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It鈥檚 the Etch-A-Sketch moment for the Langford-based Canadian men鈥檚 national rugby team.
鈥淓veryone starts out on a fresh page, and we鈥檒l see who puts their hands up on the campaign to Japan 2019,鈥� said new head coach Mark Anscombe, referring to the next World Cup.
He also could have also been saying that about himself, as the Anscombe era in sa国际传媒 begins with a Test series next month against Japan at sa国际传媒 Place on June 11, versus Russia at Calgary Rugby Park on June 18 and against Italy at BMO Field in Toronto on June 26.
sa国际传媒 opens training camp next Saturday at Shawnigan Lake School with 35 players invited. The camp will run to June 5, when a squad of 28 will be named.
Anscombe, who arrived two weeks ago, will live in Greater Victoria.
The former Ulster bench boss replaces fellow Kiwi Kieran Crowley as the Canadian head coach. Crowley, based in Mill Bay, had been Canadian coach since 2008 and guided the Canucks through the 2011 and 2015 World Cups.
Crowley left the program this year to take a coaching position with an Italian professional club.
Fourteen of the players going to the Shawnigan Lake camp next weekend are veterans of the 2015 World Cup. That counters the eight uncapped players invited.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 very important experience the [World Cup] veterans bring,鈥� Anscombe said.
鈥淲e need people who have been there and done that. They will help develop our younger players. You can鈥檛 just throw young players in there [Tests].鈥�
Anscombe will be learning on the fly in his new job in a new country.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to get started,鈥� he said, about the process of learning about his Canadian charges.
鈥淚鈥檝e seen plenty of footage . . . and I鈥檝e talked to a lot of people.鈥�
Complicating matters is that some XVs prospects are with the Canadian sevens team in London this weekend, preparing for next month鈥檚 last-chance Olympic qualifier for Rio to be held in Monaco.
鈥淭he sevens team is in a very important stage at the moment,鈥� Anscombe said.
鈥淲hat it does is create opportunities for others.
鈥淵ou are going to see two or three [unexpected] players really put their hands up, and that鈥檚 exciting.
鈥淪ometimes, underdog players come through given the right preparation and opportunity.鈥�
