ‘A’ level.

“The team has looked very sharp in training, and it’s provided a very competitive and high-tempo atmosphere as we prepare for this season,” said Silverthorn. “We’re champing at the bit to begin our season, but we know it will be a good challenge in Houston. This looks to be a well-drilled side coming off a strong preseason win last weekend, and we’re going to prepare accordingly.”

The Arrows have also announced that forward Mike Sheppard has been named club captain for the side’s six-match spring series. The 6-foot-4 veteran can play in both the second or back row.

“We’re all very excited for the potential that this program has, and we’re very eager to step out onto the pitch,” said Sheppard. “With all the training and preparation we’ve gone through since December, it’s no surprise that the boys are itching to get some game time in.”

“Playing against an established MLR team like Houston is a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase our talent and abilities,” Sheppard added. “A team with as many high-calibre players as Houston offers us a great opportunity to show that we can compete with the best teams in North America. This will hopefully lead to more high-profile matches, which will only help develop the talented rugby players that call Ontario home.”

Saturday’s match will kick off at 7 p.m. local time (CST).

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FORWARDS
Rob Brouwer (Lindsay, Ont.)
Paul Ciulini (Vaughan, Ont.)
Tom Dolezel (London, Ont.)
Kolby Francis (Brantford, Ont.)
Pat Lynott (Chelsea, Que.)
Jack McRogers (Newmarket, Ont.)
Peter Milazzo (Toronto, Ont.)
Andrew Quattrin (Holland Landing, Ont.)
Mike Sheppard – Captain (Brampton, Ont.)
Mike Smith (Freelton, Ont.)
Josh Van Horne (Cambridge, Ont.)
Marcello Wainwright (Toronto, Ont.)
Andrew Wilson (Oakville, Ont.)

BACKS
Cooper Coats (Halifax, N.S.)
Alex Gliksten (London, England)
Will Kelly (Ancaster, Ont.)
Jamie Leveridge (Oakville, Ont.)
Aaron McLelland (Gisborne, New Zealand)
Mitch Richardson (Stoney Creek, Ont.)
John Sheridan (Bolton, Ont.)
Mario Van Der Westhuizen (Mississauga, Ont.)
Jon West (Scarborough, Ont.)
Shawn Windsor (Stoney Creek, Ont.)

STAFF
Head Coach: Chris Silverthorn
Assistant Coaches: David Butcher, Aaron Carpenter, Cory Hector
General Manager: Mark Winokur
Performance Analyst: Rodin Lozada
Athletic Therapist: Chris Kelly
Team Doctor: Dr. John Gillis

About Ontario Arrows Rugby Club:

The Ontario Arrows Rugby Club is Canada’s first privately-funded high-performance rugby team.

The team is equipped to compete against top-tier North American club teams, providing emerging Canadian talent with enhanced and more frequent opportunities to hone their skills at an elite level.

Ontario Arrows Spring 2018 Schedule

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