Twelve Arrows Academy Players Named to Canada U20 Touring Roster

With files from Rugby Canada

Twelve players who have come through one or both of the Toronto Arrows Senior Academy and / or the Ontario Blues Junior Arrows Academy have been named to Canada’s under-20 team for a tour to Uruguay later this month.

Nine will make the trip to South America, while three have been selected but are unavailable to travel.

A quintet — Brenden Black, Evan Roy, Charles Trollip, James Webb and Jeffrey Young — have featured for the Arrows Senior Academy in early stages of the program’s 2023 season.

Canada will face Uruguay U20 on Tuesday, May 9 and Spain U20 on Saturday, May 13

 

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Via Rugby Canada

Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team will play two fixtures in Uruguay this May in preparation for a two game series against the USA in June to determine the North America berth for the 2023 World Rugby U20 Trophy.

The team will play Uruguay’s U20 men’s team on Tuesday May 9 at 8:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. ET) and Spain’s U20 men’s team on Saturday May 13 (exact time TBC). Both matches will take place at Charrua Stadium in Montevideo.

“Developing our group of U20 men at home over the past two years has given us an opportunity to rebuild the program,” said U20 Men’s Director Dr. Pat Parfrey. “The support for this tour means we will face the type of competition needed to develop our rugby players who will end up on the international stage. Our goal is to re-establish a culture of success that will carry forward to future generations.”

The team was selected following a U20 Men’s Long List Camp that was held over February 17 to 20 at Shawnigan Lake School in BC.

“It’s exciting to get on the road and face some great competition,” said U20 Men’s Head Coach Adam Roberts. “Every day preparing for this tour and every minute we’re on it is about coming together as a strong unit and readying ourselves for the World Rugby U20 Trophy qualifier in June.”

On June 6 and 10 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team will meet the USA in a two game series that will determine the North America berth for the 2023 World Rugby U20 Trophy, which returns for the first time since 2019. Eight teams will compete in Nairobi, Kenya from July 15 to 30, with the winner earning promotion to the World Rugby U20 Championship for 2024.

Results from the matches in Uruguay will be posted to Rugby Canada’s social media accounts.

CANADA’S U20 MEN’S URUGUAY TOUR ROSTER

FORWARDS
Callum Arneson (Fernie, BC) – University of British Columbia / Hillcrest Villagers
Jordan Auger** (Ottawa, ON) – University of Victoria / Barrhaven Scottish
Muiredach Casey (Ottawa, ON) – University of Victoria / Barrhaven Scottish
Taine Clague (Victoria, BC) – University of Victoria / James Bay AA
Aaron Clark (Calgary, AB) – Pacific Pride / Canucks RFC
Sol Jacques (Penticton, BC) – University of British Columbia / Penticton Harlequins
Jaiden John (Mississauga, ON) – Pacific Pride / Mississauga Blues
Cole Kelly (Mississauga, ON) – Trinity College Dublin / Wicklow RFC
Joe McNulty (North Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC
Evan Roy* (Ottawa, ON) – University of Ottawa / Ottawa Beavers
Charles Trollip* (Guelph, ON) – Guelph RFC
Caden Wilson (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
Olly Wiseman (Chiswick, UK) – Cardiff Met RFC / London Wasps
Jeffrey Young* (Toronto, ON) – Cardiff Met RFC / Toronto Nomads

BACKS
Brenden Black^* (Oakville, ON) – Guelph University / Oakville Crusaders
James Clarke (St. John’s, NL) – Pacific Pride / Swilers RFC
Owain Cormack (North Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC
Marcus D’Acre** (Oakville, ON) – Queen’s University / Oakville Crusaders
Noah Flesch* (Coburg, ON) – Pacific Pride / Coburg Saxons
Alastair Marshall (Hudson Bay, SK) – University of British Columbia / Regina Rogues
Craig Mitchell-Hermann (Abbotsford, BC) – James Bay AA
Liam Poulton (Chilliwack, BC) – University of Victoria / Castaway Wanderers
James Thiel (Abbotsford, BC) – Pacific Pride / Abbotsford RFC
James Webb* (Toronto, ON) – Queen’s University / Balmy Beach RFC
Stephen Webb** (Toronto, ON) – Balmy Beach RFC
Brady White (Pictou County, NS) – Pacific Pride / Pictou County RFC

NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES
Samson Brown (Vancouver, BC) – Claremont College Lions / UBC Old Boys Ravens
Ethan Lee (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / Ravens RFC
Kieran Martin (White Rock, BC) – University of British Columbia / Bayside RFC
Cormac Saint (Vancouver, BC) – University of California (Berkeley) / Mother Lode RC

UNAVAILABLE DUE TO INJURY
Alastair Bruce (Cape Town, RSA) – Pacific Pride / Bishops Diocesan College
Michael Di Lella Jr.* (Orono, ON) – Guelph University / Ajax Wanderers
Tyler Matchem (Pictou County, NS) – Pacific Pride / Pictou County RFC
Grant Meadows** (Richmond Hill, ON) – Brock University / Aurora Barbarians
Bauer Mercer* (Bowmanville, ON) – Queen’s University / Oshawa Vikings

* = has featured for the Toronto Arrows Senior Academy
** = has come through the Ontario Blues Junior Arrows Academy program
^ = has featured for the Toronto Arrows Senior Team

Header Photo Credit: Jose Romelo Lagman