Centre excited about Commonwealth debut
Nick Blevins waited a long time for this game.
Maybe his whole life. An Edmonton kid with rugby in his blood wearing Team Canada’s colours in a match against a world powerhouse from Scotland, with about 50 friends and family in the stands at Commonwealth Stadium?
It doesn’t get any better than that.
Except maybe if the Canadians pull off an upset victory.
“This will be my first game in Commonwealth,” said the 29-yearold centre, who grew up in Edmonton before moving to Calgary when he was 12. “We’ve had some games at Ellerslie (Rugby Park), but never Commonwealth. That’s going to make it even more special.”
So will having a personal fan club.
“I have lots of family here and will have a big cheering section, so it should be pretty special,” said Blevins, who expects the entire team will get a lift from the crowd in Edmonton. “You never want to disappoint the home fans. A loud crowd can really give you the boost you need in that 70th minute when the game is tight.”
The match will also be his 50th test cap with Team Canada, a milestone that couldn’t have come at a better place and time.
The veteran has been around this team since 2009, and played in the 2015 World Cup.
“It’s crazy how it came full circle and it’s back in Edmonton,” he said.
“It’s unbelievable how that worked out. Getting a win would top it right off.”
Blevins was hoping he could share the moment with his Team Canada roommate Gordon McRorie, the Scottish-born scrum half who now makes Edmonton his home, but an injury in practice derailed those plans.
McRorie’s ankle isn’t broken, just a Grade 2 sprain that will keep him out two or three weeks — and off the field at Commonwealth this Saturday.
If anyone understands how McRorie is feeling right now, it’s the other Edmontonian.
“He’s pretty devastated,” said Blevins. “His parents actually flew in from Scotland to watch this game. That’s tough. But at least he’s with his family.
“And he’s still a part of the team just as much as if he was playing. He’ll still be on the sidelines enjoying himself and supporting us. He’s on the mend and we’ll see if we can get him back later in this tour.”
Team Canada coach Kingsley Jones feels the loss of McRorie on both a tactical and personal level.
“You have injuries, that’s the nature of the sport,” he said.
“And you can’t select who they are, but Gordon is important to us. He plays two positions very well. It was a bit of blow to us.
“But I’ve been doing this long enough to know that you can only control the controllables.
“We’ll call in Brock Staller as a good goal-kicking fullback option and Patrick Parfrey, who has a lot of experience, to cover that position as well.”
On the personal side, Jones feels for a player who was just a few days away from one of the most exciting stages he will ever play on, only to have it yanked away by fate.
“You have to understand the emotion that’s involved when that happens and the guy realizes he isn’t going to play,” said Jones.
“His emotional state is all over the place. He’s devastated. It’s not the pain of the ankle, it’s the pain of the thought he can’t play.
“He’s still with us, he’s in the camp ... he’s positive. I’ve been in camps where you get injured and you’re in the next taxi out of the hotel. That’s a bit of a lonely thing, as well, to leave the group.
“We’re trying to make sure we look after him in terms of the emotional side of it as well, not just the pain of his foot.”