Depleted Canada up for rugby Test against Russia

In a rugby whodunit, it will be the Case of the Missing Cs this weekend for the Langford-based Canadian national team.

Captain DTH van der Merwe and assistant captain Phil Mack, both of Victoria, and assistant captain Tyler Ardron of Peterborough, Ont., will all be unavailable when No. 21 Canada plays No. 19 Russia in a Test match Saturday in Ottawa.

Ardron and van der Merwe are injured and Mack has pro club commitments as captain of the Seattle SeaWolves of Major League Rugby.

“It’s a blow to us that our three captains are out for the rest of the trip,” said Canadian head coach Kingsley Jones.

“Phil Mack we planned for because he’s got a lead role at his club and we’re supporting that. Tyler unfortunately didn’t recover as we expected from the knock he picked up playing for the [New Zealand pro club] Chiefs a few weeks ago. DTH has been fantastic for us as the captain but unfortunately he picked up a calf injury [last weekend against Scotland,] which will certainly keep him out for the next 10 days.”

Flanker Lucas Rumball from Scarborough, Ont., will celebrate his 20th cap by wearing the captain’s armband Saturday for Canada. Also starting will be the James Bay Athletic Association pair of Courtenay’s Noah Barker on the front row and Victoria’s Luke Campbell at No. 8. Cole Keith, another JBAA player, will also start.

Former Castaway Wanderers stalwart Ray Barkwill completes Canada’s front row with Keith and Barker. Josh Larsen of Parksville, a pro in New Zealand with Otago, will start in the second row and Shawnigan Lake School graduate Dustin Dobravsky of CW at flanker. Doug Fraser from Ladysmith, a former University of Victoria Vikes star now with CW, returns from injury to get the nod at outside centre.

“I expect a physical game. Russia is a big, strong team,” said Jones, who formerly coached the Russian national team.

“We expect a wounded animal after their performance last week against the U.S. [62-13 Eagles victory over Russia]. It’s going to be a tough challenge.”

Canada began a crucial summer Test series, to prepare for the lastchance qualifier in November for the 20th and final berth into the Japan 2019 World Cup, with a 48-10 loss to world No. 6 Scotland last weekend at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. The other Tests in the series are Saturday against Russia at Twin Elm Rugby Park in Ottawa and June 23 against the U.S. Eagles at the Wanderers Ground in Halifax.