Canadian June Test Matches

[Melhor Time]

You would rather include Hearn than Pritchard?

In a flash. With Braid kicking goals Pritchard is relegated to the bench.

But... I don´t see this happening.

 

[SEGE]

Hearn has 18 caps, 0 tries, eight points and plays his club rugby in a Canadian amateur/recreational league.
Pritchard has 39 caps, 13 tries, 385 points and is captain of Bedford, one of the top clubs in the English Championships. I know who I would play on my Canada 15.

 

[rusty_lock]

Hearn has 18 caps, 0 tries, eight points and plays his club rugby in a Canadian amateur/recreational league.
Pritchard has 39 caps, 13 tries, 385 points and is captain of Bedford, one of the top clubs in the English Championships. I know who I would play on my Canada 15.

LOL

My thoughts exactly. I have always felt like Hearn was overrated by some. He is a great club player but just to inconsistent for international play, in my opinion. I think he really gained popularity with fans and selectors after the win over France A a couple of years ago as he had a blinder in that one, but then so did everyone. Since then he has been disappointing in my mind. When playing on the wing his work rate is very poor. If the ball doesn't come to him you will not even know he is on the field. He is poor under the high ball and prone to missed tackles. While I was disappointed to not see Kohler's name on the list I was glad to see Duke, Ardon and Hassler. I have always been a fan of Duke. He has bonified world class gas and that is something that we have always lacked in our wingers.

Looking at the lineup I have to assume that KC intends to start Sinclair at lock. Phelan, Hotson and Beukeboom are the only ones listed and Phelan has just 3 appearance off the bench, all of which were against fairly weak opposition (Belguim, Spain and Portugul). Beukeboom is just 22 and is uncapped. That is just to much pressure to put on Hotson I would think. What will be interesting is to see who starts at 10. My preference is Evans with Braid on the bench. Otherwise I think the team pretty much picks itself.

My preferred match day 22

1. Buyden
2. Hamilton
3 Tiedeman
4. Hotson
5. Sinclair
6. Dala
7. O'toole
8. Carpenter
9. Fairhurst
10. Evans
11. Phil Mackenzie
12 Trainor
13 DTH
14. Duke
15. Pritchard

16. Pletch
17. Tiedemann
18. Beukeboom/Phelan
19. Ardon
20. White/ Jamie Mackenzie
21. Braid
22. Hassler

 

[LittleGuy]

I remember a lot of us having this conversation around the RWC about Hearn, he never seems to be a big liability, he just never seems to add a whole lot either. In the Tonga game in particular he seemed to be MIA for large stretches of time.

I think Pritch is actually up to 400 points bang on SEGE(sorry to be pedantic but it actually makes your point even more correct) and could very well overtake Bob Ross for 2nd all time on Canada's point list this June, 419 or 421 points for Bobby( My sources are different a conversion must be disputed or it's from a game where the cap status isn't clear). As well Pritch may very well be captain or vice-captain of this squad and isn't out of the running to be a part of the team in some fashion come 2015.

I'm a little upset that Rugby Canada didn't release the information on why some weren't selected as they usually do, I know some are hurt, Paris, Monro, Hirayama etc. Cudmore is fairly obvious. With others I'm not so sure on I had heard that Marshall recovered and returned to Aurilliac, as well I have no idea why Kleeberger is unavailable.

Edit: Like the lineup Rusty, hard to argue with your selections, I guess for Italy it has to be best #22 possible, and for Georgia we should have the best scrum possible. The States game and the backs against Georgia should be better oppourtunities to work in some new combo's and players.

 

[rusty_lock]

Edit: Like the lineup Rusty, hard to argue with your selections, I guess for Italy it has to be best #22 possible, and for Georgia we should have the best scrum possible. The States game and the backs against Georgia should be better oppourtunities to work in some new combo's and players.

I'm big Pritchard fan. While not a native son he has been a faithful and tireless servant of Canadian Rugby making himself available when he really doesn't need to.

Late breaking news>>> Kleeberger, along with 10 other players, has been released by the London Scottish. I know that Kleeberger is back in Victoria but haven't heard about any injury concerns at all.

 

[LittleGuy]

I know Kleeberger was thinking of moving on at the end of the season to try and find a bigger club, I doubt it's performance based since he was nominated for player of the year by the fans. Hopefully there is someone out there willing to give him a shot.

Edit: Totally agreed Rusty, Pritchard has done amazing work with the national team even turning out for games against Spain and the like, it's ashame he was kept out of the program in 2004-05. He could have an outside chance at becoming the leading scorer for Canada if he sticks around for the next cycle.

 

[Melhor Time]

There is no denying that Pritchard has been great for Canada and probably ought to be in the starting lineup. But the guy is about to turn 33 and is not Canada´s best fullback anylonger and nor is he the best winger. In my humble opinion if he´s picked its to be the goalkicker. But with Braid in the squad there is no real need. Hearn may not be the best guy around but he´s got a future as does Duke. I´d be looking towards these kinds of players to take on Georgia. Both should get starts in June with MacKenzie clearly being Canada´s leading winger. Evans has got to be Canada´s fullback.

I enjoyed reading comments refering to statistics justifying the inclusion o Pritchard. I´d just say they are quite misleading given he has not scored 15 or more points in a tests since 2009. Since RWC 2007 he has scored four tries - three vs Portugal and one vs the USA. The most points he has scored in this period are 20, 18, 17 and 16 on two occassions. The opposition was Spain and Portugal in Europe and severly under strenghted Russia and Georgia in North America. The other match was vs the USA. During the same period vs Tier one sides the best he managed was 8 points vs Wales in 2008 and the same vs France at RWC 2011. vs Japan in 2009 he scored 6 points combined in two tests. Other than that his best was vs Tonga at the World Cup scoring 10 points.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

Kleeberger went under the knife for his knee I believe... its unfortunate... really wonder why Kohler hasn't been picked up???

 

[rusty_lock]

There is no denying that Pritchard has been great for Canada and probably ought to be in the starting lineup. But the guy is about to turn 33 and is not Canada´s best fullback anylonger and nor is he the best winger. In my humble opinion if he´s picked its to be the goalkicker. But with Braid in the squad there is no real need. Hearn may not be the best guy around but he´s got a future as does Duke. I´d be looking towards these kinds of players to take on Georgia. Both should get starts in June with MacKenzie clearly being Canada´s leading winger. Evans has got to be Canada´s fullback.

If Hearn has a place currently on the NSMT it is at wing. Wingers are finishers and Hearn is not a finisher. If he was more consistent under the highball and a better tackler, I could see him at fullback. Those are all work-ons for him and when they come right I would love to see his inclusion into the team. He is a great kid who is proud to wear the national colors. Unfortunately, at the moment he is a liability. As a winger he does not make my top 8 in the Country.

Kleeberger went under the knife for his knee I believe... its unfortunate... really wonder why Kohler hasn't been picked up???

Projected to be out for 4 months. I just heard that it was a shoulder but either way it is to bad. Hopefully he can secure the contract he wants come September and put in a full season with either a competitive Championship team or maybe one in the Premiership.

Maybe someone could explain the import quota in the premiership for me?

 

[rusty_lock]

There is no denying that Pritchard has been great for Canada and probably ought to be in the starting lineup. But the guy is about to turn 33 and is not Canada´s best fullback anylonger and nor is he the best winger. In my humble opinion if he´s picked its to be the goalkicker. But with Braid in the squad there is no real need. Hearn may not be the best guy around but he´s got a future as does Duke. I´d be looking towards these kinds of players to take on Georgia. Both should get starts in June with MacKenzie clearly being Canada´s leading winger. Evans has got to be Canada´s fullback.

I do agree that the future lies with Braid for flyhalf. I think Hirayama is more of a 7's player.

 

[LittleGuy]

Import rule for the Premiership is two import players on the field at any given time Rusty. Effectively this means two starters and one or two imports on the bench, so maybe 3-4 in a lineup.

Agree with you guys on Hirayama as a 7's specialist especially now that the program is full time, with Braid and possibly McCann coming up through the depth charts I'm looking more towards them for 15's.

 

[LittleGuy]

The Fly Half situation for Canada this June, is reaching crisis levels as Connor Braid is now forced out of the squad due to an injury picked up in BC club action, he will be replaced by a trio of players each available for one test. I'm guessing this means Evans will almost certainly start at fly half, not sure who will back up either the called up trio or His Edness has been known to don the #10 jersey on occasion and Pritchard might be an emergency option as well.


Patrick Parfrey (USA test): Atlantic Rock
Liam Underwood (Italy test): Ontario Blues
Harry Jones ( Georgia Test): National 7's team and Capilano's RFC.

 

[LittleGuy]

Ander Monro is out with a shoulder injury that he picked up in a Canada Maple Leafs("A" team) game a month ago and Hiryama is also out with an injury, I'm not sure why McCann wasn't called( I would love to see him get a shot), but none of the French based players are available for the tour. Marshall, Cudmore have not been released as well and Josh Jackson has only ever been available inconsistently.

 

[psychic duck]

Ander Monro is out with a shoulder injury that he picked up in a Canada Maple Leafs("A" team) game a month ago and Hiryama is also out with an injury, I'm not sure why McCann wasn't called( I would love to see him get a shot), but none of the French based players are available for the tour. Marshall, Cudmore have not been released as well and Josh Jackson has only ever been available inconsistently.

Cudmore is a good player, but for some reason Canada has always been able to produce tonnes of lock/flankers, always been their best position, so although he's a loss, there are some decent fill ins

how big a loss is Marshall though?

he's the only European based front rower Canada have, how big a gap between the second choice and him is there?

 

[LittleGuy]

It won't be a devastating loss, but I would have preferred him around with Canada playing teams that have strong forward depth. Buydens and Tieddemann are fairly good players and will probably start most of the games. I'm surprised Buydens didn't get a club chance after the RWC. Dolezel and Woolridge will be the bench options, they can hold their own but don't add anything spectacular though.

 

[psychic duck]

It won't be a devastating loss, but I would have preferred him around with Canada playing teams that have strong forward depth. Buydens and Tieddemann are fairly good players and will probably start most of the games. I'm surprised Buydens didn't get a club chance after the RWC. Dolezel and Woolridge will be the bench options, they can hold their own but don't add anything spectacular though.

you sure?

Tiedemann I seem to remember didn't have the easiest of times up against a Welsh front row containing John Yapp in 2009

however the USA don't have quality props, and from the general rumours out of Georgia nearly all the Top 14 players will not be touring, so it shouldn't matter too much

 

[LittleGuy]

you sure?

Tiedemann I seem to remember didn't have the easiest of times up against a Welsh front row containing John Yapp in 2009

however the USA don't have quality props, and from the general rumours out of Georgia nearly all the Top 14 players will not be touring, so it shouldn't matter too much

Tiedemann was really thrown into the fire in that game he was only 20 years old and it was his first test, he has grown as a player, and the Canadian scrum has stabilized since the massive problems of 2009-2010. I'm not going to say he's a world beater but he's going to hold his own.

Also found out that McCann and Paris are playing with the U-20's instead of joining the full men's team. It also looks like Liam Underwood will be the back up fly half in the first test as it was announced on Rugby Canada's website that he would be in the lneup against the States.

 

[rusty_lock]

Also found out that McCann and Paris are playing with the U-20's instead of joining the full men's team. It also looks like Liam Underwood will be the back up fly half in the first test as it was announced on Rugby Canada's website that he would be in the lneup against the States.

So do you have any speculation as to who will start at 10. My preference would be Evans but I just don't know how he will go from there. He is a dynamic player but he hasn't seen the 10 jersey since his Hartpury College days

 

[LittleGuy]

I'm thinking it has to be Evans just by default, he did start at #10 against the England Saxons a couple of years back Rusty, when Ander had to pull out last minute with medical concerns. He did well that game scoring a brilliant try...I'm not sure if there are many other options, perhaps His Edness in an emergency, though it has been some time since he lined up at fly-half for us.



Edit: Agreed with you Rusty on Evans as a player he had a good campaign with Pirates this year as well really got back into the swing of things after a so-so year in Wales. I also think it's about getting our best players out on the pitch even if guys have to play slightly out of position. Pritch stays at FB(where I like him), and I'm hoping for Duke to be out on the wing, with Hearn on the bench maybe.

 

[rusty_lock]

Just read Marshall has been cleared to play so good news for scrum.

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