Kieran Crowley has become the first coach to publicly announce his 30-man squad for Rugby World Cup 2011, the former All Black considering it to be Canada’s best possible selection for a tournament which will see them face New Zealand, France, Japan and Tonga in Pool A.
 
Crowley, a World Cup winner with New Zealand in 1987, has 11 veterans of Rugby World Cup 2007 in France in the squad, including captain and hooker Pat Riordan, vice captain and fly half Anders Monro and wing DTH van der Merwe.

“It’s been an exhaustive process that we really started three years ago,” explained Crowley. “We used everything at our disposal to get where we have and it’s probably the first time since I’ve been here that we’ve been able to take Canada’s best team.”

Only seven members of the squad play club rugby professionally in England or France, with the remaining playing in the Canadian Rugby Championship, with the 30-man selection boasting nearly 450 Test caps between them.

Taylor Paris is the youngest member of the squad and will be just 19 when Canada kick-off their campaign against Tonga in Whangarei on 14 September, the wing having won three caps since his debut against Belgium last November. By contrast, at 35, prop Frank Walsh is the oldest.

“A lot of these players will be available for the next World Cup,” added Crowley. “Youth brings excitement, but you’ve also got to have that experience in the squad. We’re pretty happy with the balance we’ve found.”

Canada will step up their preparations with home and away Tests with North America rivals USA in early August before heading to Australia for a training camp and matches against the Queensland Selects and Australian Barbarians.

The deadline for the 20 participations nations to declare their final 30-man squad is 22 August.

Canada squad

Forwards: Ryan Hamilton, Pat Riordan (captain), Hubert Buydens, Scott Franklin, Jason Marshall, Andrew Tiedemann, Frank Walsh, Jamie Cudmore, Brian Erichsen, Tyler Hotson, Aaron Carpenter, Nanyak Dala, Adam Kleeberger, Jeremy Kyne, Chauncey O'Toole, Jebb Sinclair.

Backs: Ed Fairhurst, Jamie Mackenzie, Sean White, Nathan Hirayama, Ander Monro, Ryan Smith, Conor Trainor, Phil Mackenzie, Mike Scholz, DTH van der Merwe, Ciaran Hearn, Taylor Paris, Matt Evans, James Pritchard.