Thirty-two player squad named for Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team’s November tour to Romania

October 22, 2024 (Langford, BC) - Thirty-two players have been named to Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team by Head Coach Kingsley Jones for the program’s upcoming tour to Bucharest, Romania.

Canada will play Chile on November 9 and Romania on November 16 for the team’s final international test matches of 2024, as the squad continues to build towards next year’s Rugby World Cup qualification.  

This tour to Romania comes on the heels of the reimagined Pacific Nations Cup, which saw Canada take on Japan, the United States and Tonga. Canada most recently played Romania earlier this year, in one of two test matches on home soil in Ottawa in July, beating Romania 35-22. The last time Canada played Chile was in two Rugby World Cup qualification matches in 2021, with each team taking one win in the two-match series.

"We have an opportunity this fall to continue to test ourselves and build as a group, facing two quality opponents,” said Kingsley Jones. “As with our squads that competed in Ottawa and at the Pacific Nations Cup, our aim is to develop our depth and have consistency going in 2025. In addition to the experienced leadership on our squad, there are a number of young promising players who will gain more valuable exposure to an international training and competition environment.”

Captained by Lucas Rumball, 25 players return from Canada’s Pacific Nations Cup roster, including Kaden Duguid and Tyler Matchem, who earned their first caps for Canada against Japan and Tonga respectively.

Four players will be looking to earn their first caps for Canada in Romania: current Pacific Pride Development Academy players Jesse Kilgour, Noah Flesch and Rhys James, and Pacific Pride graduate Sam Miller, all of whom were part of Canada’s pre-tournament Pacific Nations Cup training environment.

RFC LA’s Matt Heaton returns to Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team for the first time since 2021, bringing Rugby World Cup experience.

Mitch Richardson is back after missing the Pacific Nations Cup due to injury, with Josh Thiel returning to the squad for the first time since Canada’s 2023 fall tour to Spain.

A number of players are unavailable for the tour due to university commitments, including Matthew Klimchuk (Meiji University - Japan) and Talon and Takoda McMullin (University of British Columbia). The Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship will take place while Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team is in Romania, with the top Canadian university men’s rugby teams competing in Ottawa over November 13 to 17.

CANADA’S MEN’S RUGBY TEAM SCHEDULE

Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team vs Chile
November 9, 2024
3:00am PT / 6:00am ET / 1:00pm local time
Bucharest, Romania
Tickets can be purchased here
Broadcast details to be announced

Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team vs Romania
November 16, 2024
8:00am PT / 11:00am ET / 6:00pm local time
Bucharest, Romania
Tickets can be purchased here
Broadcast details to be announced

CANADA’S MEN’S RUGBY TEAM ROMANIA TOUR SQUAD

FORWARDS
Andrew Quattrin (Holland Landing, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / New England Free Jacks
Calixto Martinez (White Rock, BC) - Earl Marriott Secondary / Bayside RFC / University of British Columbia / Old Glory DC
Callum Botchar (Vancouver, BC) – NOLA Gold
Cole Keith (Apohaqui, NB) – Belleisle Rovers RFC / New England Free Jacks
Conor Young (Yamba, AUS) – Southern Districts Rugby Club / RFC LA
Dewald Kotze (Edmonton, AB) – Strathcona Druids RFC
Ethan Fryer (Seattle, USA) – New England Free Jacks
Izzak Kelly (White Rock, BC) - Bayside RFC / University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC
James Stockwood (Bowmanville, ON) – Vikings RFC / Pacific Pride
Jesse Mackail (Palmerston North, NZL) - UBCOB Ravens / Pacific Pride
Kaden Duguid (Edmonton, AB) - Nor’Westers Athletic Association / Vancouver Highlanders
Lucas Rumball (Scarborough, ON) – Balmy Beach RFC / Chicago Hounds
Mason Flesch (Cobourg, ON) – Cobourg Saxons RFC / Chicago Hounds
Matt Heaton (Godmanchester, QC) - RFC LA 
Matthew Oworu (Calgary, AB) – Pacific Pride
Sam Miller (Mount Denson, NS) - Valley Rugby Union / Pacific Pride
Siôn Parry (Cardiff, WAL) - Rhiwbina RFC / Ebbw Vale RFC
Tyler Matchem (Pictou County, NS) - Pacific Pride / Pictou County RFC

BACKS
Andrew Coe (Markham, ON) - RFC LA
Ben LeSage (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Canucks / New England Free Jacks
Brock Gallagher (Edmonton, AB) - Strathcona Druids RFC
Cooper Coats (Halifax, NS) - Halifax Tars
Jason Higgins (Cork, IRE) – Chicago Hounds
Jesse Kilgour (Barrie, ON) - Barrie RFC / Pacific Pride
Josh Thiel (Victoria, BC) - James Bay AA  / Abbotsford RFC
Josiah Morra (Toronto, ON) - Castaway Wanderers / Toronto Saracens
Mark Balaski (Castlebar, IRE) – Castlebar RFC / Pacific Pride
Mitch Richardson (Stoney Creek, ON) - McMaster University
Nic Benn (Caves Beach, AUS) – Unaffiliated
Noah Flesch (Cobourg, ON) - Cobourg Saxons / Pacific Pride
Peter Nelson (Dungannon, NIR) – Dungannon RFC
Rhys James (Kelowna, BC) - UBC Okanagan Heat / Pacific Pride