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Evan Olmstead has been named in the Greater Sydney Rams squad ahead of the Australian National Rugby Championship season, but there is a chance he might not play for them. The Vancouver-born second row is in hot pursuit of a spot in the World Cup with Canada and he is certain to miss the first two rounds of the competition which kicks off on August 20. If he is named to the traveling team he would not be available to the Rams until at least Round 8.
According to Olmstead it’s undetermined at this point whether or not he would join the team after the World Cup should Canada’s tournament end before the quarter finals.
“I’m not sure what is going to happen. They have been very supportive of my World Cup ambitions, so I’m just focusing on making the team for now. If I do make the cut I think the Rams will pick someone else, but we haven’t as yet discussed the plan should that situation arise.”
Despite being a standout with Sydney club Parramatta for the past couple seasons, Olmstead was overlooked for a spot in last year’s Rams team after being named in the initial training squad. That omission allowed him to play for the Wolf Pack in the Canadian Rugby Championship, which subsequently led to selection to the Canada ‘A’ side in the Americas Rugby Championship and the Pacific Challenge.
Olmstead made his test debut last month against Samoa in the Pacific Nations Cup, and won his second cap as a reserve against the US Eagles.
