Atlantic Selects To Face New England Freejacks In Boston

Atlantic Selects to Face New England Freejacks in Boston

The Atlantic Selects, Atlantic Canada’s renewed high performance Men’s Rugby team, announced today their 2nd ever match.   The team was founded in the fall of 2021 to help rebuild high performance Rugby in Atlantic Canada, and travelled to Toronto in October to play the Toronto Arrows.

On April 30, 2022, the team will face the development team of Major League Rugby’s the New England Freejacks.   The game will take place at the Freejacks’ home Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy, Massachusetts, with kickoff time yet to be announced.

The team will gather for a training camp in Halifax on April 26 and 27, bringing together players from all four Atlantic Provinces including players currently playing on the West Coast and several other locations.   Final selections will be made based on prior performance, performance in the first weekend of the Eastern Canadian Super League, and at the camp.

“We are excited to restore the proud tradition of an Atlantic High Performance Rugby team and to help restore the pathway for top players from our region to rise from Club Rugby to the professional and National team ranks,”  said Selects General Manager Dr. John Gillis.

Coach Jamie Cudmore added, “Since the end of the Canadian Rugby Championship a few years ago, there has been a real lack of top quality Canadian competition to help our players in all regions get better and take the next step they need to excel.   This effort, coupled with the Arrows Academy and efforts underway in Western Canada will hopefully help restore a regular top level competition in Canada and with our neighbours to the South.”

The Selects are also slated to face the Arrows again, this time in Halifax at the end of May, with more details to come soon.

There are a limited number of seats on the bus available to friends and family of the team for the trip.   The bus departs Halifax on April 28 at 10 am and returns late on Sunday May 1st.  The bus will stop as required in New Brunswick to pick-up and drop players and fellow travelers.  Cost for non-players is $519 including round trip transportation, 3 nights double occupancy in a hotel, and 3 breakfasts.   There is a discount for triple, and possibly quad occupancy.

If interested in sponsoring, supporting or joining us, or for general info or questions, please reach out to Team Manager Sarah O’Connor at oconnor.e.sarah@gmail.com, or GM John Gillis at drgillis@24care.ca.

Selects Long List

Forwards

Alex Forrest – Charlottetown RFC- Captain

Phil Lanthier- Charlottetown RFC

Tyler Matchem- Pictou County RFC/Pacific Pride

Edward Mahar- Moncton RFC

Mike McEachern- Halifax RFC

Sean Doyle- Charlottetown RFC

Jordan Power- Dogs RFC

Ethan McCarthy- TARS RFC

Jordon Montgomery- Charlottetown RFC/ Castaway Wanderers

Isaac Kelly- UBC

Liam Carter- Charlottetown RFC

Seif Sanad- TARS RFC

Sheldon Cudmore- Charlottetown RFC

Nigel Bannister- TARS RFC

Pat Davis- Charlottetown RFC

Backs

Tony Pomeroy-  Baymen RFC

Brandon Power- Eastern Shore RFC/ TARS RFC

Johnny Cullen- Loyalists RFC/ Castaway Wanderers

Elliott Ryan-  Ampo Ordizia (Spain)/ TARS RFC

Campbell Clarke- Swilers RFC/ McGill

Barnaby Dunscombe- TARS RFC

Lucas Shortall-  Swilers RFC

Tom Jarman- TARS RFC

Sam Newhook- Baymen RFC

Adam Anshan- TARS RFC

JS Cook- Swiler’s RFC

Jesse Mckay- Moncton RFC

Keith Graham- TARS RFC/ James Bay

James Mitchell- Loyalists RFC/ Castaway Wanderers

Dexten Fox- Loyalists RFC

Cameron Pope- Halifax TARS RFC

Team Staff

Coach- Jamie Cudmore

Coach- David Jackson

Coach- Curtis Lauzon

Coach- Morgan Lovell

Coach- Jack Hanratty

Manager- Sarah O’Connor

High Performance Advisor- Dr. Brendan Parfrey

GM- Dr. John Gillis