Canada embarks on short tour to NZ

April 7, 2006

I am really enjoying Al Charron's commentaries at Rugby Canada. I always like to hear from retired internationals and captains -- but it's even better when the ex-athlete is a humorous and erudite man of letters.

This week Al talks up a short Canadian tour to New Zealand next week. He says the tour has an eye towards this years Churchill Cup and next years World Cup.

Al has some advice for the Canadian players -- especially the newcomers:

"[F]or the players on tour who might not necessarily be considered number one on the depth chart for their position at the moment, here is an opportunity to not only further your rugby education but to impress and possibly put yourself in the running for further selections to follow in this busy year of Canadian fixtures.

"Further chances of reaping Canadian honours have been made and broken touring NZ, so be sure to make the best of your situation. Believe in yourself and your ability, for opportunity is what you make of it, and you can’t afford to let it go to waste!"

But even Al himself is mystified about the make-up of Canada's roster -- he doesn't know half the players and wonders whether other Canadians do either. But Charron reminds us that the sport in Canada is in jeopardy and throws his support behind Rugby Canada:

"Everyone is an expert on how Canada should best invest their time, money and resources. Some people have short term visions and others long term visions. The good people of the Canadian rugby community see the pros of their idea but unfortunately not always the cons that go along with them.

"There is no real right or wrong solution to the adversity we face in growing our sport in such a vast country. We can only hope that the people charged with making crucial decisions about rugby in this country can set a side petty rugby geographical biases and their regions and personal egos to come up with solutions that best enables Canada -not east or west- but Canada, to grow stronger as a rugby playing nation on the world stage."

Read the rest...