Evan Olmstead is back in Canada’s Senior Men’s Squad for the first time since the 2019 World Cup. The France-based lock is one of 59 names included on new Head Coach Steve Meehan’s extended list to prepare for the upcoming July internationals and Pacific Nations Cup – which will this year double as a qualifier for the 2027 World Cup.
It’s the first selection for Meehan, who was appointed by Rugby Canada in December to succeed the long-standing Kingsley Jones. Meehan has been aided in the process by current Pacific Pride and Canada u20 coach Christiaan Esterhuizen, and outgoing Men’s Sevens coach Sean White. Rugby Canada says that final selection for the tests against Belgium and Spain will be announced during the week of June 23rd. Both will be played at Clarke Stadium in Edmonton on July 12th and 18th respectively.
In-form Miami Sharks goal kicker Shane O’Leary earns a recall after five years in the international wilderness. Like Olmstead, his most recent test appearance was at the World Cup in Japan. UBC Old Boys lock Don Carson won both of his caps in 2021. RFC Los Angeles prop Conor Young is named despite missing the entire Major League Rugby campaign with a knee injury suffered during the preseason.
There are 21 uncapped players selected. 21-year-old tighthead prop Caleb Ashworth was most recently part of the Harlequins academy side, while 20-year-old flyhalf or center Maddox MacLean was a starter with the Queensland Reds u19 outfit last year. Hooker Jeffrey Young and second row Barnaby Waddell have been playing in Wales with Pontypridd and Bridgend respectively. Young played for Canada u20s in 2023 and 2024, while Waddell represented England Students against France Universities last year.
Handed call-ups direct from the u20 team that competed in Oceania Challenge are scrumhalf Stephen Webb, flyhalf or center Josh McIndoe, and wingers Morgan Di Nardo and Spencer Cotie. Webb is the son of the late Bill Webb, the founder of the Toronto Arrows. Di Nardo’s older brother Riley played with the now-defunct MLR side from 2019 until 2022.
Some top overseas players remain absent, however, most notably Montpellier’s Tyler Duguid, Charente’s Matt Beukeboom, and former national team captain Tyler Ardron. Duguid has opted to pursue senior France honors for the time being, having qualified on residency. The giant lock is reportedly being considered for the Les Bleus squad travelling to New Zealand this summer. Beukeboom and Ardron had both been rumored as potential inclusions for the upcoming qualifiers.
Among other notable absentees are former Arrows star Ross Braude, currently based in South Africa, and Canadian-born Leinster scrumhalf Luke McGrath who is now eligible to switch allegiance from Ireland. Free Jacks duo Cam Nordli-Kelemeti and Jack Reeves declined selection to retain eligibility for other nations. Clubmates Conor Keys and Brock Webster are currently unavailable, while Josh Larsen declined selection. San Diego prop Djustice Sears-Duru also misses out.
Rugby Canada offered this comment regarding all players currently absent: “The published named are the list as it stands. Any player could be added to the list at any point during the season.”
Meehan’s initial task will be to achieve qualification for the 2027 World Cup, with Canada having missed out entirely in 2023. It was the first time they had failed to reach the flagship tournament.
Canada will open their PNC against the US Eagles in Calgary on August 22nd. Samoa and Tonga are also vying for three direct spots to Australia 2027. The lowest-ranked of the four teams will have another opportunity in a play-off against a South American opponent to be determined, with a last-gasp repechage tournament to be hosted at the neutral venue of Dubai in November.
LOOSEHEAD PROP
Cali Martinez (Old Glory DC) 6 caps
Sam Miller (Southern Districts, AU) 1 cap
Griffin Phillipson (City of Armagh, UK) uncapped
Emerson Prior (Utah Warriors) uncapped
Evan Roy (Mount Maunganui, NZ) uncapped
HOOKER
Austin Creighton (Pacific Pride) uncapped
Foster DeWitt (New England Free Jacks) 5 caps
Dewald Kotze (Seattle Seawolves) 4 caps
Jesse Mackail (Seattle Seawolves) 3 caps
Andrew Quattrin (New England Free Jacks) 27 caps
Jeffrey Young (Pontypridd, UK) uncapped
TIGHTHEAD PROP
Caleb Ashworth (Harlequins, UK) uncapped
Cole Keith (New England Free Jacks) 35 caps
Tyler Matchem (NOLA Gold) 2 caps
Kyle Steeves (New England Free Jacks) 1 cap
Bryce Worden (Burnaby Lake) uncapped
Conor Young (RFC Los Angeles) 12 caps
SECOND ROW
Callum Botchar (NOLA Gold) 4 caps
Don Carson (UBCOB Ravens) 2 caps
Karl Hunger (Pacific Pride) uncapped
Izzak Kelly (Capilano) 7 caps
Evan Olmstead (Agen, FR) 33 caps
James Stockwood (Pacific Pride) 5 caps
Barnaby Waddell (Bridgend Ravens, UK) uncapped
BACK ROW
Reid Davis (Utah Warriors) uncapped
Mason Flesch (Chicago Hounds) 13 caps
Matt Heaton (RFC Los Angeles) 33 caps
Matthew Oworu (Chicago Hounds) 8 caps
Sion Parry (Ebbw Vale, UK) 7 caps
Lucas Rumball (Chicago Hounds) 58 caps
Piers von Dadelszen (New England Free Jacks) 4 caps
SCRUMHALF
Brock Gallagher (Seattle Seawolves) 6 caps
Will Grant (Randwick, AU) uncapped
Jason Higgins (Chicago Hounds) 19 caps
Cormac Saint (Cal Golden Bears) uncapped
Stephen Webb (UBC Thunderbirds) uncapped
FLYHALF
Mark Balaski (Southern Districts, AU) 3 caps
Peter Nelson (Dungannon, UK) 26 caps
Tiernan Neville (Galwegians, IR) uncapped
Shane O’Leary (Miami Sharks) 14 caps
Ethan Turner (Burnaby Lake) uncapped
MIDFIELD
Noah Flesch (Chicago Hounds) 2 caps
Spencer Jones (Utah Warriors) 8 caps
Ben LeSage (New England Free Jacks) 37 caps
Maddox MacLean (Souths, AU) uncapped
Josh McIndoe (Greerton Marist, NZ) uncapped
Talon McMullin (UBC Thunderbirds) 5 caps
Isaac Olson (New England Free Jacks) 4 caps
Kyle Tremblay (Pacific Pride) uncapped
OUTSIDE BACKS
Jamie Armstrong (Canada Sevens) uncapped
Nic Benn (Utah Warriors) 6 caps
Cooper Coats (NOLA Gold) 17 caps
Andrew Coe (RFC Los Angeles) 25 caps
Spencer Cotie (UVic Vikes) uncapped
Morgan Di Nardo (UVic Vikes) uncapped
Rhys James (Pacific Pride) 1 cap
Kainoa Lloyd (James Bay) 24 caps
Takoda McMullin (UBC Thunderbirds) 5 caps
Josiah Morra (New England Free Jacks) 5 caps
The post Olmstead back in the mix as Canada names Men’s Squad appeared first on Americas Rugby News.
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