Canada name XV for Ireland
Canada have been bolstered by the arrival of a number of professioanl players from the UK and France for the second match of their European tour when they face Ireland at Thomond Park in Limerick on Saturday.
Canada have been bolstered by the arrival of a number of professioanl players from the UK and France for the second match of their European tour when they face Ireland at Thomond Park in Limerick on Saturday.
Kieran Crowley's side kicked off their tour with a 21-13 win over Portugal in Lisbon last weekend but face a tougher task against an far larger and faster Irish side.
The visitors will be keen to repeat the perfromance that earned them a 27-all draw the last time the teams met – in Toronto in 2000 – when a fresh-faced Ronan O'Gara saved the Irish from embarassment.
An experinced front row features hooker Pat Riordan, who will captain the side alongside 41-cap veteran, Glasgow Warriors prop Kevin Tkachuk.
At tight-head is Jon Thiel – who scrums down for his 34th test appearance.
Cornish Pirate lock Mike Burak gets his 22nd cap in the second row, partnering Begles-Bordeaux tallman Josh Jackson.
In the back row Plymouth Albion's Sean Michael Stephen will look to wreak havoc on the blind side with the highly mobile Adam Kleeberger in the fetcher's role.
At number eight, Brantford's Aaron Carpenter continues to impress after a busy afternoon against the Portuguese.
Cornish Pirates scrum-half Ed Fairhurst takes the number nine jersey from its interim holder – the newly un-retired Morgan Williams, who will ride the bemch after a solid 80 minutes against Os Lobos. Fairhurst will combine with Colorno's Ander Monro, who has recovered from a lower leg strain.
In midfield Ryan Smith will play in his 39th test – the most experinced head in the Canadian backline. Smith will partner with Bryn Keys who win his third cap.
Newfoundland's Ciarn Hearn makes his debut on the right wing after a remarkable season with the Sevens squad. Justin Mensah Coker will wear the number eleven jersey for his elevnth start.
On the replacements bench, uncapped Frank Walsh of Newfoundland is looking to be the second new cap of the day and third in a week after flanker Andrew Fagan started against Portugal .
Uncapped Matt Evans – an 20-year-old fly-half who plays at England's Hartpury College, impressed in a Canada A selection against Gloucester RFC this past August. Coverage for the wing comes in the form of Phil Mackenzie – who won his first international cap last weekend against Portugal.
In naming the side Coach Kieran Crowley understands the significance of this autumn test series and how it will test a team that he has been molding for only eight months. The former Taranki coach and coach of the World Champion U19 New Zealand team in 2007 has been slowly crafting this team together – and says despite having to bring some new faces into the second week of the camp, it has been a relatively seamless process.
“The new guys have been great – getting stuck right in – and understanding what we are trying to achieve,” coach Crowley told Rugby Canada.
“It is a big test of this team – that is why they are called tests – and we have to see if the systems we are putting in place will stand up to what Ireland has to offer.”
He has enjoyed how close the team has grown since it has arrived in Portugal over a week ago. Team culture is a big part of any side he has been involved with – and he uses a variety of ways to impart that bonding which he feels is essential to the long term goals he has for Canada as preparations begin for the 2011 World Cup in his native New Zealand.
“You need to care about the people you play with on a rugby field, and feel that need to be there for each other,” said Crowley said.
“It's not enough to just turn up and put the jersey on, you have to believe in the guys in that locker room – and know they will be there for you when things get tough. These guys aren't there yet – but I sense they are getting close.”
Canada: 15 James Pritchard, 14 Ciaran Hearn, 13 Bryn Keys, 12 Ryan Smith, 11 Justin Mensah-Coker, 10 Ander Monro, 9 Ed Fairhurst, 8 Aaron Carpenter, 7 Adam Kleeberger, 6 Sean Michael Stephen, 5 Josh Jackson, 4 Mike Burak, 3 Jon Thiel, 2 Pat Riordan, 1 Kevin Tkachuk.
Replacements: 16 Mike Pletch, 17 Frank Walsh, 18 Tyler Hotson, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Morgan Williams, 21 Matt Evans, 22 Phil Mackenzie
Date: Saturday, November 8
Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick.
Kick-off: 17.15 GMT
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Assessor: Bob Francis (New Zealand)