[2013 EOYT] Canada

[canadafan]

I posted this on another forum, what are your thoughts?

Let's be honest here, the ARC has been a disaster for us and we are going to get slaughterd be the Jaguars. Looking ahead to the November tour, I figure we will take a 26 man squad to face: Georgia, Romania and Portugal. The Maori match falls outside the test window, so I figure we will be missing many of our overseas players for that match.

My squad: 26 players

Forwards: 14

Props:

Loosehead (2)

Buydens
Wooldridge

Buydens is the starter and a quality loosehead. Wooldridge has gone well in the ARC, one of the few players to do so, and has earned a contract in France apparently.

Tighthead (2)

Marshall
Tiedemann (assuming his eye has healed)

Both good tighthead props.

Hooker (2)

Carpenter (c)
Barkwill

Hooker is a weak spot for Canada and Carpenter needs to move there now, Barkwill is decent coming off the bench. Hamilton will probably be injured.

Locks (4)

Hotson
Phelan
Flagg
Pierce

I assumed that Cudmore will either be unavailable or suspended. Beuekeboom has been suspended by his club as well. Phelan is the darkhorse here and could become a dominating lock for us sooner than later.

Backrow (4)

Sinclair
Ardron
Moonlight
Kleeberger

Kleeberger sneaks in on past glories and to provide cover at 7. Pierce can cover blinside if needed for the squad and Carpenter can move to 8 as well.

Backs (12)

Scrum half (2)

Mack
Mackenzie

White has been a disaster in the ARC but he might sneak back in if Mack is sent to play 7s instead of XVs. Mackenzie has fought his way back in the squad.

Fly half (2)

Jones
Underwood
O'Leary

I figure Jones will be the starter, but Underwood should be. Jones leaves the tour early, to play 7s and is replaced by O'Leary who will be capped by Canada against Portugal.

Centres (3)

DTH
Mackenzie
Scholz

Trainor has been awful in the ARC, just bad, Scholz has been better so he sneaks in. DTH and Mackenzie to start.

Wingers (3)

Hassler
Paris
Evans

Both in Europe, both doing fairly well, apparently. Evans is also doing well, and could see some game time at FB or centre as well.

Full Back (2)

Pritchard
Braid

Fitzpatrick has had a good ARC and is now bound to Canada, but he is still young so let his develop back in Ireland. Braid is the short term solution at FB, so he needs more game time there.


My team to face Georgia:

1. Buyens
2. Carpenter (c)
3. Marshall
4. Hotson
5. Phelan
6. Sinclair
7. Moonlight
8. Ardron

9. Mack
10. Jones
11. Evans
12. Mackenzie
13. DTH
14. Paris
15. Pritchard

 

[djwizard84]

perhaps each Tier 2 Nations should get at least one game a year against T1, otherwise how can they improve?

 

[canadafan]

Don't disagree at all, even playing some of their A sides would help.

 

[LittleGuy]

Cudmore is out with a hand injury. Doubt he would have been available regardless as he rarely does outside of the RWC related games. What happened with Buekeboome? I had heard he played well, was their some sort of altercation in a practice?

That's essentially the starting XV man for man that I would have for the Georgia match as well canadafan, goodness knows what our side vs. the Moari is going to look like and I'm in full panic mode so far with the ARC. Barring some sort of miracle vs. the Jaguars it's been dour stuff.

I think Trainor and Kleeberger are still rusty from those injuries and that's been affecting their performance. Can hardly think of anyone from that ARC team thats forced themselves into November(aside from possibly the Moari game just as a warm body), maybe Mackenzie and Flagg have earned spots on the bench or extended squad.

I bet we will carry a few extra outside backs and loosies to cover for the guys that will bugger off for 7's and miss the Portgual match. Hopefully none of the other top Tier pro's are sent home early for that game we did that in 2010 vs. Portugal and barely held on for the win after our weak bench got exposed.

Does anyone know whether O'Leary is ready to be capped, or is he still holding up hope of "Ireland's Call"?

My best case Maori lineup.

1. Buydens
2. Barkwill
3. Tieddemann(Dependent on injury and slightly out of position I know but otherwise it's....Illnicki?)
4. Phelan( plays for a Federale 1 club, if they would be generous enough to release him this would be a big boost) otherwise...ummmm Baille or McQueen.
5. Flagg
6. Dala
7. Moonlight
8. Kleeberger
9. Mackenzie(Mack has been sent to Bridgend since Ospreys SH injury situation cleard up quickly outside chance he could be released)
10. Jones(or maybe Braid)
11. Wilson Ross or Dolesau? (Would be nice to see our best ARC players rewarded they seem to be the few that have really tried.)
12. Blevins(if back healthy, otherwise Scholz or Trainor)
13. Scholz or Trainor
14. Hearn
15. Braid

16. Govorchin
17. Illnicki
18. Sears-Duru
19. H. McQueen
20. Fuailefau
21. White
22. Fitzpatrick
23. Dolesau or Wilson-Ross

 

[canadafan]

Plymouth Albion had something like 6 yellows and 1 red card after 4 matches. Beukeboom got the red, so he got suspended by the club as a wake up call to the team to start playing more disciplined.

 

[LittleGuy]

Plymouth Albion had something like 6 yellows and 1 red card after 4 matches. Beukeboom got the red, so he got suspended by the club as a wake up call to the team to start playing more disciplined.

Would that apply to his elegibility to play for Canada? If it's something the league commisioner/disciplanary officer has handed out than I know it does, or would Canada likely be considered a bit "beyond the pale" for putting him on the roster even if they can.

 

[canadafan]

His suspension should be over before the Maori match, unless he got another one which I don't know about.

 

[LittleGuy]

His suspension should be over before the Maori match, unless he got another one which I don't know about.

We could use him our Lock Stocks(and Barrells) are a little limited at the moment, probably my biggest concern aside from possibly FH heading into November.

 

[canadafan]

hooker and fly half are our biggest concerns IMO. Our lock stocks are pretty decent now I think, it just lacks a dynamic player. Beukeboom, Hotson, Phelan, Pierce and Flagg are all solid locks.

 

[Aspry]

perhaps each Tier 2 Nations should get at least one game a year against T1, otherwise how can they improve?

Well the Maori squad should be full of Super Rugby players, I reckon that's a start.

 

[LittleGuy]

hooker and fly half are our biggest concerns IMO. Our lock stocks are pretty decent now I think, it just lacks a dynamic player. Beukeboom, Hotson, Phelan, Pierce and Flagg are all solid locks.

I'm pretty worried about Hooker after this cycle even more so than this one. Carpenter and Barkwill aren't getting any younger and Hamilton seems to be made of glass. Govorchin wasn't exactly burning down the house so far in the ARC, I know Seb Pearson has tried to conver from #8 to Hooker in Ontario so I think some guys in the CRC see it as a way to possibly get into the national side.

 

[canadafan]

He s back playing pro in France, Canada should cap him this November. (Found out yesterday)

Also apparently over 70% of tickets have been sold for the Maori match.

 

[LittleGuy]

Piffero would be a good call up, a potential start against Portugal I would think.

He's playing for Blagnac in Federale 1.

 

[Dougydeluxe]

Watched only one of the ARC games (Had a teammate get the start for it) They had moments off good stuff, but kept messing up their finishing plays.

Maori game will be a blowout, but I could see it being like 6-2 tries. Which means my team, and father will have a good time watching it.

I also agree that Tier 2 teams need to play at least a Tier 1 or Tier 1 "a" side a year. And not the Jaguars when we don't have the actual players that are/could be pro. It really does not help us grow.

 

[LittleGuy]

Canada's Roster for November Tour:

Tyler Ardron, (Ospreys/Ontario Blues) Lakefield, ON
Ray Barkwill, (Niagara Wasps RFC/Ontario Blues) Niagara Falls, ON
Brett Buekeboom, (Plymouth Albion RFC) Lindsay, ON
Nick Blevins, (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB -
Hubert Buydens, (Saskatoon Wild Oats/Manawatu Turbos) Saskatoon, SK
Nanyak Dala, (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
Matt Evans, (Cornish Pirates) Maple Bay, BC
Jeff Hassler, (Ospreys/Prairie Wolf Pack) Okotoks, AB
Ciaran Hearn, (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Conception Bay, NL
Tyler Hotson, (London Scottish) Vancouver, BC
Jake Ilnicki, (Williams Lake Rustlers/Auckland Colts) Williams Lake, BC
Harry Jones, (Capilano RFC/BC Bears) West Vancouver, BC
Adam Kleeberger, (Castaway Wanderers/BC Bears) White Rock, BC
Phil Mack, (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Jamie Mackenzie, (UVIC Vikes/Ontario Blues) Oakville, ON
Phil Mackenzie, (Sale Sharks) Oakville, ON
Ryan March, (Abbotsford RFC/BC Bears) Abbotsford, BC
John Moonlight, (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Pickering, ON
Jon Phelan, (Lille Métropole Rugby/Atlantic Rock) Montreal, QC
Benoit Piffero, (Burnaby Lake RFC/Blagnac)
James Pritchard, (Bedford Blues) Parkes, NSW, Australia
Djustice Sears-Duru, (Castaway Wanderers/Ontario Blues) Oakville, ON
Jebb Sinclair, (London Irish) Fredericton, NB
Andrew Tiedemann, (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack) St. Albert, AB
Conor Trainor, (UBCOB Ravens/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
Liam Underwood, (Queens University/Ontario Blues) Toronto, ON

Players Unavailable:

Aaron Carpenter, (Cornish Pirates) Brantford, ON
Jamie Cudmore, (ASM Clermont Auvergne) Squamish, BC
Tom Dolezel, (London St. George's/Ontario Blues) London, ON
Sean Duke, (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
Nathan Hirayama, (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears) Richmond, BC
Jason Marshall, (Atlantique Stade Rochelais/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
DTH Van Der Merwe, (Glasgow Warriors) Regina, SK
Doug Wooldridge