There are only a certain number of players who can perform at this level 鈥� and now the depth of Canadian rugby is about to be severely tested.
Just four days after losing to Ireland on Saturday before a record Canadian crowd of more than 20,000 at BMO Field in Toronto, the Canadian team has flown across the Pacific for a Test today against Japan in Nagoya.
Also, Island players Phil Mack, Sean Duke, Nathan Hirayama of the UVic Vikes, Nanyak Dala, Mike Fuailefau, Ciaran Hearn of Oak Bay鈥檚 Castaway Wanderers and Thyssen De Goede, John Moonlight of James Bay, will be hived off for next week鈥檚 IRB sevens World Cup in Moscow.
But Crowley is not concerned as sa国际传媒 goes into Japan at 3-0 in the Pacific Nations Cup following victories earlier this spring over the U.S., Fiji and Tonga.
鈥淐anadian rugby has come along in leaps and bounds,鈥� he said, after the Ireland game.
鈥淢ostly, that鈥檚 in depth.鈥�
Crowley can go deeper into the well now with more Canadians to choose from who are good enough to play internationally.
鈥淏efore, we had a core of 23 players. If one of those players went down with injury, we were in bad straits,鈥� said the transplanted Kiwi and 1987 World Cup champion as an All Black.聽鈥淣ow, one person missing doesn鈥檛 make a team.鈥�
Not that it isn鈥檛 tough for Crowley to make roster ends meet with such short turnarounds. CW mates Dala, Hearn and Fuailefau will do double duty with the XVs national side in Japan today before the sevens World Cup next week in Russia.
Also named for the Japan game are Andrew Tiedemann of CW, former CW star Hubert Buydens and Sean White, Tyler Ardron and Connor Braid, all from James Bay.
