[EOYT] Canada vs. New Zealand Maori. 03/11/13

[canadafan]

If O'toole is in the squad against the Maori, we are in trouble.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Not to be a cynical prick, but...

has Weepu been included because he is awesome leading the Haka?

 

[LittleGuy]

Not to be pedantic LG, but it's Maori, not Moari.

Yeah I've got it right twice and wrong twice LOL....will edit.

Also Kleeberger's injury isn't as bad as first appeared when he left the field he should be available for November if the coaching staff wish to select him.

 

[Adakins]

Not to be a cynical prick, but...

has Weepu been included because he is awesome leading the Haka?

I can't wait to see him lead the Haka!!!! (if he does)

 

[Dougydeluxe]

As long as it does not really rain (has been a wet fall so far). I should have a great time. Have pretty good seats this time.

But I don't think Canada even have a chance at getting with in 7 for this game.

 

[Big Ewis]

Not to be a cynical prick, but...

has Weepu been included because he is awesome leading the Haka?

lol, probably.
Imagine after the anthems, the authorities decide there's no time for the haka and they just move onto the match

 

[LittleGuy]

Canada have released a preliminary 26 man side and it looks to have some solid professionals like Hassler available which is great news but a few quality players will not be available e.g. Pritchard, Sinclair, Hotson, also ticket sales have passed the 16,000 mark.

I caught the announcement from Jeff Hull's twitter feed where he said there were some "controversial choices" I have no idea what he's talking about this is probably the best available side considering the absenses. White I suppose is left offf the side for the first time in a while but Mackenzie played better in the ARC. ARC standouts like Dolesau and Wilson Ross were unfortunate in the fact they were playing at positions we had plenty of depth, and the Hooker, Lock and Fly Half situations are still a little messy(though FH will be waaaayy better than ARC levels)


Canada's Roster for New Zealand Maori All Blacks Game

Tyler Ardron, (Ospreys/Ontario Blues) Lakefield, ON
Ray Barkwill, (Niagara Wasps RFC/Ontario Blues) Niagara Falls, ON
Nick Blevins, (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB
Connor Braid, (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Hubert Buydens, (Saskatoon Wild Oats/Manawatu Turbos) Saskatoon, SK
Aaron Carpenter, Captain, (Cornish Pirates) Brantford, ON
Nanyak Dala, (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
Matt Evans, (Cornish Pirates) Maple Bay, BC
Aaron Flagg, (Abbotsford RFC/BC Bears) Abbotsford, BC
Kyle Gilmour, (St. Albert Rugby Club/Prairie Wolf Pack) Edmonton, AB
Jeff Hassler, (Ospreys/Prairie Wolf Pack) Okotoks, AB
Ciaran Hearn, (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Conception Bay, NL
Jake Illnicki, (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
Ryan March, (Abbotsford RFC/BC Bears) Abbotsford, BC
John Moonlight, (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Pickering, ON
Pat Parfrey, (Swilers RFC/Atlantic Rock) St. John's, NL
Jon Phelan, (Lille Métropole Rugby/Atlantic Rock) Montreal, QC
Mike Scholz, (Castaway Wanderers/Ontario Blues) Oakville, ON
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
Doug Wooldridge, (Lindsay RFC/Ontario Blues) Lindsay, ON



Players Unavailable due to Professional Commitments or Injury:

Brett Buekeboom, (Plymouth Albion RFC) Lindsay, 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
Tyler Hotson, (London Scottish) Vancouver, BC
Phil Mackenzie, (Sale Sharks) Oakville, ON
Jason Marshall, (Atlantique Stade Rochelais/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
James Pritchard, (Bedford Blues) Parkes, NSW, Australia
Jebb Sinclair, (London Irish) Fredericton, NB
DTH Van Der Merwe, (Glasgow Warriors) Regina, SK

 

[LittleGuy]

My side from that squad

1. Buydens
2. Carpenter (he might be starting at Hooker since there is no other specialist Hooker aside from Barkwill)
3. Tieddemann
4. Phelan
5. Flagg
6. Kleeberger
7. Moonlight
8. Ardron
9. Mack
10. Jones/Braid
11. Hearn
12. Trainor
13. Blevins
14. Hassler
15. Evans

16. Barkwill
17. Wooldridge
18. Illnicki
19. March...Gilmour? (big question mark here)
20. Dala
21. Mackenzie
22. Braid/Jones
23. Scholz

 

[psychic duck]

Why are so many putting Carpenter at hooker?

He's a decent number 8, and there's no evidence as yet that the same can be said of him at #2.

 

[canadafan]

Why are so many putting Carpenter at hooker?

He's a decent number 8, and there's no evidence as yet that the same can be said of him at #2.

Have you watched our other hookers play?

 

[canadafan]

My team:

1. Buydens
2. Barkwill
3. Tiedemann (if fit)
4. Hotson
5. Phelan
6. Ardron
7. Moonlight
8. Carpenter (c)

9. Mack
10. Underwood
11. Evans
12. Scholz
13. Trainor
14. Hassler
15. Braid

16. Wooldridge
17. Ilnicki
18. Flagg
19. Kleeberger
20. Dala (carpenter covers hooker)
21. Mackenzie
22. Jones
23. Hearn

 

[psychic duck]

Have you watched our other hookers play?

What's your point? There's no evidence as yet that Carpenter is any better as a hooker than them.

Fiji don't have great props either. If there was rumours that Rupeni Caucau was considering playing there would it mean he would necessarily be any better simply because he is a better player in another position?

 

[canadafan]

What's your point? There's no evidence as yet that Carpenter is any better as a hooker than them.

Fiji don't have great props either. If there was rumours that Rupeni Caucau was considering playing there would it mean he would necessarily be any better simply because he is a better player in another position?

Relax, i was taking the **** out of all our other hookers. Barkwill is the only regular that has been selected in the squad, so it is very reasonable to say that Carpenter could see some time as hooker. He has played there before, and is playing hooker occassionally at the Pirates.

 

[Intent]

Rugby Canada has just posted the roster that will be facing NZ Maori.

Canada's Roster for New Zealand Maori All Blacks Game

Tyler Ardron, (Ospreys/Ontario Blues) Lakefield, ON
Ray Barkwill, (Niagara Wasps RFC/Ontario Blues) Niagara Falls, ON
Nick Blevins, (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB
Connor Braid, (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Hubert Buydens, (Saskatoon Wild Oats/Manawatu Turbos) Saskatoon, SK
Aaron Carpenter, Captain, (Cornish Pirates) Brantford, ON
Nanyak Dala, (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
Matt Evans, (Cornish Pirates) Maple Bay, BC
Aaron Flagg, (Abbotsford RFC/BC Bears) Abbotsford, BC
Kyle Gilmour, (St. Albert Rugby Club/Prairie Wolf Pack) Edmonton, AB
Jeff Hassler, (Ospreys/Prairie Wolf Pack) Okotoks, AB
Ciaran Hearn, (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Conception Bay, NL
Jake Illnicki, (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
Ryan March, (Abbotsford RFC/BC Bears) Abbotsford, BC
John Moonlight, (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Pickering, ON
Pat Parfrey, (Swilers RFC/Atlantic Rock) St. John's, NL
Jon Phelan, (Lille Métropole Rugby/Atlantic Rock) Montreal, QC
Mike Scholz, (Castaway Wanderers/Ontario Blues) Oakville, ON
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
Doug Wooldridge, (Lindsay RFC/Ontario Blues) Lindsay, ON

Quite honestly, it's a better line-up than I expected. I definitely don't expect anything close to a win but I hope they can at least put together some nice looking rugby.

 

[Intent]

RC also released a list of players left out due to injury or prior commitments, perhaps we could be seeing some of them in the other tests?

Players Unavailable due to Professional Commitments or Injury:

Brett Buekeboom, (Plymouth Albion RFC) Lindsay, 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
Tyler Hotson, (London Scottish) Vancouver, BC
Phil Mackenzie, (Sale Sharks) Oakville, ON
Jason Marshall, (Atlantique Stade Rochelais/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
James Pritchard, (Bedford Blues) Parkes, NSW, Australia
Jebb Sinclair, (London Irish) Fredericton, NB
DTH Van Der Merwe, (Glasgow Warriors) Regina, SK

 

[LittleGuy]

I appreciate the work and intent Intent but I posted those lists around noon in this thread.

For the list of unavailable's here is what I know...

Beukeboom is suspended but he should be available for some of the later games.

Cudmore is out with a hand injury until late in the window and has always been hard to get available.

Hirayama is out with a broken leg and will miss a lengthy period of time.

Dolezel and Duke will probably be unavailable as well due to injury though both will probably be well covered anyway.

Pritchard, Hotson, Mackenzie, Marshall, Sinclair and DTH should all be available starting the Georgia game.

Also did anyone notice how Paris wasn't mentioned in EITHER list? On top of his non selection in August perhaps he's fallen out of favour with the staff.

 

[Darwin]

Overall a pretty strong looking NZ Maori side. The only weaknesses are the inexperience at prop and first-five (though West is very talented), and the fact there is always a risk they will be playing with only 14-men for part of the game if Hoeata is in the starting lineup. There is a lot of talent in the loosies, and in the mid-field/outside backs.

If I was picking my top 23 to play Canada I would go with:
1. K Hames
2. C Flynn
3. B Afeaki
4. J Hoeata
5. J Wheeler
6. L Squire
7. L Braid
8. E Dixon
9. P Weepu
10. I West
11. A Taylor
12. C Ngatai
13. T Bateman
14. M Proctor
15. K Baker
16. H Elliot
17. C Eves
18. N Barrett
19. B Thomson
20. S Christie
21. J Gibson-Park
22. J Willison
23. R Robinson

The biggest selection issues for me would be:
(1) Who to start at LH prop out of Eves & Hames.
(2) The make-up of the loose-forward trio. They could go with 6. Dixon and 8. Squire, while both Thomson and Christie ave strong cases for inclusion in the starting lineup (starting Christie & Braid on the flanks - twin opensides - would be a serious option).
(3) Whether to play Bateman or Ngatai at 12. Both players cover 12 & 13 equally well, so it is really depends on their gameplan
(4) The make-up of the back three. I have excluded Guildford from the 23 as he hasn't displayed much form for Hawkes Bay this season, while in contrast Proctor, Baker, and Robinson have all looked sharp for their respective provinces. Andre Taylor has be solid for Taranaki, but not in great form in my opinion, but I would include him in the starting lineup as he is the backup goal-kicker.

 

[canadafan]

I assume the lack of Paris is an oversight as most of our Pro D2 players weren't realeased either. If there is no mention of him in the November squad, then I would start to wonder, but apparently he is playing well in Agen so if he is being overlooked on purpose it better be for a good reason.

 

[LittleGuy]

I assume the lack of Paris is an oversight as most of our Pro D2 players weren't realeased either. If there is no mention of him in the November squad, then I would start to wonder, but apparently he is playing well in Agen so if he is being overlooked on purpose it better be for a good reason.

Agreed, and knowing the usual from Rugby Canada press releases this is very likely an oversight, I guess we will have to stay tuned for the rest of the tour announcement.

 

[canadafan]

and over 16,000 tickets sold is a solid number. Hopefully that will get to 20,000