June Internationals: Canada vs. Ireland (15/06/13)

[LittleGuy]

June Internationals: Canada vs. Ireland (15/06/13) 8:00 P.M. EDT (1:00 A.M. Ireland) @ BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)

Broadcast: Canada: Live on TSN. Ireland: Live and delayed coverage on TG4

A record crowd of around 20,000 is expected at BMO field to take in this game, Canada will be looking to continue it's perfect spring record, while Ireland will look to improve on a narrow win vs. a determined U.S.A. side.

Lineups

Canada Club/CRC Team/Hometown

#1 - Hubert Buydens, (Saskatoon Wild Oats/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
#2 - Ray Barkwill, (Niagara Wasps RFC/Ontario Blues) Niagara Falls, ON
#3 - Jason Marshall, (Atlantique Stade Rochelais/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
#4 - Jebb Sinclair, (London Irish) Fredericton, NB
#5 - Tyler Hotson, (London Scottish RFC) Vancouver, BC
#6 - Tyler Ardron, (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Lakefield, ON
#7 - John Moonlight, (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Pickering, ON
#8 - Aaron Carpenter, Captain, (Cornish Pirates) Brantford, ON
#9 - Phil Mack, (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
#10 - Nathan Hirayama, (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears), Richmond, BC
#11 - Taylor Paris, (SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne) Barrie, ON
#12 - Harry Jones, (Capilano RFC/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
#13 - Ciaran Hearn, (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Conception Bay, NL
#14 - James Pritchard, (Bedford Blues) Parkes, Australia, NSW
#15 - Connor Braid, (Doncaster Knights RFC/BC Bears) Victoria, BC

Replacements

#16 - Ryan Hamilton, (Capilano RFC/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
#17 - Andrew Tiedemann, (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack) St. Albert, AB
#18 - Doug Wooldridge, (Lindsay RFC/Ontario Blues) Lindsay, ON
#19 - Jon Phelan, (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue/Atlantic Rock) Montreal, QC
#20 - Nanyak Dala, (Castaway Wanderers RFC/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
#21 - Sean White, (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
#22 - Liam Underwood, (Queens University/Ontario Blues) Toronto, ON
#23 - Pat Parfrey, (Swilers RFC/Atlantic Rock) St. John's, NB


Ireland Player/Club/Caps.

15. Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster) 4
14. Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 18
13. Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 4
12. James Downey (Dolphin/Munster)*
11. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 49
10. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) 3
9. Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster) 16
1. Tom Court (Malone/Ulster) 31
2. Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster) 3
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 30
4. Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster) 6
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 6
6. Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 5
7. Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster) 1
8. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 15 Captain

Replacements:

16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 26
17. David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 7
18. Declan Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 4
19. Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht) 11
20. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster) 7
21. Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 2
22. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 3
23. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht) 1

 

[CDN_Rugby]

After seeing how Ireland played against the Americans, I'm thinking Canada will have a real good chance as long as there weren't any major injuries picked up from the Tonga match. Are you going to the game, Little Guy?

 

[LittleGuy]

After seeing how Ireland played against the Americans, I'm thinking Canada will have a real good chance as long as there weren't any major injuries picked up from the Tonga match. Are you going to the game, Little Guy?

Printed out my ticket yesterday, sitting third row, midfield on the side the camera will face. Ticketmaster took advantage of me....sexually....

Edit: Looks like Evans is OK, it was more precautionary thank goodness, we would have been down to 4th choice backs otherwise. Barkwill should start again, I loved his grubber kick LOL, nearly worked out as well.

I was worried about Canada's chances but agree with you CDN_Rugby, even misisng five of our top players(Cudmore, Van De Merwe, Mackenzie, Trainor, Hassler) we still have a great chance in this one

 

[CDN_Rugby]

Good to hear about Evans. And no kidding about Barkwill too, he's quickly becoming my favourite player; he reminds me of Brian Moore.

 

[LittleGuy]

Good to hear about Evans. And no kidding about Barkwill too, he's quickly becoming my favourite player; he reminds me of Brian Moore.

I told his sister last year he would do well with the side...and I was expecting him to be a capable #16 but wow, this is even beyond my expectations. In the loose he was a beast today, chopping wood in the tackles, making good runs(nearly set up that try of Moonlights that was just offside), and is doing well in the set pieces. Looks like we have Hooker sorted out, and SH as well, Mack and White appear to be a capable partnership. Still need depth at CT, though DTH and Phil missing is massive.

 

[CDN_Rugby]

Still need depth at CT, though DTH and Phil missing is massive.

That Trainor fellow too

 

[LittleGuy]

That Trainor fellow too

And Hassler(can fill in at CT)...wow...imagine this convo in 2007-08 we would be hopeless without our starters, now we still have a chance...how things have changed. ( I think your right Suggitt has been....purged...)

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

I am going to the game as well, sitting in Sect 223 and am stoked for it. I really fancy our chances against the Irish. If the boys pull off a win this will probably be considered the greatest spring season in Canadian rugby history. I am really hoping we come up and just front up hard to the Irish and play some good old time Canadian Rugby and smash em in the tackle and the breakdown area. Btw Tyler Ardon also got signed by the Osprey's along with Hassler in case you haven't heard. Here is hoping he fares better then Chauncey O'Toole did. Btw O'Toole has really fallen from graces hasn't he?

 

[LittleGuy]

I am going to the game as well, sitting in Sect 223 and am stoked for it. I really fancy our chances against the Irish. If the boys pull off a win this will probably be considered the greatest spring season in Canadian rugby history. I am really hoping we come up and just front up hard to the Irish and play some good old time Canadian Rugby and smash em in the tackle and the breakdown area. Btw Tyler Ardon also got signed by the Osprey's along with Hassler in case you haven't heard. Here is hoping he fares better then Chauncey O'Toole did. Btw O'Toole has really fallen from graces hasn't he?

I had heard about Ardron, but not sure what O'Toole is up to apparently it was his choice not to join the tour side, the guys have been giving him a lot of heat on twitter about it. Maybe there is a slight injury issue but I haven't heard anything.

Edit: This is the lineup for the game I'd like to see Canada field, assuming no one was hurt(and is unavailable) against Fiji or Tonga.

1. Hubert Buydens
2. Ray Barkwill
3. Jason Marshall
4. Brett Buekeboom
5. Tyler Hotson
6. Jebb Sinclair
7. Tyler Ardron
8. Aaron Carpenter(Captain)
9. Phil Mack( or White, whoever Crowley thinks fits the game plan best)
10. Connor Braid (maybe Hirayama, though that intercept pass porbably hurt his chances)
11. Sean Duke (Or Paris)
12. Nick Blevins (Pretty weak choices here, maybe Evans could move to CT, and the backine shifts so Paris starts)
13. Ciaran Hearn
14. Matt Evans
15. James Pritchard

16. Ryan Hamilton
17. Andrew Tieddemann
18. Doug Wooldridge
19. Jon Phelan
20. John Moonlight
21. Sean White(Or Mack)
22. Nathan Hirayama
23. Taylor Paris

 

[Tartan Scrummy]

Do we know why we are missing some of our top players (Cudmore, Van De Merwe, Mackenzie, Trainor, Hassler) this June? Can't argue with the results so far, but I do find it odd that I haven't heard about them. Are they injured, not being selected, or are they asking for or being given a rest?

 

[LittleGuy]

Do we know why we are missing some of our top players (Cudmore, Van De Merwe, Mackenzie, Trainor, Hassler) this June? Can't argue with the results so far, but I do find it odd that I haven't heard about them. Are they injured, not being selected, or are they asking for or being given a rest?

All injured( though Cudmore may not have been available anyway aside from his fractured hand). I hear you on the lack of info, I think Rugby Canada only released that Trainor was hurt. I also think the Hassler injury is worse than was first thought, since it seemed he was going to join the team after the first couple of weeks but didn't end up doing so. I think we'll see most of these guys back in August for the RWCQ's, and Hassler possibly at the 7's WC. Duke, Pritchard and Evans(very minor for him) just got back from injuries as well which shows how depleted our backline was getting.

 

[canadafan]

While I wanted Cudmore to play in the Irish test (think we would have beaten Italy last year with him and Buydens not breaking his leg after 15 minutes), I can forgive him IF he plays in the RWCQs in August. Those are the most important tests this year! Scholtz is back playing, but not sure at what level and the rest are in the ER to some degree.

 

[canadafan]

I had heard about Ardron, but not sure what O'Toole is up to apparently it was his choice not to join the tour side, the guys have been giving him a lot of heat on twitter about it. Maybe there is a slight injury issue but I haven't heard anything.

Edit: This is the lineup for the game I'd like to see Canada field, assuming no one was hurt(and is unavailable) against Fiji or Tonga.

1. Hubert Buydens
2. Ray Barkwill
3. Jason Marshall
4. Brett Buekeboom
5. Tyler Hotson
6. Jebb Sinclair
7. Tyler Ardron
8. Aaron Carpenter(Captain)
9. Phil Mack( or White, whoever Crowley thinks fits the game plan best)
10. Connor Braid (maybe Hirayama, though that intercept pass porbably hurt his chances)
11. Sean Duke (Or Paris)
12. Nick Blevins (Pretty weak choices here, maybe Evans could move to CT, and the backine shifts so Paris starts)
13. Ciaran Hearn
14. Matt Evans
15. James Pritchard

16. Ryan Hamilton
17. Andrew Tieddemann
18. Doug Wooldridge
19. Jon Phelan
20. John Moonlight
21. Sean White(Or Mack)
22. Nathan Hirayama
23. Taylor Paris

I would have my 23 as:

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

9. White
10. Underwood
11. Paris
12. Evans
13. Hearn (pains me to put him here, but he is better than Blevins)
14. Duke
15. Pritchard

16. Hamilton
17. Wooldridge
18. Tiedemann
19. Phelan
20. Dala
21. Mack
22. Blevins
23. Braid (covers 10 and 15)

To be honest, I am very tempted to go with your backrow, just to get Phelan on the pitch. I think his workrate in the loose and line out work are becoming professional standard, hopefully he will get picked up by a pro club after the summer tests.

 

[LittleGuy]

I totally overlooked Dala who could get on the bench with Sinclair moving to Lock in a pinch, I wonder if the coaching staff will want to give some rests for the 7's guys after the Ireland test due to the upcoming 7's WC? Might be a soft squad we take on the Japan leg of the spring schedule.

Edit: Agreed on Hearn being better the Blevins canadafan, "Vanilla" Hearn rarely makes a game losing mistake, though rarely adds much more than competent guy on pitch, I think he only has one or two tries in all those games, and a few penalities from way out.

 

[canadafan]

IMO, this is the test we need to win, it is at home in front of a near sell out, we got to give it our best shot! Japan can wait, in fact I would send most of our 7s guys on that trip to give them a run. Assuming they didn't go the distance against Ireland.

 

[LittleGuy]

IMO, this is the test we need to win, it is at home in front of a near sell out, we got to give it our best shot! Japan can wait, in fact I would send most of our 7s guys on that trip to give them a run. Assuming they didn't go the distance against Ireland.

Agreed, the Japan game was always going to be tough with this pants on head scheduling as well. Beating Ireland is the target and we might claim the PNC trohpy without a win vs. Japan anyway should the chips fall in place.

We have to to be competetive against the Tier One sides or they'll stop playing us as was the case after the disastrous 2008 games in Scotland and Ireland(Wales we competed against on that tour).

 

[canadafan]

God I wish we had our regular centers for this test.

Just remembered, isn't Hirayama half Japanese? If so, I would give him the start against Japan in Tokyo.

 

[canadafan]

Agreed, the Japan game was always going to be tough with this pants on head scheduling as well. Beating Ireland is the target and we might claim the PNC trohpy without a win vs. Japan anyway should the chips fall in place.

We have to to be competetive against the Tier One sides or they'll stop playing us as was the case after the disastrous 2008 games in Scotland and Ireland(Wales we competed against on that tour).

Scotland is touring NA next year I believe.

 

[LittleGuy]

God I wish we had our regular centers for this test.

Just remembered, isn't Hirayama half Japanese? If so, I would give him the start against Japan in Tokyo.

Yes, Yes(His Dad actually was capped in the 70's-80's with us) and Yes....his game against Tonga was odd he had brilliant moments but also got the Tongan comeback started with an utterly dreadful decision to fling the ball out wide. I think he was in "7's mode" right there and forgetting about all the players lurking on the field.

 

[canadafan]

He would be my first pick in our 7s squad, but last in our XVs. I would start Underwood with Braid backing up, but I would give Hirayama the start in Japan for the reason I stated earlier.