Twelve Arrows Academy Players Named to Canada’s World Rugby U20 Trophy Qualifier 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 their upcoming World Rugby U20 Trophy qualification series against USA.

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’s coaching staff also has an Arrows connection, as Academy Director & Head Coach Cory Hector serves as the national under-20 team’s assistant coach.

Canada will face USA U20 on on Tuesday, June 6 and Saturday, June 10, with both fixtures set to be played in Spartanburg, SC.

Via Rugby Canada

Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team will meet the USA in a two game series this June to determine the North America berth for the 2023 World Rugby U20 Trophy.

The team will play the American U20 men’s team on Tuesday June 6 and Saturday June 10 in Spartanburg, South Carolina on the campus of University of South Carolina Upstate (kick off for both games is 3:00 p.m. PT/6:00 p.m. ET).

The winner of this series will play in the 2023 World Rugby U20 Trophy, which returns this summer 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.

The team was selected following a U20 Men’s Long List Camp that was held in February at Shawnigan Lake School in BC and a tour in Uruguay in early May, where the Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team had a 21-16 loss to Uruguay and a 21-9 loss to Spain.

“We were fortunate to be able to learn so much during our tour to Uruguay,” said Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team Head Coach Adam Roberts. “We’ve added players to our roster and bolstered our skills, and we are heading to the USA with a continued sense of enthusiasm. We’re excited to continue building every day.”

Ahead of their departure to South Carolina, the team held a camp in Ontario at Brampton RFC, which concluded with a friendly scrimmage session with the Toronto Arrows Academy.

Both World Rugby U20 Trophy Qualifier matches will be livestreamed on FloRugby.

CANADA’S U20 MEN’S USA TOUR ROSTER

FORWARDS
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
Michael Di Lella Jr.* (Orono, ON) – Guelph University / Oshawa Vikings
Sol Jacques (Penticton, BC) – University of British Columbia / Penticton Harlequins
Cole Kelly (Mississauga, ON) – Trinity College Dublin / Wicklow RFC
Grant Meadows** (Richmond Hill, ON) – Brock University / Aurora Barbarians
Lachlan McGrigor (Toronto, ON) – Bath University
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
Josh Eustace* (Brantford, ON) – Brantford Harlequins / University of Waterloo
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 / Crescent School
Brady White (Pictou County, NS) – Pacific Pride / Pictou County RFC

NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES
Callum Arneson (Fernie, BC) – University of British Columbia / Hillcrest Villagers
Samson Brown (Vancouver, BC) – Claremont College Lions / UBC Old Boys Ravens
Jaiden John (Mississauga, ON) – Pacific Pride / Mississauga Blues
Ethan Lee (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / Ravens RFC
Kieran Martin (White Rock, BC) – University of British Columbia / Bayside RFC

UNAVAILABLE DUE TO INJURY
Alastair Bruce (Cape Town, RSA) – Pacific Pride / Bishops Diocesan College
Tyler Matchem (Pictou County, NS) – Pacific Pride / Pictou County RFC

* = 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: Kyle Gilmor