Canada national under-20 rugby union team

Canada U-20
Union Rugby Canada
Coach(es) Canada Jeff Williams
Team kit
Change kit
Change kit
First international
 Australia 81 – 12 Canada 
(6 June 2008)
Largest win
 Canada 49 – 23 Zimbabwe 
(1 June 2011)
Largest defeat
 Australia 86 – 0 Canada 
(5 June 2009)
World Cup
Appearances 2 (First in 2008)
Best result 12th, 2008

The Canada under 20 rugby team are the newest representative rugby union team from Canada. They replace the two former age grade teams Under 19's and Under 21's. The team competed at the IRB Junior World Championships in 2008 and 2009 but have been relegated to the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy for 2010.[1]

History

2008 and 2009 IRB Junior World Championships

In June 2008 Canada participated in the 2008 IRB Junior World Championships held in Wales. The team competed in Pool C with all of their pool games being played at Rodney Parade in Newport. Canada lost their matches to Australia 81–12 and to England 60–18 but were able to earn a 17–10 win against Fiji which placed them 3rd in their pool. Canada would go on to lose their next two games to Scotland 15–10 and to Italy 33–10. The team ended the tournament in 12th place.[2]

The following year Canada competed in the 2009 IRB Junior World Championships hosted by Japan. Canada began pool play with an 86–0 loss to Australia. The team went on to lose their next two pool play matches to Wales 51–15 and to Tonga 36–20. Canada then went into the play off stages and beat Uruguay 29–11 but suffered a 32–22 loss in their final match. Canada's final position was 14th and therefore the team was relegated to the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy for 2010.[3]

2010 and 2011 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy

Canada went into the 2010 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy as one of the favourites to play in the final. However, Canada suffered a 17–15 loss to Russia and another loss to Japan, 38–17. Canada's only win came from a 22–6 defeat of Zimbabwe placing them 3rd in Pool B. The team eventually lost in a dramatic 5th place final 13–11 to Uruguay giving Canada the final position of 6th.[4]

On May 24, 2011 Canada took on the 2011 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy hosts Georgia to begin pool play. The Canadians were out matched by the formidable Georgians and lost their opening match 38-9.[5] Canada played their next game four days later against a Japanese team who had previously defeated Zimbabwe four days earlier. The Canadians showed improvement upping their offensive production to 15 points. However, The Japanese proved to be too much for Canada winning the match 30 points to 15.[5] Canada then played their final pool match versus Zimbabwe on June 1, 2011. Canada defeated Zimbabwe 49-23 to record their first Pool B win. Canada would go on to defeat Russia 49-24 in the 5th place play-off improving their ranking one spot from last year.[5]

Preparation for the 2012 Junior World Rugby Trophy

Prior to the 2012 Junior World Rugby Trophy, Rugby Canada announced an unprecedented series of matches against fellow under-20 national squads from Romania, the United States, and Georgia.[6]

March 2012 saw Canada match up against a formidable Romanian side for two matches the first being played at Shawnigan Lake School. The Romanians had just missed qualification for the 2012 Junior World Rugby Trophy by placing third behind Georgia and Russia in the European qualifiers and so had much to prove. Romania came out firing with physical play, out-muscling the Canadians in the forwards and secured a 30-22 victory. The Canadians and Romanians came together on 10 March for a rematch and again the Romanian forward pack proved dominant over the Canadians. Romania completed the sweep with a 23-6 defeat over an out-worked Canadian squad.[7]

Canada then met traditional rivals U.S.A. on 23 May 2012 at Shawnigan Lake School for the first of a two match series. Both squads contained players still vying for spots on their respective nation's final roster for the 2012 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy. The game proved to be a back and forth affair as the Canadians and Americans traded scores. At the end of the first half the Canadians led the Junior All-Americans by a score of 15-8. Early substitutions at the beginning of the second half proved fruitful for the United States as they scored off a quick tap from an American front row reserve. Quickly after the United States struck again off a counter-attack taking an important 20-15 lead. Canada would hit back soon after with a try from replacement centre Michael Fuailefau which was well converted by Conor McCann, however, the Americans would find time to score one more try finishing the match with a 27-22 victory.[8]

Results and Statistics

Junior World Trophy
Year P W D L PF PA Diff BP Pts Pool place Play-offs Final position
2014 3 0 1 2 55 92 -37 0 2 4th (7th Final) Beat Hong Kong 33 – 30 7th
2013 3 3 0 0 99 36 63 2 14 1st (Final) Lost to Italy 45 – 23 2nd
2012 3 1 0 2 118 114 4 3 7 3rd (5th Final) Lost to Chile 43 - 31 6th
2011 3 1 0 2 73 91 −18 1 5 3rd (5th Final) Beat Russia 49 - 24 5th
2010 3 1 0 2 54 61 −7 1 5 3rd (5th Final) Lost to Uruguay 13 – 11 6th
Junior World Championships
Year P W D L PF PA Diff BP Pts Pool place Play-offs Final position
2009 3 0 0 3 35 173 −138 0 0 4th (13th–16th Semifinals) Beat Uruguay 29 – 11
(13th Final) Lost to Italy 32 – 22
14th
2008 3 1 0 2 47 151 −104 0 4 3rd (9th–12th Semifinals) Lost to Scotland 15 – 10
(11th Final) Lost to Italy 33 – 10
12th

Personnel

Current Squad

A 26-man squad for the 2014 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy in Hong Kong.[9]

Backs
Player Position Club
James Pitblado Scrum-half Canada University of Victoria
Jorden Sandover-Best Scrum-half Canada University of British Columbia
Simon Sexton Scrum-half England Ealing Trailfinders
Fergus Hall Fly-half Canada University of Victoria
Adam McQueen Fly-half Canada Queen's University
Sam Hayward Centre Australia Sydney University FC
Ben Lesage Centre Canada University of British Columbia
Nathan Yanagiya Centre Canada University of Victoria
Charles DeBove Wing Canada James Bay AA
Justin Douglas Wing Canada Abbotsford RFC
Joe Erlic Wing Canada University of Victoria
Harjun Gill Full-back Canada University of British Columbia

Forwards
Player Position Club
Matt Harrison Hooker Canada UBC Old Boys Ravens
Sawyer Herron Hooker Canada University of Victoria
Liam Beaulieu Prop Canada Bayside Sharks
MacBryan Bos Prop Canada University of Victoria
Neil Courtney Prop Canada University of British Columbia
Djustice Sears-Duru Prop Canada Castaway Wanderers RFC
Connor Hamilton Lock Canada University of British Columbia
Josh Larsen Lock New Zealand Taieri RFC
Max van Dijk Lock Canada University of Guelph
George Jeavons-Fellows Back row England The King's School
Matt Mullins Back row Canada Queen's University
Lucas Rumball Back row Canada Queen's University
Jack Smith Back row Canada James Bay AA
Reid Tucker Back row Canada University of Victoria

Former coaches

Notable former players

References

  1. Jimenez, Oscar. "IRB Junior World Championship". irb.com. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
  2. "IRB Junior World Championship Overview". irb.com. 2008. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  3. "IRB Junior World Championship Overview". irb.com. 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  4. "INJURY TIME PENALTY LIFTS URUGUAY OVER CANADA". rugbycanada.ca. 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Impressive start to JWRT 2011 in Georgia". irb.com. 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
  6. "U20 MEN'S SPRING TEST MATCHES ANNOUNCED". rugbycanada.ca. 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
  7. "U20 MEN FALL TO ROMANIA IN SECOND MATCH OF SERIES". rugbycanada.ca. 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
  8. "U20 MEN FALL JUST SHORT IN BACK-AND-FORTH GAME VS. USA". rugbycanada.ca. 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  9. "Q and A with Canada U-20 Captain Connor Hamilton". rugbycanada.ca. 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-02.

External links