With files from Brock Smith, Ontario Arrows Communications
Ontario Arrows head coach Chris Silverthorn has named his starting lineup for Saturday’s home opener against northeastern American premier club side Boston Mystics.
Silverthorn has made four changes to his starting 15 that defeated the Mystics in Boston 29-19 on Apr. 21, bringing in Canadian international scrum-half Andrew Ferguson, young hooker Jack McRogers, mobile centre Mitch Richardson, and the fleet-footed Shawn Windsor, who draws in at full-back for the first time this season.
“After four matches on the road to start our season, we can’t wait to play in front of our home fans in Toronto this Saturday,” said Silverthorn. “The support we’ve received this year has been incredible. We know there’s a huge appetite for elite-level rugby in Ontario, and our team has really benefited from the boost we’ve been getting from our fans back home. This Saturday, we’ll know we’ll enjoy a home-field advantage from our supporters.”
“We know it’ll be a tough test against Boston, as they’ll be looking to even things up after our match two weeks ago, but our players have been putting in the hard yards in training these past two weeks, and they’re up to the task,” Silverthorn added. “The forecast is calling for perfect rugby weather, and with no ice in sight, we’re looking forward to putting in a strong, entertaining 80 minutes for our fans.”
Squad Notes:
- Six squad members will have started all five matches this spring season: Ciulini, Dolezel, Francis, Milazzo, Sheppard, Sheridan
- Sandison is in contention to make his Arrows debut off the substitutes’ bench
- Six squad members are full Canadian internationals: Brouwer (9 caps), Ciulini (6 caps), Dolezel (16 caps), Ferguson (9 caps), Lloyd (6 caps), Wilson (1 cap)
- Seven squad members are Canada Under-20 program grads: Ciulini (2015), Ferguson (2011, 2012), Kelly (2017), McRogers (2017), Milazzo (2016), Richardson (2016), West (2012)
Saturday’s match will be played at York University, and will kick off at 4:30 p.m. EDT. Tickets are available online for $15, as well as at the gate on matchday for $20. Youth (16 and under) and American citizens can enjoy free admission.
The game can be streamed live through the Arrows’ YouTube channel.
Ontario Arrows Lineup vs. Boston Mystics
1. Rob Brouwer
2. Jack McRogers
3. Tom Dolezel
4. Mike Sheppard (C)
5. Paul Ciulini
6. Marcello Wainwright
7. Peter Milazzo
8. Kolby Francis
9. Andrew Ferguson
10. Will Kelly
11. John Sheridan
12. Mitch Richardson
13. Jon West
14. Kainoa Lloyd
15. Shawn Windsor
16. Cam Sandison
17. Pat Lynott
18. Mike Smith
19. Tom Van Horne
20. Andrew Wilson
21. Alex Gliksten
22. Kyle Lagasca
23. Cooper Coats
STAFF
Head Coach: Chris Silverthorn
Assistant Coaches: David Butcher, Aaron Carpenter, Cory Hector
General Manager: Mark Winokur
Performance Analyst: Rodin Lozada
Athletic Therapist: Chris Kelly
Team Doctor: Dr. John Gillis
About Ontario Arrows Rugby Club:
The Ontario Arrows Rugby Club is Canada’s first privately-funded high-performance rugby team.
The team is equipped to compete against top-tier North American club teams, providing emerging Canadian talent with enhanced and more frequent opportunities to hone their skills at an elite level.
For more information, visit https://ontarioarrowsrugby.com/
For more information, please contact:
Brock Smith
Communications Manager
Ontario Arrows
brock@brocksmithcommunications.com
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Photo credit: Jack Gorman
