U19 Blues name long-list roster as preparations begin for CRCs

May 09, 2018

Head Coach Mike Curran has named a U19 Men long-list roster as the squad begins to prepare for the 2018 Canadian Rugby Championships in Saskatoon, SK (July 16-22, 2018)

The Ontario U19 Blues Coaching Staff has announced their long-list as they prepare for the 2018 Canadian Rugby Championship in Saskatchewan.

On top of the 2018 Canadian Rugby Championship, the team will also be competing against Quebec and a Eagle Impact Rugby Academy Under-19 side over the summer.

“We feel that the past four weeks of selections have netted us a very talented long-list,” said Head Coach Mike Curran.

The Under-19 Blues are part of the pathway to selection for the Canada Under-20 squad and the Canadian Rugby Championship will allow the athletes to be seen and identified by National selectors.

The 2018 squad has threereturning players and 13 players who have graduated from last year's Under-18 Jr. Blues team. Also, there is one player (Kevin Oh, Waterloo County) who played on last year's U17 Jr. Blues squad on the list, as well as one player (Braden Bruce, Peterborough Pagans) who played on last year's U16 Jr. Blues squad! In total, 19 clubs are represented on the long-list roster.

To find out more about the team, go to www.rugbyontario.com/blues-u19-men.

Competition Schedule

May 20, 2018 - Game vs. Quebec U19 - Mary Ann Sills Park Belleville

June 27-30, 2018 - Series vs. EIRA U19 - University of Guelph

July 16-22, 2018 - Canadian Rugby Championships - Saskatoon, SK

Ontario U19 Blues Long-List Roster

Aaron Pacha, Guelph Redcoats

Alex Chaffey, Oshawa Vikings^

Alex Circelli, Aurora Barbarians

Braden Bruce, Peterborough Pagans#

Caleb English, Aurora Barbarians^

Carter Smith, Brampton Beavers^

Danny Vasica, Crusaders

Devan Hunter, Toronto Scottish

Dominic Johnson, Crusaders

Erik Keppen, Ajax Wanderers

Evan Bryant- McKay, Oshawa Vikings

Gabe Casey, Bytown Blues*

Isaac Brown, Aurora Barbarians

Jack Shaw, Crusaders*

Jackson Scott, Norfolk Harvesters^

Jarred Minifie, Cobourg Saxons^

Javian Prince, Brampton Beavers

Josh Engelbrecht, Crusaders*

Joshua Ho, Markham Irish^

Kevin Oh, Waterloo County~

Levi Konecny, Ajax Wanderers

Liam Geddes, Lindsay RFC

Malik James, Balmy Beach^

Mason Flesch, Cobourg Saxons

Max Goodwin, Aurora Barbarians

Mikkel Borggren, Toronto Nomads^

Owen McLean Lavado, Toronto Scottish^

Owen Stirling, Guelph Redcoats

Quenton McLean Lavado, Toronto Scottish^

Robert Eliadis, Oshawa Vikings^

Ryan Connolly, Barrie^

Talan De St. Croix, Brantford

Timico Smith, Mississauga Blues^

Toff Patel, Barrhaven Scottish

Tyler Webb, Barrie RFC

William Cheesewright, Crusaders

Currently unavailable due to Rugby Canada U-20

Henry Stevenson, Toronto Nomads*

Kevin Vertkas, Toronto Nomads

Tyler Rowland, Toronto Nomads

* U19 Returnee

^ 2017 U18 Jr. Blues Player

~ 2017 U17 Jr. Blues Player

# 2017 U16 jr. Blues Player

COACHING STAFF

Head Coach: Mike Curran

Assistant Coach: Jim Delaney

Assistant Coach: James Wood

Manager: Khalil Ajram

Photo Credit: Mike Schroeder

ABOUT THE ONTARIO BLUES

The Ontario Blues program is the high performance representative program for male and female rugby players in Ontario. Rugby Ontario is represented at the provincial level by the Ontario Blues. The program includes representative teams from Under-15 to Senior in both Women’s and Men’s Fifteens and Under-18 Men's and Women's Sevens. Specifically, the program is designed to develop and showcase rugby players for Canadian representative national teams.

ABOUT RUGBY ONTARIO

Rugby Ontario is the provincial sports governing body responsible for the organization of rugby in Ontario. Our mission is to establish a stronger identity for rugby in Ontario by promoting the sport’s core values and by fostering a culture of inclusiveness and excellence on and off the field of play.

To learn more, visit https://www.rugbyontario.com/