The Jamaica Rugby League Association and Canada Rugby League have announced their squads for Saturday’s match in Lamport Stadium, Toronto.
The Reggae Warriors will face the Wolverines for the second annual Caribbean Carnival Cup, currently held by Canada after their 40-10 victory over their Caribbean rivals in 2011. Last year several Jamaican players struggled to adjust to the colder Canadian climate and national coach Romeo Monteith expects similar conditions to greet his charges on Saturday evening.
According to Monteith, “Several boys struggled last year with the thin air really affecting our ability to breathe properly…we really suffered. It will be the same this year and our players have to be mentally tough and adjust quickly to the conditions. Added to the air, our boys will play on Astro Turf for the first time, which is a new and unknown element”.
Eight new caps make the squad in what is sure to be a tough baptism against the hardy Canadians, who themselves field six debutants. For the first time a player from CRL's British Columbia competition is selected as Jared Curry of the Kelowna Crows will be making the 4000km trek to Toronto.
Coach Richard Moore was eagerly seeing what CRL chair regards as the best Canada team to date: "I'm very excited about the team we have picked; it's a good mix of experience and fresh blood. There is good balance in all areas of the field, and the truth is it is getting harder and harder to pick the team as the overall standard is improving in Canada and some very strong players missed out on selection."
Canada is currently 21st in the Rugby League International Federation’s World Ranking, while the Reggae Warriors are 23rd.
Pictured: Matt Wyles is one of seven Toronto players in Canada's squad.
Photo: www.colinwatsonphotography.com
CANADA SQUAD
Chris Diamond, Christian Miller (Hamilton Hammers), Jared Curry (Kelowna Crows) Cam Grace, Stephen Lamb, Stu McReynolds, Justin Redguard, Graham Stevens, Kenn Waring, Keegan Watcham-Roy (Ottawa Rhinos), Stephen Conlon, John Felix, Tony Felix, Robin Legault, Jamie Lester, Henry Miers, Matthew Wyles (Toronto City Saints)
JAMAICA SQUAD
Roy Calvert, Jason Gooden, Khamisi Mckain, Jermaine Pinnock, Robert Rodney, Fabion Turner, Kemoy Whyte, Claude Yen (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Ryan Grant, Adrian Mckenzie, Adrian Myers, Stephen Scott Ryan Spence (GC Foster College), Renaldo Wade (Maxfield Rookies Star Steppers), Andrew Fong, Omar Jones (Vauxhall Vultures), Orlando Jones (Unattached)