Ontarians representing Canada this weekend with National Teams

November 16, 2017

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With files from Rugby Canada Communications; Photo Credit to Dave Lintott

An abundance of Ontario talent will be on display as both the Rugby Canada Senior Men and Women are taking the pitch this weekend. The Women will kick things off on Friday in their November series from London, England. The Women will have 14 Ontario natives in their roster. The Men will 9 Ontario natives in their roster.


LONDON, ENGLAND – Canada interim head coach Sandro Fiorino has named his starting roster to face England on Friday in the first-of-three test matches of their November tour.

“With limited preparation time since landing in London, we will play to player’s strengths and focus on early positioning and reading cues from the defense and trying to find the space with strong skill execution,” said Fiorino from London.

“This will take time and organically grow. On defense, we’re looking for well-organized, pressure, disciple and to disrupt to create turnovers. We’ll have our hands full, but the ladies will put the best effort forward.”

40-cap veteran Laura Russell will captain an inexperienced side, which includes six debutants in the starting XV and another eight on the bench. Brittany Kassil, Jess Neilson and Anais Holly have been awarded their first starts.

“The goal of the tour is to determine where the gaps are in our game and really focus on skill development in all aspects of the game. We are blessed in Canada with great physical athletes, so if we can combine the two (skill and size) we should be in a good place moving forward.

"The goal of the program is to work towards a podium finish at the next world cup, but it’s going to take a lot of work and effort from the staff and players to close the gap on the rest of the world; we’re up for the challenge,” added Fiorino.

The first game to be played at Allianz Park on Friday 17 November, kick off 19:30, live stream via Englandrugby.com and England Rugby Facebook.

The two sides will next meet in a midweek fixture at The Stoop on Tuesday 21 November, kick off 19:45, before playing in the series finale at Twickenham Stadium, kick off at 17:40 (live Sky Sports Arena & Sky Sports Mix) with free entry after the men’s game against Samoa.

England and Canada have faced off a total of 25 times, with Canada winning four. The two sides most recently met in Christchurch, New Zealand this year during the International women’s Rugby Series in June, with Canada narrowly losing 27-20.

Tickets for the England Women Old Mutual Wealth series will be available via EnglandRugby.com/tickets from 9am on Friday 29th September.

Canada’s Women’s Team to face England:

  1. Brittany Kassil, Guelph Redcoats (Guelph, ON)
  2. Laura Russell, Captain, Toronto Nomads / Cowichan RFC (Bolton, ON)
  3. Olivia De Merchant, Woodstock Wildmen (Mapledale, NB)
  4. Tyson Beukeboom, Aurora Barbarians / Cowichan RFC (Uxbridge, ON)
  5. Ngalula Fuamba, Town of Mount Royal (Notre Dame-de-l’il-Perrot, QC)
  6. Emily Nicholl, Guelph Redcoats (Toronto, ON)
  7. Sara Svoboda, Toronto Saracens (Belleville, ON)
  8. Cindy Nelles, Belleville Bulldogs (Belleville, ON)
  9. Brianna Miller, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC (Pointe-Claire, QC)
  10. Jess Neilson, Castaway Wanderers (Victoria, BC)
  11. Nadia Popov, Aurora Barbarians (Newmarket, ON)
  12. Emily Belchos, Westshore RFC (Innisfil, ON)
  13. Emmanuela Jada, Guelph Redcoats (Guelph, ON)
  14. Paige Farries, Westshore RFC (Red Deer, AB)
  15. Anais Holly, TMRRFC (Montreal, QC)
  16. Emily Barber, Aurora Barbarians (Toronto, ON)
  17. Alexandria Ellis, Barrhaven Scottish (Ottawa, ON)
  18. Veronica Harrigan, London St Georges (Lucan, ON)
  19. McKinley Hunt, Aurora Barbarians (King City, ON)
  20. Janna Slevinsky, Calgary Saracens (St. Albert, AB)
  21. Courtney Holtkamp, Red Deer Titans (Rimbey, AB)
  22. Justine Pelletier, Club de Rugby de Quebec (Quebec City, QC)
  23. Sam Alli, Barrhaven Scottish (Caledon, ON)

Non-dressing Reserves:

Dria Bennett, Ottawa Irish (Ottawa, ON)

Fabiola Forteza, Club de Rugby de Quebec (Quebec, QC)

Emma Taylor, Railway Union (Scotsburn, NS)

Emily Tuttosi, Calgary Hornets (Souris, MB)

England 

15. Danielle Waterman (Wasps FC Ladies, 74 caps), 14. Abigail Dow* (Wasps FC Ladies, uncapped), 13. Rachael Burford (Harlequins Ladies, 72 caps), 12. Amber Reed (Bristol Ladies, 44 caps), 11. Jessica Breach* (Harlequins Ladies, uncapped), 10. Katy Daley- Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 91 caps), 9. Leanne Riley (Harlequins Ladies, 13 caps, 1. Vickii Cornborough (Harlequins Ladies, 31 caps), 2. Amy Cokayne (Wasps FC Ladies, 33 caps), 3. Heather Kerr (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 10 caps), 4. Abbie Scott (Harlequins Ladies, 21 caps), 5. Rowena Burnfield (Richmond FC, 40 caps), 6. Sarah Hunter © (Loughborough Lightning, 98 caps), 7. Marlie Packer (Saracens Women, 51 caps), 8. Poppy Cleall (Saracens Women, 15 caps).
Replacements
16. Lark Davies (Worcester Valkyries, 3 caps), 17. Rochelle Clark (Wasps FC Ladies, 129 caps), 18. Hannah Botterman*(Saracens Women, uncapped), 19. Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, 109 caps), 20. Shaunagh Brown* (Harlequins Ladies, uncapped), 21. Caity Mattinson*(Bristol Ladies, uncapped), 22. Zoe Harrison * (Saracens Women, uncapped), 23. Ellie Kildunne *(Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC, uncapped).


MADRID, SPAIN – Canada head coach Kingsley Jones has made five changes to his starting roster to face Spain on Saturday in the second test match and fourth game of their November international series.

After opening the November series with a 51-9 loss to the Maori All Blacks in front of a historic sold-out crowd of 29,408 at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada fell 54-22 to Georgia last Saturday at Dinamo Arena.

Canada’s forward pack sees the return of Hubert Buydens and Matt Tierney, who both started against the Maori All Blacks, to the starting roster. Ontario’s Tyler Ardron is no longer available for selection for the final two games of the series based on professional rugby commitments in New Zealand; however in his absence we will see the return of Canada’s all-time cap leader Aaron Carpenter.

Brantford, Ontario’s Carpenter – who recently passed World Rugby Hall of Famer Al Charron this summer – will win his 80th cap on Saturday in the flank alongside open side Kyle Baillie and Matt Heaton, who moves to blindside.

Canada’s backline remains unchanged from last weekend’s test, having scored three exciting tries from Taylor Paris, DTH van der Merwe and Brock Staller. Victoria’s Phil Mack will once again Captain the side from scrum half.

Saturday marks only the second time Canada and Spain will square off in a men’s international test match, with Canada winning 60-22 on November 13, 2010 at Campo Universitaria. Taylor Paris, DTH van der Merwe and Carpenter are the only three members of Canada’s roster from that game. All three players scored tries on the day, with Paris picking up a brace.

Following Saturday’s test match Canada will travel to Narbonne, France to close out 2017 against Fiji on November 25th.

All eyes are on January 27th at BC Place in Vancouver in the first leg of the 2019 Rugby World Cup qualifiers when Canada hosts Uruguay. With Canada looking to book their ticket to a ninth consecutive RWC in Japan, the contest has been dubbed the “biggest game of a generation” and Rugby Canada is encouraging all rugby & sport fans to purchase tickets and help send our men’s team to Tokyo: https://events.rugbycanada.ca

Kick off on Saturday is 10am ET/7am PT and broadcast details are still TBD

Canada’s Men’s Team to face Spain:

1. Hubert Buydens – (New Orleans Gold/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK

2. Ray Barkwill – (Seattle Seawolves/Ontario Blues) Niagara Falls, ON

3. Matt Tierney – (Section Paloise/Ontario Blues) Oakville, ON

4. Josh Larsen – (Northland) Parksville, BC

5. Evan Olmstead – (Newcastle Falcons/Prairie Wolf Pack) Vancouver, BC

6. Matt Heaton – (Darlington Mowden Park/Atlantic Rock) Godmanchester, QC

7. Kyle Baillie – (London Scottish/Atlantic Rock) Summerside, PEI

8. Aaron Carpenter – (Doncaster Knights/Ontario Blues) Brantford, ON

9. Phil Mack – Captain (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC

10. Patrick Parfrey – (Swilers RFC/Atlantic Rock) St. John’s, NL

11. Taylor Paris – (Castres/Ontario Blues) Barrie, ON

12. Ciaran Hearn – (London Irish/Atlantic Rock) Conception Bay South, NL

13. DTH van der Merwe – (Newcastle Falcons) Victoria, BC

14. Brock Staller – (Meralomas RFC/BC Bears) Surrey, BC

15. Andrew Coe – (Markham Irish/Ontario Blues) Toronto, ON

16. Benoit Piffero – (Blagnac Sporting Club/Atlantic Rock) Montreal, QC

17. Djustice Sears-Duru – (Ealing Trailfinders/Ontario Blues) Oakville, ON

18. Cole Keith – (James Bay AA/Atlantic Rock) Sussex, NB

19. Brett Beukeboom – (Cornish Pirates/Ontario Blues) Lakefield, ON

20. Kyle Gilmour – (St. Albert RFC/Prairie Wolf Pack) St. Albert, AB

21. Andrew Ferguson – (Oakville Crusaders/Ontario Blues) Mississauga, ON

22. Guiseppe du Toit – (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears) Maple Ridge, BC

23. Kainoa Lloyd – (Mississauga Blues/Ontario Blues) Mississauga, ON

Canada’s November international calendar:

Canada 9 – 51 Maori All Blacks

Canada 22 – 54 Georgia

Canada vs. Spain

November 18th, 2017

Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid, Spain

4pm local time (10am ET/7am PT)

Broadcast details: TBD

Canada vs. Fiji

November 25th, 2017

France (TBD)

Kick off time: TBD

Broadcast details: TBD

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