INTERNATIONAL TEST RUGBY: Canadians Begin European Rugby Tour

06.11.2010
Canada v Belgium in Brussels

Venue: Stade Roi Baudouin

Referee:

Preview
Canada begin an ambitious tour of Europe this November with a first ever test against Belgium. Although Belgium would be a good level below the standard of the Canadians, the Canadians will be rusty, being a long way off their regular season. Also, the nine European-based will not play against Belgium, making this side well below their normal strength. Those players will be available for the tests against Spain, Georgia and Portugal.

Belgians Thibaut André and Alan Williams, although in the squad, are not available, due to injury, to play v Canada.

These two teams have never met before

GWC Rugby Rankings do not apply

IRB Ranking Points
Canada 69.43, Belgium 55.39

Prediction: Even without their top players, Canada should have too much grunt for the Belgians, and win by 24 points.

Teams

Canada Squad in Europe
Nick Blevins (Prairie Wolf Pack)
Connor Braid* (BC Bears)
Aaron Carpenter (Plymouth Albion)
Tom Dolezel (Prairie Wolf Pack)
Sean Duke (BC Bears)
Brian Erichsen (BC Bears)
Matt Evans (Newport Gwent Dragons)
Mitch Gudgeon* (BC Bears)
Ryan Hamilton (BC Bears)
Ciaran Hearn (The Rock)
Nathan Hirayama (BC Bears)
Tyler Hotson (Plymouth Albion)
Josh Jackson (Mont de Marsan)
Adam Kleeberger (Unattached)
Jeremy Kyne* (Prairie Wolf Pack)
Jamie Mackenzie* (Ontario Blues)
Phil Mackenzie (Esher)
Jason Marshall (BC Bears)
Justin Mensah-Coker (Unattached)
Ander Monro (Ontario Blues)
Chauncey O’Toole (The Rock)
Taylor Paris* (Ontario Blues)
Jon Phelan* (The Rock)
Dan Pletch (Ontario Blues)
James Pritchard (Bedford Blues)
Pat Riordan, Capt. (BC Bears)
Jebb Sinclair (The Rock)
Ryan Smith (Prairie Wolf Pack)
Sean- Michael Stephen (Plymouth Albion)
Andrew Tiedemann (Prairie Wolf Pack)
Kevin Tkachuk (Glasgow Warriors)
DTH van der Merwe (Glasgow Warriors)
Sean White (BC Bears)
Head Coach: Kieran Crowley

Unavailable work/school– Ed Fairhurst, Stan McKeen, Conor Trainor
Unavailable due to injury – Nanyak Dala, Luke Tait, Phil Mack (Scheduled surgery)
Unavailable due to suspension – Jamie Cudmore

http://www.rugbycanada.ca/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientid=3817&leagueid=0&page=47744

Belgium Squad
Thibaut André (Soignies)
Aurélien Batardy (Soignies)
Julien Berger (La Rochelle, France)
Jérôme Cauwe (ASUB)
Bram Coupe (Dendermonde)
Christophe Debaty (Limoges, France)
Thomas Dienst (Lille, France)
Denis Eppe (ROC Ottignies)
Charlie Fourneau (Lille, France)
Denis Franquin (Boitsfort)
Damien Godefroy (Marcq-en-Baroeul)
Sébastien Guns (Boitsfort)
Dirk Haghedooren (Agde)
Julien Hanchir (Millau, France)
Pierre Hendrikx (Boitsfort)
Maxime Jadot (Pau, France)
Daniel Janssens (Chateaubriant, France)
Julien Massimi (Saint-Etienne, France)
Nicolas Meeus (Kituro)
Andrew Neal (Tournefeuille, France)
Romain Orban (Kituro)
Pierre Plasman (Dendermonde)
Frédéric Rongé (Kituro)
Damien Veraghen (Coq Mosan, France)
Bastian Vermeylen (Boitsfort)
Mathieu Verschelden (ASUB)
Norman Wende (Saint-Etienne, France)
Alan Williams (Montluçon, France)
Head Coach: Richard McClintock

http://www.sportkipik.be/articles.php?id_article=7346