Canada face the Maori for the second time in a year, this time as hosts at BMO Field in Toronto where the visitors kick off their tour of North America.
A tough looking pack awaits the Canucks, with every player bar one of Super Rugby quality or better. Loosehead Kane Hames is a bit of a mystery man, though he was named in the Highlanders squad for the coming season. Joining him in the front row are two bruisers in Hika Elliot and Ben Afeaki, both capped All Blacks and key members of the two-time defending champion Chiefs side. Another All Black, Jarrad Hoeata, bolsters the engine room with mobile Joe Wheeler the primary lineout jumper.
The back row looks particularly menacing. Luke Braid, younger brother of former All Black Daniel, is the captain of the Blues and has been on the verge of national selection for a couple years now. Joining him are two of the form players from the ITM Cup, Southland strongman Elliot Dixon and impressive Tasman newcomer Liam Squire are both aggressive ball carriers and capable lineout options.
Featuring at scrumhalf is a man who needs no introduction, long time All Black star Piri Weepu, while outside him coach Colin Cooper has opted for the experienced Tim Bateman, who captains the side, over youngster Ihaia West. Bateman is normally a centre but a useful player across the midfield and a former national junior captain.
The backline has a familiar feel to it as Jackson Willison and Charlie Ngatai return in the centres alongside speed merchant Andre Taylor on the right wing. No less swift are fullback Robbie Robinson and maligned Crusaders wing Zac Guildford, a World Cup winner who is out of form but still a deadly strike runner.
Canada have yet to name their starting side at the time of this post, an annoying trend which has become the norm for both North American sides. While Twitter hash tags and flashy social media posts are part-and-parcel with modern communication, surely the basics of telling the fans and media about who is actually playing the game should be more of a priority. Let’s hope this trend is addressed sooner rather than later.
That said there won’t be many, if any, surprises in the lineup. Hubert Buydens has returned from a stint with Manawatu in New Zealand to bolster the front row that will also include feisty hooker Ray Barkwill and Andrew Tiedemann, if fit, or Doug Wooldridge. First choice hooker Ryan Hamilton is injured so either Tiedemann or no8 Aaron Carpenter will provide cover, though it’s likely Barkwill will again be asked to put in a full shift at the coal face.
France-based lineout specialist Jon Phelan will be one second row, and his partner will either be inexperienced Aaron Flagg or more likely Tyler Ardron, who has been putting in good shifts for the Ospreys this season at either lock or back row. Captain Carpenter will be the no8, and the flankers should be John Moonlight and fit-again Adam Kleeberger.
Phil Mack has just returned from his own short training contract with Ospreys and will be the scrumhalf, though who his partner will be is anyone’s guess. Harry Jones is the incumbent but Kieran Crowley seems to have be undecided on who his best option there is, having fielded a plethora of suitors in that position during the past year. Liam Underwood has been the most impressive of the group, and there’s a good chance he will wear the jersey. It’s just as likely one player is named and another is wearing the jersey come kickoff.
Midfield is another problem position for Canada, not because there aren’t strong options, but injuries and availability have made things difficult. Mike Scholz and Conor Trainor both returned from long-term injury to play in the ARC, but Nick Blevins and Ciaran Hearn have been the preferred pairing for much of the year, and are probably odds-on favourites to continue for at least this game.
The outside backs are a little easier to predict. In-form professionals Matt Evans and Jeff Hassler should be the wingers, though fullback is a little tricky. Connor Braid, who played so well at flyhalf against the Maori last year, has been searching for form all year and seems to be considered more as a fullback now. His goal kicking skills will likely be called upon in the absence of unavailable James Pritchard.
Whatever the final lineup is, it will take a massive effort indeed to topple the Maori. Even at full strength the Canadians would do well to stay in touch, but absent so many professionals who aren’t available until next week the mountain is surely to steep to climb. All of the New Zealand based Super Rugby sides play similar free-flowing rugby, and many of these players will have played with each other before in previous select squads, so a lack of preparation time shouldn’t have much of an effect.
Expect the Canadian pack to hold their own for the first half or so, but in the second the speed of the Maori attack and their superior fitness should prove too much. A similar scoreline to the 32-19 result in Oxford last year isn’t out of the question, but tries might be hard to come by with such an abrasive pack in front of them. A 20 point gap is probably closer to what we can expect come the final whistle.
*projected Canadian lineup, to be updated once the team is named
**Canadian cap totals include Churchill Cup appearances that have yet to be acknowledged as official test caps
EDIT: Canadian lineup has been updated (on game day)
