Cudmore leads Canada in June tests

Jamie Cudmore will lead Canada in their three-test series in June. The veteran second row returns to Canada’s playing roster under new supremo Mark Anscombe after being part of the coaching staff during the Americas Rugby Championship. With a host of players unavailable for a variety of reasons among them the impending Olympic qualifiers in Monaco, an inexperienced group of 28 will compete against Japan, Russia, and Italy.

The squad is split down the middle in terms of professionalism with half based abroad and the rest selected from the domestic Johnsonville Canadian Rugby Championship. Experienced campaigners Aaron Carpenter and Hubert Buydens are joined by three uncapped players.

Teenage prop Matt Tierney joins the group from France, where he now has three Top 14 appearances including his first start on Sunday against Brive. Matt Heaton, a native of Godmanchester in the outskirts of Montreal, is among the back row corps after spending the past two seasons with Otley in the UK. UBC Thunderbirds centre Ben LeSage is perhaps the bolter of the group, having missed out on the CRC for the past two seasons due to injury. All three are graduates of the national u20 program.

Ontario Blues prop Tom Dolezel returns to Canada contention after missing out on the World Cup with a broken arm and effectively consigning himself to international retirement earlier in the year. Similarly Jamie Mackenzie has made himself available again after skipping out on the ARC to pursue other career opportunities. Taylor Paris is named despite missing the entire domestic season with Agen in France due to his knee injury suffered in the World Cup warm-up match against the Eagles in Ottawa.

Of the nine players left out of the original 37-man group, the most notable absentees are flanker Kyle Gilmour, who remains on the disabled list after breaking his cheek in training during the ARC, and London Irish centre Ciaran Hearn. The latter has been called up by Liam Middleton to bolster his Olympic hopefuls. Connor Braid is fit again after recovering from injuries sustained at the World Cup, but has declined the offer to join the team, opting instead to take a break from representative rugby.

Canada will face Japan in an historic first-ever test at BC Place in Vancouver on Saturday June 11, followed by matches against Russia on June 18 at Calgary Rugby Park and finally Italy at BMO Field in Toronto on June 26. All three will be broadcast live on TSN.

FORWARDS
Hubert Buydens (San Diego, US), Tom Dolezel (London St. George’s / Ontario Blues), Jake Ilnicki (San Diego, US), Djustice Sears-Duru (Glasgow Warriors, UK), Matt Tierney (Pau, FR), Ray Barkwill (Sacramento, US), Eric Howard (Brantford Harlequins / Ontario Blues), Paul Ciulini (Aurora Barbarians / Ontario Blues), Jamie Cudmore (Clermont Auvergne, FR), Evan Olmstead (London Scottish, UK), Cameron Pierce (Pau, FR), Kyle Baillie (Ohio, US), Aaron Carpenter (Cornish Pirates, UK), Alistair Clark (Bay Street / Ontario Blues), Matt Heaton (Otley, UK), Lucas Rumball (Balmy Beach / Ontario Blues)

BACKS
Andrew Ferguson (Oakville Crusaders / Ontario Blues), Jamie Mackenzie (UBCOB Ravens / Ontario Blues), Gordon McRorie (Calgary Hornets / Prairie Wolf Pack), Patrick Parfrey (Swilers / Atlantic Rock), Nick Blevins (San Francisco, US), Ben LeSage (UBC Thunderbirds / Prairie Wolf Pack), Mozac Samson (Calgary Saints / Prairie Wolf Pack), Jordan Wilson-Ross (James Bay / Ontario Blues), Dan Moor (Balmy Beach / Ontario Blues), Taylor Paris (Agen, FR), Matt Evans (Cornish Pirates, UK), Brock Staller (UBC Thunderbirds / BC Bears)