England Churchill Cup Preview - Canada

Canada 2005
By Kath 9/6/05 updated with Team
October 22 2005

England's Churchill Cup Team are on their way to Canada and stand a very good chance of coming back with the trophy. We wish them the best of luck.

England's Churchill Cup squad are on their way and we all wish them well in the tournament.

"The Churchill Cup is a five year alliance between Rugby Canada, USA Rugby and the English Rugby Football Union. Last year's tournament was staged in two venues in Alberta - Calgary and Edmonton.  Due to the fantastic support from the Edmonton public, and the professional facilities offered by the Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton is the sole host this year which is an exciting opportunity for the city.  The initial proposal was that for years four and five the tournament would move to the USA but if Edmonton proves a successful host I would hope that the tournament would remain in our city for the next two years.

England coach Joe Lydon was forced to make changes to the original Squad due to injuries incurred during the England v Barbarians game. In the front row, Sale Sharks prop Stuart Turner comes in to replace the Newcastle Falcons' tight-head prop Micky Ward, who injured his right ankle in the first quarter of last Saturday's game. Mike Shelley of Leeds Tykes replaces the NEC Harlequins loose-head prop, Mike Worsley, who also came off against the Barbarians in the second half with a low back injury.

Whilst Newcastle Falcons prop Ward bows out of the squad and, his back row club colleague Phil Dowson now comes in. Dowson replaces the Saracens captain, Hugh Vyvyan, who has exacerbated an ongoing knee problem and will now rest in preparation for next season. The 23 year old Dowson also plays for England in their quest to retain their crown in this weekend's Emirates Airline London Sevens at Twickenham. This is the first time Dowson, Turner and Shelley have been called up to tour with a full England squad.  Joe Lydon also announced that England specialist scrummage coach Phil Keith-Roach will no longer join the tour to Canada, as he is shortly to have a hip operation.  

And further news that the squad has now reduced to 25 following the withdrawal of Sale back row Magnus Lund with a thigh injury.  There will be no replacement for Lund as Newcastle's Phil Dowson was called up as cover last week when Saracens number eight Hugh Vyvyan was ruled out of the trip to Canada, also through injury.   England coach Joe Lydon has made no further changes to the squad - captained by Worcester openside Pat Sanderson.

Commenting on the changes Lydon said,

"Obviously it's very disappointing for Hugh, Micky and Mike who cant now come to Edmonton but we all know that is the nature of sport. This tour is all about opportunity and I'm pleased for Phil, Stuart and Mike Shelley, who must now take this chance and show what they can do against the likes of Canada and possibly Argentina.

"Whilst 22 England players are currently with the Lions in New Zealand, the emphasis we are putting on this Churchill Cup tour to Canada is very much looking to the future. The opportunity is there for these players to stake their claim on an international England career and that's what makes this tour so exciting."

"It goes without saying that our scrummage specialist coach Phil Keith-Roach is irreplaceable but I recognise Phil's health must come first and we wish him every success in his operation."

The squad left for Canada on Wednesday 9th June and play their first game against the host nation on 19th June. Argentina and the USA are also taking part, with the final on 26th June

England:  S Vesty (Leicester); P Sackey (Wasps), J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), C Bell (Leeds), U Monye (Harlequins); A Goode (Leicester), A Gomarsall (Gloucester, vice-capt); P Freshwater (Perpignan), G Chuter (Leicester); S Turner (Sale), L Deacon (Leicester), T Palmer (Leeds), C Jones (Sale), P Sanderson (Worcester, Captain), P Dowson (Newcastle).

Replacements: L Mears (Bath), R Morris (Northampton), S Hooper (Leeds), J Forrester (Gloucester), P Richards (Wasps), A Erinle (Wasps), T Voyce (Wasps).