Canada Choose Team For Ireland Clash
Canada head coach Kieran Crowley has made four changes in personnel for Saturday’s Test match against Ireland at the BMO Stadium in Toronto (kick-off 8pm local time/1am Irish time).
Canada are fresh from defeating Tonga 36-27 in the Pacific Nations Cup in Kingston last weekend, with full-back James Pritchard scoring a try, three conversions and four penalties in that game.
Pritchard is one of a number of European-based players in the Canadian squad to face Ireland, combining in the back-three with Matt Evans from Cornish Pirates and new Agen recruit Taylor Paris.
There are three personnel changes in the back-line with Paris handed the left wing berth. He replaces Sean Duke with Evans moving to the right side.
Harry Jones will start at inside centre, winning his fourth cap since last November, while Sean White makes way for the returning Phil Mack who pairs up with his UVIC Vikes club-mate Nathan Hirayama at half-back.
The only new inclusion up front is 21-year-old Tyler Ardron who slots in at blindside flanker with versatile London Irish clubman Jebb Sinclair, capped 27 times by Canada, making the switch to the second row.
Sinclair and winger Evans have overcome concussion concerns to be included in the team. Along with Duke, they went through the IRB’s concussion protocol this week after shipping knocks during a bruising encounter with Tonga.
Kieran Crowley’s selected side will be captained by Cornish Pirates back rower Aaron Carpenter who has played 50 times for his country.
Number 8 Carpenter is one of only four survivors from the Canadian team that lost 25-6 to Ireland when the countries last met in Vancouver four years ago.
Pritchard, centre Ciaran Hearn and lock Tyler Hotson also started that day in May 2009, while Doug Wooldridge, Sinclair, Mack and Nanyak Dala saw action as replacements.
CANADA Team & Replacements (v Ireland, BMO Stadium, Toronto, Summer Tour Test, Saturday, June 15, kick-off 8pm local time/1am Irish time):
15. James Pritchard (Bedford Blues)
14. Matt Evans (Cornish Pirates)
13. Ciaran Hearn (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock)
12. Harry Jones (Capilano/BC Bears)
11. Taylor Paris (SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne)
10. Nathan Hirayama (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears)
9. Phil Mack (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears)
1. Hubert Buydens (Saskatoon Wild Oats/Prairie Wolf Pack)
2. Ray Barkwill (Niagara Wasps/Ontario Blues)
3. Jason Marshall (Atlantique Stade Rochelais/BC Bears)
4. Jebb Sinclair (London Irish)
5. Tyler Hotson (London Scottish)
6. Tyler Ardron (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues)
7. John Moonlight (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues)
8. Aaron Carpenter (Cornish Pirates) (capt)
Replacements:
16. Ryan Hamilton (Capilano/BC Bears)
17. Andrew Tiedemann (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack)
18. Doug Wooldridge (Lindsay/Ontario Blues)
19. Jon Phelan (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue/Atlantic Rock)
20. Nanyak Dala (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack)
21. Sean White (James Bay AA/BC Bears)
22. Nick Blevins (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack)
23. Connor Braid (Doncaster Knights/BC Bears)