Teenage star called up to Canada squad for Japan tour

Canada coach Steve Meehan has selected 32 players in his Senior Men’s squad that will depart for a three-match tour in Japan. The team will take on the Brave Blossoms in Niigata on September 5 before competing in a truncated Pacific Nations Cup tournament against Fiji and potentially the USA.

Among five uncapped inclusions is teenage flyhalf Jack Gore. The Laurier University and Oakville Crusaders star was the standout player in last month’s under-19 national provincial championship, scoring a remarkable 29 points in the Gold Final against BC while captaining Ontario to the title.

Other players yet to win their first caps are tighthead props Bryce Worden and Sam Turner, second row Ryan Cozens, and fullback Jamie Armstrong. Worden, Turner, and Cozens have previously represented Canada at u20 level while Armstrong featured for the Canada Men’s Sevens squad this past year.

Handed recalls after missing out on July’s Nations Cup tests are loosehead prop Emerson Prior, hooker Austin Creighton, second row Callum Botchar, flanker Ethan Fryer, scrumhalf Jesse Kilgour, and versatile three-quarter Isaac Olson. Regular vice-captain Ben LeSage returns from suspension received while playing for New England in the Major League Rugby season.

A number of leading players will miss the tour. As the matches fall outside World Rugby’s official test window, Canada’s top European-based professionals are largely unavailable. Among them are hooker Andrew Quattrin, second row Evan Olmstead, and No8 Tyler Ardron.

 

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Sam Miller (Benfica, PO) 7 caps
Emerson Prior (Westshore) 8 caps

HOOKER
Austin Creighton (Cobras, BR) 3 caps
Foster DeWitt (Peñarol, UR) 6 caps
Dewald Kotze (Rotherham Titans, UK) 15 caps

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Kyle Steeves (Hunter Wildfires, AU) 8 caps
Sam Turner (Cambridge, UK) uncapped
Bryce Worden (West Harbour, AU) uncapped

SECOND ROW
Callum Botchar (Seattle Seawolves, US) 10 caps
Ryan Cozens (Rams Rugby, UK) uncapped
Daragh Doyle (Clontarf, IR) 2 caps
Izzak Kelly (Benfica, PO) 16 caps

BACK ROW
Mason Flesch (Chicago Hounds, US) 23 caps
Ethan Fryer (Peñarol, UR) 5 caps
Cody Nhanala (UBC Thunderbirds) 2 caps
Sion Parry (Ebbw Vale, UK) 19 caps
Lucas Rumball (Chicago Hounds, US) 67 caps
Barnaby Waddell (Camborne, UK) 2 caps

SCRUMHALF
Jason Higgins (Cork Constitution, IR) 30 caps
Jesse Kilgour (Aurora Barbarians) 1 cap
Stephen Webb (UBC Thunderbirds) 3 caps

FLYHALF
Cooper Coats (UVic Vikes) 23 caps
Jack Gore (Oakville Crusaders) uncapped

MIDFIELD
Jacob Ince (Oakville Crusaders) 2 caps
Spencer Jones (Hamilton Marist, NZ) 19 caps
Ben LeSage (New England Free Jacks, US) 39 caps
Josh McIndoe (UVic Vikes) 2 caps

WING
Liam James (UBC Thunderbirds) 2 caps
Isaac Olson (Canberra Royals, AU) 7 caps
Kyle Tremblay (Westshore) 7 caps

FULLBACK
Jamie Armstrong (Ottawa Irish) uncapped
Takoda McMullin (UBC Thunderbirds) 7 caps

 

RESERVES
Neil Trainor (HO, James Bay) uncapped
Evan Roy (TH, Zingari Richmond, NZ) uncapped
Olly Wiseman (N8, Chinnor, UK) uncapped
Brock Gallagher (SH, Young Munster, IR) 14 caps
Peter Nelson (FH/FB, Dungannon, UK) 38 caps
Lockie Kratz (FH/CE, Castaway Wanderers) 2 caps
Noah Flesch (CE/WI, Penarol, UR) 14 caps
Henry Kirwan (WI, Rams Rugby, UK) uncapped

 

FIXTURES
09/05 vs Japan (Denka Big Swan Stadium, Niigata)
09/12 vs Fiji (Hanazono Stadium, Osaka)
09/19 vs USA or Japan (Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo)