Canada names separate World Cup, NA4 squads

Canada is calling on 13 European professionals for August 12’s World Cup qualifying match against the USA, while one of its two North American 4 squads is little changed from May, underlining a clear distinction between international and representative players north of the border.

Among those returning home are prop Kevin Tkachuk (Glagow Gunners); locks Mike James (Stade Francais), Luke Tait (Parma), and Colin Yukes (Agen); and lock/flanker Jamie Cudmore (Claremont-Ferrand). Former Stade Francais halfback Morgan Williams, who skippered the Maple Leafs in last month’s 33-18 Churchill Cup win over the USA, will again be captain.

Last week USA coach Peter Thorburn tapped three of America’s five European pros for the USA’s NA4 squads, saying that “just because they’re playing overseas, they’re not going to be automatic selections.” Canada has taken the opposite approach, stipulating that the British and French leagues are superior to the startup competition, and allowing its overseas internationals to sit out not only the NA4 but also the Churchill and Barbados matches.

Some 21 of the (apparently) 28-man Canada West squad traveling to Ohio took part in the opening round, Rugby Canada said in a press release. High-scoring wing Justin Mensah-Coker will be unavailable, as the high-scoring freshman wing will be trying out with England’s Northampton, but the Wests have added three Canadian 7s internationals.

(Confusingly, the release gives 31 names – one of whom is the renowned “A.N. Other,” the rugby’s world traditional way of designating a player to be named later.)

Canada East has not yet named its squad.

The Wests head the NA4 table with a 2-0-1 record and 11 points. The Easts and Jim Love’s Falcons are tied for second with 7 points, while Pete Steinberg’s Hawks bring up the rear. After two more round-robin matches on July 22 and July 26, the top two teams will play off for the championship on the 29th.

The stakes of the August’s Can-Am match are considerably higher: the winner advances to Pool B of the 2007 World Cup, while the loser will face a home-and-away qualifying series against either Chile or Uruguay, depending on the outcome of their July 22 match. Argentina downed the latter 29-0 last weekend, winning the South Americas championship and thus qualifying for Pool D.

Related: Three European pros in NA4 rosters

Comments

[doug]

Interesting strategic decision by the Canadian coaches to rest their big men for the game against the Eagles.

I would think that keeping their players off the pitch would perhaps make them a bit rusty.

I think the Eagle coacning staff are doing it right by getting guys on the field for the NA4. Playing time is critical leading up to the August test.

Go Eagles!

[Go the Eagles!]

I'm interested to see if the US capped players who didn't go to the first NA4 Sink or swim.

Hopefully the two US teams will make it to the Final...., and beat Canada on Aug 12th!

[M.O.]

I have to agree that in this case, our European players need to build continuity by playing with the U.S. based players. The Falcons forwards are arguably the entire Eagles' forwards. Having them play more matches together will help the Eagles in August.

Normally, rest in the off-season is vitally important for the European-based players, but the Canada match is vitally important. Rest is luxury that the Eagles cannot afford.

[Paul]

The Maple Leafs are taking a very different approach to Thorburn on the NA4 vs RWC qualifier lineup question. I think the Canadians have it right to use the NA4 to build future teams and at the same time keep their test players fresh for the qualifier.

Thorburn has required all his healthy test players to play in the second round of NA4 matches, which will only place them in harms way and at risk for even more burn out than they are already under. The test players won't be playing together so there is no working on combinations, just more rugby after an already long season. If the Eagles lose in Canada the season will even get longer for their best players, now required to play South America number two team in the Fall.

This looks to be an experienced move on the part of Ric Suggitt who just knows the North American lay of the land better than the foreign interim staff for the Eagles.

[doug lyons]

Thorburn identified titness as a key deficiency in the Churchill Cup matches. There is only one way to get match fit and that is to play.

Also, our domestic competition is soft relatively speaking so going from the Super league straight into a World Cup qualifier is quite a leap.

I'd like to see combinations worked out as best possible - tight 5, for instance.

One other point - this keeps the players on their toes. With no guarentee of selection to the Eagles the players have to be razor sharp. Being on the sidelines won'd do that.

I think it is wise that Hercus is being rested - playing him and risking injury would be suicidal. I suppose one could argue the same for a few others but he is the key to the team.

If the top Canadians do not play for a month then that may well have a negative impact on them - it may take 15 or 20 minutes to get into the flow of the game and the last quarter could be a struggle as well.

Lets face it, neither Canada or the US are world beaters and the more time on the pitch the better.

If Canada loses they will rue not having used the NA4 as a build up to the test.

[geraint hill]

Do two or three games really create partnerships? It takes a season or two to really understand what people are going to do off the ball, what lines they run and an understanding of technical factors, scrums, lineouts etc. In reality it creates chaos in what is becoming a 12 month season. More hectic scheduling and a swathe of early retirements anyone? I suppose looking after your best athletes doesn't matter though?

Kort Schubert is going to need a good summer after getting fired though. He can use this as a great opportunity to become a pro again.