July 25, 2008

NA4: CANADA EAST NAMES SQUAD FOR FINAL LEG

Canada East is looking to bounce back at the NA4 semifinals.

Victoria, BC

Canada East has named their squad for the final leg of the International Rugby Board's North America Four (NA4) tournament. The games will be held at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado on July 29th, and August 2nd.

The first game will be a semifinal against first-placed Canada West. The victor will face the winner of the other semifinal, which sees the US Hawks playing the US Falcons; the respective losers will face each other in the third place match.

The Canada East staff met with the National Senior Men's Team staff shortly after the disappointment of the second leg at Shawnigan Lake; Keegan Selby, Kyle Buckley, Tom Malin and Toni Wodzicki have all been added to the East squad, who are still looking at different combinations.

Selby, Buckley, and Wodzicki will make the step up from Canada's under-20 men's team, while hooker Tom Malin has played his way in through the Rugby Canada Super League (RCSL). The week after the NA4 finishes, Malin will lead Calgary at the RCSL final in Newfoundland.

"Tom Malin in for Stephan Chapheau and we are looking forward to seeing what Tom can do at hooker after a successful season with the Mavericks," stated Canada East Head Coach Simon Blanks.

"Tony Wodzicki from Quebec is in for Alex Tapscott as a lock/back row after a very successful under-20 world championship campaign. Tyler Hawes replaces Devin Stubel as a specialist loosehead due to bronchitis," continued Blanks.

"Keegan Selby from Ontario is in for Dave Neilson to add some much needed height to the back row."

Canada head coach Kieran Crowley will be in attendance in Colorado, as will National Senior Men's Team assistant coach John Tait. The final leg of the NA4 will be a primary selection tool for the Canada game against Gloucester in Toronto, played the following week.

Blanks believes some of the East squad have a definite chance to play their way into that team.

"Ciaran Hearn continues to play within himself and if he turns it on he could light up the entire tournament with his pace, agility and finishing ability," added Blanks.

"Doug Wooldridge is coming on in leaps and bounds as a scrummager and could be a real force at loosehead."

Joining the Canada East management team is Don Whidden, who will be taking part in his 100th official Rugby Canada event. A long-time veteran of the National Senior Men's Team and Rugby World Cups, Whidden's most recent outing for Rugby Canada was the Canada Selects game versus England Counties in Chatham, Ontario in June.

Even though they have no wins yet in 2008, Canada East are still hopeful about their trip to Colorado. They face Canada West in the semifinal; the West are in first place viture of their three wins from three games. But the West's first victory came from points scored in inury time agianst Canada East in May.

A similar performance with a slightly different ending could see Canada East in the 2008 NA4 final.

"In terms of facing Canada West, I predict that it will be a one score game either way and that the boys will be fired up to play," predicted Blanks.

"The most disappointing aspect is that we seem to be able to put our best efforts in against the West and fail to live up to expectations against the American teams and we are looking at ways to make sure we start winning the last 20 minutes of games rather than capitulating leads we have amassed."