Championship XV select to face Canada

Nottingham head coach Martin Haag is adopting a slightly different role this week as he takes charge of a Greene King IPA Championship XV side set to test their mettle against international outfit Canada.

And although bringing together a group of players that haven’t played alongside each other before presents its challenges, Haag has backed his team to prove just how much talent the Championship possesses.  

Haag put his players – picked from all 12 Championship clubs – through their first training session on Wednesday in the shadow of Sixways stadium, the home of Worcester Warriors and the venue for Sunday’s showdown. 

Team cohesion and understanding will prove fundamental to any success they may have and Haag insists his side won’t let the opportunity to showcase their skills pass. 

“We have a fantastic group of players here, a very strong group, I am really pleased with it and I am hoping they gel together enough to show the crowd and the people at home that the Championship is a great competition,” saig Haag.

“Training has been going very well. We are looking at organisation and give the basics to the lads in terms of what we want to achieve and then go out and execute.

“We have some young guys starting out on their rugby careers in the Championship, guys who have been involved with academies and have dropped down a level to get more game time and some who have played ten years in the championship.

“They are a lot of opportunities for these lads and for a lot of them playing against an international team like Canada is probably once in a lifetime and to represent the Championship is a great honour.

“We need to give the guys an opportunity to get to know each other so we are doing stuff off the field as well, and then it is going to be about Sunday and playing on a fantastic surface in a fantastic stadium.”

The Canadians, ranked 17^th in the world, face the Championship XV in what is the first of four fixtures in November, which will see them also take on Namibia, Samoa and Romania.

And while he knows the task in front of his side is vast, Haag has challenged his side to give their opponents a harsh welcome when they run out at Sixways.

“Canada will be a physical team and one that will be chomping at the bit to play against us,” he added. “They are going to be looking further afield in terms of the three games they play after us so they will want to get a place.

“Sixways is great and having been involved with teams who have played here and the noise it creates, it will be a great occasion and the guys should be really excited.”

Championship XV
Jack Tovey (Bristol Rugby); Michael Keating (Rotherham Titans), Greg King (Moseley), Will Owen (Moseley), Miles Mantella (London Scottish); Lawrence Rayner (Plymouth Albion), Tom Kessell (Cornish Pirates); Ryan Bower (Worcester Warriors), Tom Cruse (Rotherham Titans), Michael Holford (Nottingham Rugby), James Percival © (Worcester Warriors), Darren Barry (Cornish Pirates), Marco Mama (Bristol Rugby), Nick Fenton-Wells (Bedford Blues), Mark Bright (London Scottish)

Replacements
16. Charlie Clare (Bedford Blues), 17. Lee Imiolek (Yorkshire Carnegie), 18. Max Maidment (London Scottish), 19. James Phillips (London Scottish), 20. Ryan Burrows (Yorkshire Carnegie), 21. Jonny Arr (Worcester), 22. Keiran Hallett (Cornish Pirates) 23. Dougie Flockhart (Doncaster Knights)
 
Rugby Canada
James Pritchard (Bedford Blues); Sean Duke (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears), Ciaran Hearn (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock), Nick Blevins (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack), Conor Trainor (UBCOB Ravens/BC Bears); Patrick Parfrey (Swilers RFC/Atlantic Rock), Gordon McRorie (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack); Hubert Buydens Captain (Unattached/Prairie Wolf Pack), Ray Barkwill (Niagara Wasps RFC/Ontario Blues), Andrew Tiedemann (Plymouth Albion/Prairie Wolf Pack), Tyler Hotson (Doncaster Knights), Brett Buekeboom (Plymouth Albion), Kyle Gilmour (St. Albert RFC/Prairie Wolf Pack), Nanyak Dala (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack), John Moonlight (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues)

Replacements 
16. Ryan Hamilton (Capilano RFC/BC Bears), 17. Doug Wooldridge – (Lindsay RFC/Ontario Blues), 18. Jake Ilnicki (NSW Country Eagles/BC Bears), 19. Jordan Wilson-Ross (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues), 20. Seb Pearson (London St. George's/Ontario Blues), 21. Sean White (James Bay AA/BC Bears), 22. Connor Braid (Glasgow Warriors/BC Bears), 23. Jon Phelan (Doncaster Knights/Atlantic Rock)

PLEASE LEAVE IN FINAL PAR – Support your club players in the Championship XV v Canada on November 2nd at Sixways Stadium. Tickets available online at www.warriors.co.uk