The rugby teams of tomorrow can be seen tonight at Starlight Stadium.
The current U-20 players who will lead Canada and the U.S. along the qualifying road to the anticipated landmark 2031 World Cup in the U.S. — some maybe jumping up into the senior ranks as early as the 2027 World Cup in Australia — will be on display at 7 p.m. in Langford. Entry is by donation with all proceeds going to the Canadian U-20 program.
It is the second game of the two-match, total-point set to decide the North American berth into the 2024 World Rugby U-20 Trophy from July 2-17 in Edinburgh, Scotland, out of which the winner will be promoted to the World Rugby U-20 World Cup for 2024.
The Americans overcame deficits of 11-7 at the half and 18-7 early in the second half to rally for a 33-18 victory over Canada in the opening game of the qualifying series Saturday at Shawnigan Lake School, leaving Canada to make up 15 points tonight at Starlight.
“I’m obviously disappointed we didn’t get the result in our favour, but feeling very happy about the way we approached it. Tactically we stuck to a plan,” Canada head coach Christiaan Esterhuizen said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, we made some unforced errors that gave the USA momentum at key times in the match. If we can cut down forced errors, I think we can turn this result around. These players have made sacrifices to be here training full-time on Vancouver Island for a month, and their hunger to play for Canada and contribute to our success internationally, is clear.”
Matthew Bennett of Victoria kicked two penalty goals and a convert while Patrick Kirwan of Vancouver and Garin Schroeder of Stoney Creek, Ont., scored the Canadian tries in the first game in Shawnigan Lake.
Among the Island players named to the Canadian U-20 side are Bennett, who plays for the University of Victoria Vikes, Langford’s Brighton Feldman from Westshore RFC and the UVic Vikes, Duncan’s Jaxson Jones from the Cowichan Rugby Club and UVic Vikes, Victoria’s Noah Kynaston from the Castaway Wanderers, Victoria’s Thorson Noble from the UBC Thunderbirds, Victoria’s Spencer Cotie of the UVic Vikes and Victoria’s Ty Driscoll of Pacific Pride.
Intriguing are three talented players on the team with Canadian family ties which make them eligible — Ryan Cozens from Sidmouth, England, and Olly Wiseman of London, both from Cardiff Metropolitan University, and Finlay Kennedy of Ringwood, England, and Bournemouth RFC.
It’s been the complete Canadian brain-trust overseeing the 36-player, four-week Canadian U-20 camp at Shawnigan Lake School leading to the two qualifying games, as one would expect with the future of Canadian rugby being prepped.
Head coach Esterhuizen, also coach of the Langford-based Pacific Pride U-23 team, has been joined in the camp by Canadian senior national team head coach Kingsley Jones of Sooke, Canadian defence coach John McFarland, Canadian attack coach and former Canada playing great Phil Mack of Victoria, Pacific Pride U-23 assistant coach and 55-time Canada-capped Hubert Buydens, former Major League Rugby Toronto Arrows head coach Cory Hector, Arrows Academy coach Paddy Watson and Rugby Canada high-performance director Stephen Aboud.
“The focus of our U-20 programming, which is an important step on our pathway towards the senior national teams, is the long-term development of the next generation of Canadian rugby players,” Aboud said in a statement.
“We look forward to continuing to work with these players as we build our depth chart and strive towards milestones such as the 2027 Rugby World Cup.”
That journey, in many ways, begins tonight at Starlight Stadium.
There’s a lot at stake in terms of developing elite young players after Canada, for the first time, failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup in France after playing in all nine previous editions of the World Cup.
