Canada U20 team takes on U.S. in first leg of World Rugby Trophy qualifier

EDMONTON — Centre George Barton will captain the Canadian under-20 team in the first leg of its Junior World Rugby Trophy qualifier against the U.S. on Tuesday.

The second leg of the aggregate series goes Saturday prior to the Canada-Romania test match at Ellerslie Rugby Park.

The winner advances to the eight-team World Rugby Trophy, which serves as the second-tier under-20 championship, in Uruguay in August. The top under-20 countries compete in the 12-team World Rugby U20 Championship, which is currently taking place in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The winner of the Junior World Rugby Trophy qualifies for the 2018 World Rugby U20 Championship.

The Canadians are coached by Jeff Williams.

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The matchday 23 includes three players — Barton, Matt Beukeboom and Connor Sampson — who took part in last year’s qualifier.

Canada fell 19-18 to the U.S. on an 80th-minute penalty in Texas in 2016, when the qualifier was a one-game affair.

Canada reached the final of the 2015 World Rugby Trophy but was beaten 49-24 by Georgia.

Canada’s U20 Roster

Liam Murray, Langley, Langley, B.C.; Dewald Kotze, UBCOB Ravens, Edmonton; Cole Keith, James Bay AA, Sussex, N.B.; Liam Doll, UBC Thunderbirds, North Vancouver; Matt Beukeboom, Section Paloise (France), Lindsay, Ont.; Lachlan Currie, Bond University (Australia), Gold Coast, Australia; James O’Neill, UVic Vikes, Cochrane, Alta.; Jake Thiel, Abbotsford RFC, Abbotsford, B.C.; Fraser Hurst, UBC Thunderbirds, Vancouver; Will Kelly, Brantford Harlequins, Ancaster, Ont.; Elias Ergas, UBC Thunderbirds, Vancouver; Josh Thiel, Bishop Burton College, Abbotsford, B.C.;  George Barton (capt.), Clermont (France), Duncan, B.C.; Anton Ngongo, Castaway Wanderers, Victoria; Aidan McMullan, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC, Montreal.

Replacements

Steven Ng, Capilano RFC, Ottawa; Connor Sampson, UBC Thunderbirds, Vancouver; Nicholas Frost, UBC Thunderbirds, Vancouver; Jamie McNaughton, Carleton Place, Ont.; Jack McRogers, Aurora Barbarians, Newmarket, Ont.; William McDougall-Percillier, Cowichan Piggies, Mill Bay, Victoria; Brennig Prevost, UVic Vikes, Victoria; Cole Davis, Canberra Royals, Calgary.

The Canadian Press

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