Canada names squad for Scotland and Romania tests

Canada have named a squad of 34 Senior Men’s players to prepare for upcoming tests against Scotland on July 6 and Romania on July 12. Both games will be played in Ottawa. The internationals are Canada’s first since the two-match series played at La Vila in Spain this past November.

Head Coach Kingsley Jones has selected 13 uncapped players, including five from the Pacific Pride centralized development program. There are 18 chosen from Major League Rugby clubs, three from the Canada 7s program, two from the Welsh Premiership, and three from overseas amateur clubs. Three players are currently training with the new semi-pro Vancouver Highlanders, who are set to play their first games this coming weekend.

Notably absent are Canada’s France-based professionals, among them former captain Tyler Ardron and Montpellier lock Tyler Duguid. Leading scrumhalf Ross Braude, currently playing for the Pumas in South Africa, will also miss out. A standby list of 19 is largely comprised of MLR talent.

PROP
Cole Keith (New England Free Jacks) 29 caps
Cali Martinez (Old Glory DC) uncapped
Liam Murray (Dallas Jackals) 8 caps
Djustice Sears-Duru (San Diego Legion) 67 caps
Conor Young (RFC Los Angeles) 5 caps

HOOKER
Dewald Kotze (Dallas Jackals) uncapped
Jesse Mackail (Pacific Pride) uncapped
Andrew Quattrin (New England Free Jacks) 20 caps

SECOND ROW
Kyle Baillie (New England Free Jacks) 37 caps
Mason Flesch (Chicago Hounds) 6 caps
Conor Keys (New England Free Jacks) 33 caps
James Stockwood (Pacific Pride) uncapped

BACK ROW
Ethan Fryer (New England Free Jacks) uncapped
Matt Klimchuk (Vancouver Highlanders) 1 cap
Matthew Oworu (Canada 7s) 4 caps
Sion Parry (Pontypridd, UK) 2 caps
Lucas Rumball (Chicago Hounds) 51 caps
Siaki Vikilani (Clifton, NZ) 13 caps

SCRUMHALF
Brock Gallagher (Dallas Jackals) uncapped
Jason Higgins (Chicago Hounds) 13 caps
Jesse Kilgour (Pacific Pride) uncapped

FLYHALF
Mark Balaski (Pacific Pride) uncapped
Jamin Hodgkins (Bridgend, UK) uncapped
Peter Nelson (Dungannon, UK) 19 caps

MIDFIELD
Ben LeSage (New England Free Jacks) 30 caps
Takoda McMullin (Vancouver Highlanders) uncapped
Talon McMullin (Vancouver Highlanders) uncapped
Mitch Richardson (Dallas Jackals) 4 caps

OUTSIDE BACKS
Nic Benn (Dallas Jackals) uncapped
Cooper Coats (Canada 7s) 10 caps
Andrew Coe (RFC Los Angeles) 18 caps
Rhys James (Pacific Pride) uncapped
Kainoa Lloyd (Associates, AU) 24 caps
Josiah Morra (Canada 7s) 3 caps

STANDBY
Emerson Prior (LH, Utah Warriors) uncapped
Foster DeWitt (LH/HO, New England Free Jacks) 5 caps
Tyler Rowland (TH, Old Glory DC) 1 cap
Kyle Steeves (TH, Dallas Jackals) 1 cap
Izzak Kelly (LO, Pontypridd, UK) 4 caps
Josh Larsen (LO, New England Free Jacks) 21 caps
Callum Botchar (LO/FL, NOLA Gold) 1 cap
Matt Heaton (FL, RFC Los Angeles) 31 caps
Zephyr Melnyk (FL, Beddau, UK) uncapped
Piers von Dadelszen (FL, New England Free Jacks) 4 caps
Jake Thiel (N8, Vancouver Highlanders) uncapped
Crosby Stewart (SH, James Bay) uncapped
Gradyn Bowd (FH, Old Glory DC) 10 caps
Robbie Povey (Utah Warriors) 17 caps
Gabe Casey (CE, New England Free Jacks) 3 caps
Seth Purdey (RFC Los Angeles) uncapped
Josh Thiel (CE, Vancouver Highlanders) 3 caps
Isaac Olson (CE/WI, New England Free Jacks) 4 caps
Jack Shaw (WI, RFC Los Angeles) uncapped