SHAWNIGAN LAKE – Canada’s Under-20 men’s rugby team had their final opportunity to test their combinations and set pieces against opposition when they faced off against a side comprised of Carded athletes and junior players on Sunday afternoon. 

FINAL SCRIMMAGE
In their final test before competing in Russia, the Under-20 players applied everything they’ve learned in recent months and put on an impressive display of rugby.

With both sides buckling down defensively, neither team was able to break the deadlock until Under-20 halfback Matt Yanigiya broke through in the second frame. Nine tries were run in by the final whistle as the coaching staff experimented with multiple combinations.

The intensity was high and with the senior carded players piling on the pressure, the Under-20s had a taste of what’s to come on the international stage.

“They’re more than ready for Russia,” Sean White, a former U20 player and Carded athlete said after the match. “Connor Braid controlled the game quite well and with a guy like Brett Beukeboom who’s always a big force at the breakdown, they were a very tough side.”

For Canada’s Under-20 scrum half Pat Fraser, the three 20-minute periods showed just how much the team has raised the bar since arriving for their final camp.

“The pressure is definitely there and the boys are responding really well,” Fraser said. “[We] are really coming together and this game was a testament to that. We’ve got a few things to work on and then we’ll be in tip-top shape.”

JUNIOR WORLD RUGBY TROPHY

The Under-20 Canadian side departs for the Junior World Rugby Trophy in Moscow on Thursday, May 13 from Vancouver. The squad will play out three matches in Pool B against Zimbabwe, Russia and Japan before their playoff match on May 30.

2010 – Junior World Rugby Trophy Squad

Forwards:
Tyler Ardron (Peterborough Pagans/Lakefield, ON)
Brett Beukeboom (Lindsay RFC/UVic Vikes/Lindsay, ON)
Admir Cejvanovic (Burnaby Lake RFC/BCIT)
Andrew Crow – Captain (Castaway Wanderers/Victoria, BC)
Casey Cavers (Cowichan RFC/Ladysmith, BC)
Ryan Fried (Wilmot Warthogs/Waterloo Oxford)
Alex Kam (UBC T-Birds/Richmond, BC)
Matt Kelly (Toronto Nomads/Toronto, ON)
Scott MacDonald (Oshawa Vikings/Port Perry)
Jeff McKinnon  (Capilanos RFC/North Vancouver)
Scott MacLeod (Cowichan RFC/Duncan,BC)
Liam Murray (Capilanos RFC/UVic Vikes)
Dakota Poole  (Kelowna RFC/Kelowna, BC)
Adam Zaruba (Capilano RFC/North Vancouver)

Backs
Kurtis Appeldoorn  (Abbotsford RFC/Abbotsford, BC)
Connor Braid (James Bay AA/Victoria, BC)
Josh Dufresne (Nor'westers RFC/Edmonton, AB)
Sean Ferguson (UBC T-Birds/Vancouver, BC)
Pat Fraser (Cowichan RFC/Cowichan, BC)
Tye Hamblin (Cowichan RFC/Cowichan, BC)
Jeff Hassler (Calgary, AB)
Patrick Parfrey  (Swilers RFC/The Rock/St. John's RFC)
Beau Parker (UVic Vikes/Victoria, BC)
Keaton Styles (UVic Vikes, Surrey, BC)
Liam Underwood (Balmy Beach RFC/Toronto, ON)
Mathew Yanagiya (Capilano RFC)

Staff
Head Coach: Tim Murdy
Assistants: Tony Healy, Quentin Fyffe
Manager: Myles Spencer
Strength and Conditioning: Joe McCullum
Therapist: Ben Suen
Physician: Dr. Anthony Dixon
Communications Manager/Video Analyst: Andrew Smith

This is the third year the Canadian Rugby Foundation has provided a full sponsorship program to eliminate the pay-to-play model for each athlete on the junior national team. To support a player on the Canadian team visit www.canadianrugbyfoundation.ca