Ontario Arrows & Canada Selects

The Ontario Arrows will face Canada Selects in a two-match series on May 18 at 7 pm ET/4pm PT at York University in Toronto, Ontario and again at Westhills Stadium in Langford, British Columbia on May 26. The match will be streamed on the Ontario Arrows YouTube Channel.

The matches will serve as key fixtures to assist Canada’s national senior men’s program in their preparations for the upcoming June international window.

Support the Ontario Arrows by attending the match at York Lions Stadium! Purchase your seats online for a discounted rate of $15, while youth (16 and under) get in free!

Ontario Arrows

Ontario Arrows head coach Chris Silverthorn has named his starting lineup for Friday’s home match against Canada Selects.

There are four current Arrows that have been selected to the Canada Selects’ squad – lock Paul Ciulini, scrum-half Andrew Ferguson, hooker Martial Lagain, and wing Kainoa Lloyd. This necessitated changes to the Arrows squad. Silverthorn has made six changes to his starting lineup that defeated a U.S. premier club side, the Boston Mystics 77-8 in the club’s home opener on May 5.

Hong Kong international hooker Alex Post will make his Arrows debut, and prop Mike Smith will earn his first start of the season. Home opener substitute Alex Gliksten slots in at scrum-half, respectively, while the trio of wing Aaron McLelland, centre Jamie Leveridge, and lock Josh Van Horne will return to the Arrows squad.

Silverthorn said that “This match represents a big opportunity for our club. “The Canada Selects will be hungry to impress ahead of the June internationals, which will make this a very tough test. This is a chance to see how far we’ve come since we began our season in March.”

The Arrows have a 3-1-1 record this spring. They beat the Utah Warriors, won a pair against the Boston Mystics, drew with the Houston SaberCats, and lost to Rugby United New York. The club will be seeking its fourth consecutive exhibition season victory.

Silverthorn added “There’s an element of familiarity to this match that makes it unique. When we kick off on Friday, we’ll be facing seven players in Canada’s starting lineup who have worn Arrows colours over the past year. We’re very proud to see our Arrows get opportunities to wear the red and white, but from the moment the whistle blows, it’ll be business-as-usual on the pitch. We’ll be giving our all for this match, and fans can expect an intense, entertaining 80 minutes. It will be a showcase of top-tier Canadian rugby.”

In addition to the debut by Hong Kong international hooker Alex post, Clint Lemkus and Travis Larsen could make their debut as reserves. Four squad members were part of the Canada Under-20 program: Kelly (2017), Milazzo (2016), Richardson (2016), and West (2012). Post played for the Hong Kong Under-20 program.

Canada Selects

Canada head coach Kingsley Jones has named a 23-man ‘Canada Selects’ squad to take on the Ontario Arrows in the first of two development fixtures.

The two-game series against the Arrows will provide game-time against quality opposition and also provide a chance for selection for the June International Series, which kicks off on June 9 against Scotland in Edmonton. It will also provide an opportunity to develop the depth of rugby players in Canada and allow both coaches to utilize different options in a trial-style fixture.

The Ontario Arrows, Canada’s first privately funded professional rugby union team, come into the fixture with three straight victories, some against Major League Rugby (MLR) opposition, and will provide Canada Selects with a stern test.

The Selects have had a few weeks of strength and conditioning, but haven’t played a match together. The team consists of both youth and experienced players. The Selects will be motivated as the potential inclusion in the June Summer Series is at stake against Scotland, USA, and Russia.

Flanker, Lucas Rumball will captain the ‘Selects’ in the first of the two-leg series in Ontario on Friday evening. Other players to watch include Patrick Parfrey at full-back and Andrew Ferguson at scrum-half. Guiseppe du Toit and Doug Fraser make up the midfield combination, with 20-year-old Cole Davis complementing them on the right wing.

Ontario Arrows & Canada Selects Squads

Ontario Arrows: 1. Rob Brouwer 2. Alex Post 3. Mike Smith 4. Mike Sheppard (C) 5. Josh Van Horne 6. Marcello Wainwright 7. Peter Milazzo 8. Kolby Francis 9. Alex Gliksten 10. Will Kelly 11. Aaron McLelland 12. Jamie Leveridge 13. Jon West 14. John Sheridan 15. Shawn Windsor 16. Cam Sandison 17. Pat Lynott 18. Clint Lemkus 19. Tom Van Horne 20. Travis Larsen 21. Mario Van Der Westhuizen 22. Mitch Richardson 23. Kyle Lagasca

STAFF: Head Coach: Chris Silverthorn, Assistant Coaches: David Butcher, Aaron Carpenter, Cory Hector, General Manager: Mark Winokur, Performance Analyst: Rodin Lozada, Athletic Therapist: Chris Kelly, Team Doctor: Dr. John Gillis

Canada Selects: 1. Noah Barker 2. Martial Lagain* 3. Cole Keith 4. Paul Ciulini*^ 5. Conor Keys 6. Dustin Dobravsky 7. Lucas Rumball^ (C) 8. Luke Campbell 9. Andrew Ferguson*^ 10. Robbie Povey 11. Kainoa Lloyd*^ 12. Guiseppe du Toit^ 13. Doug Fraser 14. Cole Davis 15. Patrick Parfrey^ 16. Steven Ng 17. Liam Murray 18. Ryan Kotlewski 19. Grant Crowell 20. Matt Heaton 21. Jorden Sandover-Best 22. Gordon McRorie 23. Josh Thiel

* denotes player who has featured for the Ontario Arrows in 2018
 ^ denotes a player who featured for the Ontario Arrows in 2017 inaugural match in Glendale, CO (Sept. 9, 2017)