2014 Canadian Rugby Championship and General Canadian Rugby Chat.

[Beerfalo]

As mentioned elsewhere on this site, Connor Braid has signed for the rest of the season with London Scottish and is slotted in at Fly-Half this weekend. Hopefully he gets to stay there the whole time as he REALLY needs the playing time and experience. I'm really happy that he was able to stick in Europe and hope he becomes a mainstay there.

http://www.londonscottish.com/news/3855.php

Jason Marshall has apparently signed with Agen in Pro D2. He's no stranger to France or Pro D2 after stints there with Aurillac and La Rochelle but hopefully this time around he gets solid playing time. Don't know if you guys can read French but it's the only article I found. His twitter also says he's with Agen so there's that. We definitely needed him to catch on with a pro club. No news on Hubert Buydens from what I can tell but hopefully he gets some interest soon.

http://www.sudouest.fr/2014/11/24/rugby-pro-d2-jason-marshall-est-arrive-a-agen-1746532-4622.php

I wish Ilnicki would have drawn some European attention after his season in the Aussie NRC but it seems he has returned to Castaway Wanderers in time for the mid-season break. Apparently Ciaran Hearn has joined him there. The article weirdly lists them as a Hooker and Fly-Half respectively but I'm not shocked by Canadian journalism.

http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/vikes-defeat-castaway-to-capture-barnard-cup-1.1627573

Another weird thing is Casey Reed(the young Wolf Pack Hooker) has been listed as Loosehead all season for UVic, at least from what I've seen. What is going on in BC.

And in terrible horrible news, Jeff Hassler could be out for up to five months with a knee injury. That's a huge blow to Ospreys. Apparently he hurt it near the end of the Romania game which is just another mess to come out of that crapfest. Hopefully he gets a full recovery as he has a very bright future in Europe and with Canada.

http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-uni...sler-faces-five-months-out-with-a-knee-injury

 

[LittleGuy]

Heard about Hassler and it's pretty scary news, Psychic Duck even saw a report that says his World Cup appearance is at risk which would be devasating news.

Good news on the Marshall signing, he did well in NZ hopefully he can carry that over to the D2.

 

[Beerfalo]

The article I read said Hassler was getting surgery this week and the rehab for the knee could take up to five months. Five months would push it to somewhere in May. I'd be interested to read the report. There's still the Pacific Nations Cup and RWC Warm Ups to get him into shape for the RWC if he heals up properly. Of course I'm being optimistic because I don't want to think of the RWC without Hassler and am refusing to accept that as a possibility. IF Canada was without Hassler and everyone else was healthy then the best possible lineup would be Paris and DTH on the wings and Phil Mackenzie and one of Ciaran Hearn/Conor Trainor in the centers. It would hurt but it's not insurmountable.

 

[Beerfalo]

Oh yayyyyyy, once again a weakened Kenyan team and a 2nd string Canadian team faced off for the Shield. That Portugal loss really stings and the team sure could use Harry Jones out there. Only in 7s talk is that every applicable hahaha. Next week will be even worse for our boys. Canada gets to play in a group with Fiji, Scotland and France. I'm expecting a winless group stage and another Shield ***le. Hopefully we have our full side when Wellington and Vegas roll around...

 

[LittleGuy]

I watched the Wales game and we looked pretty decent, than last night I watched us vs. France and ouch. Not sure if the guys who played in the XV's tour are out of gas but boy did we look crap out there.

 

[psychic duck]

The article I read said Hassler was getting surgery this week and the rehab for the knee could take up to five months. Five months would push it to somewhere in May. I'd be interested to read the report. There's still the Pacific Nations Cup and RWC Warm Ups to get him into shape for the RWC if he heals up properly. Of course I'm being optimistic because I don't want to think of the RWC without Hassler and am refusing to accept that as a possibility. IF Canada was without Hassler and everyone else was healthy then the best possible lineup would be Paris and DTH on the wings and Phil Mackenzie and one of Ciaran Hearn/Conor Trainor in the centers. It would hurt but it's not insurmountable.

Hassler looks like he's done for the season at least, so he will come into the RWC rusty if he makes it.

I think that's about the fourth or fifth front line back now Canada have seen suffer a serious long term injuries over the last 18 months or so by my count. Trainor broke his ankle, DTH busted his shoulder and needed surgery, Mack needed an operation to fix his knee, Evans broke his leg, now Hassler has serious knee ligament damage. Plus Mackenzie has had some sort of ****ling issue that has meant he hasn't really played properly all year as well.

 

[Shaggy]

Hassler looks like he's done for the season at least, so he will come into the RWC rusty if he makes it.

I think that's about the fourth or fifth front line back now Canada have seen suffer a serious long term injuries over the last 18 months or so by my count. Trainor broke his ankle, DTH busted his shoulder and needed surgery, Mack needed an operation to fix his knee, Evans broke his leg, now Hassler has serious knee ligament damage. Plus Mackenzie has had some sort of ****ling issue that has meant he hasn't really played properly all year as well.

Mack also got another knee injury this weekend, at the Dubai Sevens ... hopefully it isn't too serious

 

[Beerfalo]

LALALALALALALAALALALAALALA CAN'T HEAR YOUR BAD WORDS!!!! Speaking of injuries, does anyone have an update on Matt Evans? I can't find any information on him and haven't seen him in the lineup for Cornish in a while. With Pritchard seeming to have finally fallen off his form we really need Evans next year.

Also does anyone know what happened with Olmstead after the ARC finished and he was unfortunately left off the November tour roster. I assume he went back to Australia but it would have been nice if he could have got some playing time in the CDI league during the Aussie off-season. I believe that kid is a key part of Canada's future and hope he can catch on with at least an NRC team next year.

 

[canadafan]

Olmstead and Smith both went back to Aussie land.

 

[Beerfalo]

Phil Mack did injure his knee against Japan in Dubai and is officially out of South Africa 7s. He's flying back to Victoria to get treatment and Ciaran Hearn is being flown out to Port Elizabeth to replace him. Hearn is a good player but it's still a huge loss, especially with Jones out hurt as well. I'd be content with another Shield at this point.

It is worrisome that Phil Mack hurt his knee and I wonder if it's the same one as last time. I know he hurt one of his knees back in June and that was the same knee he had to get repaired a couple years beforehand. Hopefully it's not a big deal and he's good to go for the rest of the year after a two month break. We kinda need him healthy for our 7s team in both the World Series and Pan-Am games, as well as the RWC. I really don't want Sean White to be Scrum-Half #2.

 

[jonny24]

Knee injuries suck. Hopefully it isn't too serious.

 

[jonny24]

I realize this has been a primarily union based thread, but I figured I'd post this here anyway. Apparently the Canadian Rugby League is applying to join the English third tier, playing out of Toronto.

http://www.runningrugby.com/law-and-governance/canada-based-team-seek-to-join-championship-one/

Wonder where all the money is coming from.

Edit: shoot, that link doesn't have the full article. I'll try to find a better one.

 

[LittleGuy]

The League guys are doing a lot of really cool ****. I wish the Union stuffy old crones would get off their asses and show some similar levels of passion and energy.

 

[Beerfalo]

Flying from Toronto to England on a regular basis just sounds stupid and expensive to me. I mean it would be great competition and it's really ambitious but it sounds like a mess waiting to happen.

Wouldn't it make more sense to first use the money to have a Toronto team compete in the USA Rugby League? You'd think they could slot in well with Rhodes Island Battalion, Boston Thirteens and Brooklyn Kings in the North East Division. Maybe add a Vancouver team competing in the USARL Development league(unless there's an actual western league) since there seems to be a number of Western State teams there. You know, the whole walk before you run thing.

It does make me wish Rugby Canada would try something similar. Maybe work a deal with the WRU and the Pro 12 to field a team out of Colwyn Bay. Let's face it, it's our European home... Have the team be half Canadian and half Welsh to increase the profile in North Wales? Kinda like the old RGC 1404 experiment but actually worthwhile. I'd prefer to go through the English system, since Canadians actually live there, but doubt the RFU would be keen on that.


And yes, knee injuries suck. I definitely feel for players who hurt their knee(s) and continue to do so. I hurt mine about six years ago, and about once a year since, and it just gets worse and worse.

 

[jonny24]

Agreed, although a very cool idea it just seems too crazy. The only thing that seems to make sense is that some rich guy is willing to put up the money for this project specifically, but not for overall development.

I'm a bit undecided on league to be honest. They do some cool things, and lots of potential for growth with the international scene being so small (relatively). But I can't quite get into watching it, I get so frustrated expecting them to ruck and fight for the ball... maybe I'll try playing it and see if I like it more then.
I was surprised to find out how recent most of rugby league is here. I was in high school in 2010-2011 when they were getting it started again, I remember my high school coach telling us about it. I didn't realize it was brand new.

@Beerfalo, I got lucky this year, went with ****ing up my ankle instead. In grade 11 I did one knee one game, the next knee the next game, and the first knee in the next. Luckily that was the end of the season. Last year our prop decided to run in front of me and and catch the kickoff I was about to receive, only to be tackled into my leg...sub duty for the rest of the season and I missed out on playing college in the fall. Oh well...

 

[canadafan]

I think our big problem is the lack of connection between junior rugby and senior rugby. We have lots of kids playing junior rugby now, but lose them when they become adults, we have to resolve that issue and make a direct connection to senior rugby, a pathway so to speak.

 

[Beerfalo]

A big thing to keeping junior players interested in the sport and making the transition to senior teams is having the senior teams show they care about the kids and support them. Make the kids feel like they are an actual part of the club and that they have a future there. If the seniors completely ignore the juniors then why would they want to one day join them? Our coaches were really pushing the senior guys to make the juniors feel welcome so they'll want to stick around. Watch the occasional game if you could and cheer them on. Compliment their performance/improvement or simply just talk to them. Give them some pointers to help them improve. Make them feel like they have a place. Maybe invite the older kids to practice with the senior guys on occasion. I know we have had some juniors(a U17 and a couple U19s) play with our 2nd and 3rds over the years and a couple of them even got time with the 1sts this year and held their own. It definitely helps a third of our senior club seems to be under 25 so the next waves can kinda relate instead of playing with a bunch of 30 year old guys.

Also does anyone know why Canada doesn't seem to have anything lined up for our domestic players in preparation for the World Cup? Half our damn team is domestic/7s players so they should have some things planned out. Uruguay seems to have a really awesome schedule and USA Rugby at least has games against the Jaguars and Uruguay scheduled for their domestic players. Why couldn't we work together with those unions for a Pan-Am/ARC tournament in mid-April(since there's no ARC in 2015) scheduled between Tokyo 7s and Glasgow 7s so we had our 2nd and 3rd string backs available? I'd love to see our ARC pack accompanied by McRorie at Scrum-Half, Jones at Fly-Half, Duke and JWR on the wing, Blevins(bleh) and Trainor in the centers and Hearn at Fullback. Then they might have actually put up a fight against the USA Selects and Jaguars....

 

[canadafan]

A big thing to keeping junior players interested in the sport and making the transition to senior teams is having the senior teams show they care about the kids and support them. Make the kids feel like they are an actual part of the club and that they have a future there. If the seniors completely ignore the juniors then why would they want to one day join them? Our coaches were really pushing the senior guys to make the juniors feel welcome so they'll want to stick around. Watch the occasional game if you could and cheer them on. Compliment their performance/improvement or simply just talk to them. Give them some pointers to help them improve. Make them feel like they have a place. Maybe invite the older kids to practice with the senior guys on occasion. I know we have had some juniors(a U17 and a couple U19s) play with our 2nd and 3rds over the years and a couple of them even got time with the 1sts this year and held their own. It definitely helps a third of our senior club seems to be under 25 so the next waves can kinda relate instead of playing with a bunch of 30 year old guys.

Also does anyone know why Canada doesn't seem to have anything lined up for our domestic players in preparation for the World Cup? Half our damn team is domestic/7s players so they should have some things planned out. Uruguay seems to have a really awesome schedule and USA Rugby at least has games against the Jaguars and Uruguay scheduled for their domestic players. Why couldn't we work together with those unions for a Pan-Am/ARC tournament in mid-April(since there's no ARC in 2015) scheduled between Tokyo 7s and Glasgow 7s so we had our 2nd and 3rd string backs available? I'd love to see our ARC pack accompanied by McRorie at Scrum-Half, Jones at Fly-Half, Duke and JWR on the wing, Blevins(bleh) and Trainor in the centers and Hearn at Fullback. Then they might have actually put up a fight against the USA Selects and Jaguars....

Keeping the junior rugby players in the sport is a huge step in the right direction, apparently alberta rugby is trying to get improve it's pathway to senior rugby in the province. Also, apparently they are hosting a id camp up in red deer soon. Don't know what's going on in the other provinces though.

 

[Beerfalo]

Is this the thing you're talking about: http://www.rugbyalberta.com/news_article/show/456559?referrer_id=1083678

I'm reading through it now but it sounds pretty damn exciting and it has me all bubbly for Alberta's future. I'm glad Alberta is aiming to be a top rugby province and hope we can get on par with BC and Ontario. Apparently 78 out of 158 nominated players have accepted the invitation to the talent camps so far. There will be 8 of these training sessions between January and June this year and they are gunning for 16 in 2016. Also says Kieran Crowley and Wolf Pack/NT players Gilmour, McRorie and Blevins and Women's star Maria Samson in attendance along with Moffat on January 11th. Sometimes I wondered if Crowley even knew where Alberta was, let alone Red Deer.

Another big part of the article I'm excited about: "In addition to the above changes, to further help combat this player drain at the senior level, Alberta Rugby, is working closely with the Calgary Rugby Union and Edmonton Rugby union to resurrect the Mavericks and Gold sides to help retain athletes as well assisting with development programs in the Deep South, Central and Grand Prairie." I'm all for a return of Edmonton Gold and Calgary Mavericks as well as helping grow/strengthen the sport outside of Edmonton and Calgary.

Also there's the Canada 7s ID camp coming up on Sunday in Red Deer. I wonder how that will go.

 

[canadafan]

Yeah, that's it, sounds like a lot of positive movement is going on in this province. Now if only B.C. could get their act together and go along with the rest of Canada we could get a decent league set up.