In high-level rugby players aged 30 and over are considered grizzled veterans.
Clay Panga, who will suit up for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 menB次元官网网址檚 15s in SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 (Feb. 6) Americas Rugby Championship match against Uruguay at Westhills Stadium, is at that milestone now. While some might say his age puts him in the twilight of his high-performance rugby career, Panga, a native of Papakura, New Zealand near Auckland and a player and coach with Westshore RFC, is anxious to make an impression with the national team coaches with this opportunity.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 definitely been times of self-doubt and itB次元官网网址檚 been a long time coming,B次元官网网址� he said of his chance to get capped. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 definitely those times when you feel youB次元官网网址檙e not being looked at (by national team representatives).B次元官网网址�
HeB次元官网网址檚 no stranger to lining up against veteran national teamers. On top of his play in the B.C. Premiership, he played flanker with the Prairie Wolf Pack regional development team while residing in Calgary in past yearsB次元官网网址� Canadian Rugby Championship competitions.
In this post-World Cup year, with Canada coming off what many considered a sub-standard result in England B次元官网网址� they went 0-4 and failed to advance from pool play B次元官网网址� Rugby Canada has assembled a younger, relatively untested side to contest the ARC. with 18 uncapped players.
Panga said thatB次元官网网址檚 relatively common in the year following a World Cup, as coaches have a new cycle of players they want to test out. Also impacting the makeup of the ARC roster, he added, is the fact Canadians who play professionally were not available for this tournament.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 very exciting time at Rugby Canada,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been a few transitions both on the field and off, and thereB次元官网网址檚 opportunities for guys like myself and others. A lot of guys are trying to prove themselves.B次元官网网址�
A player with Westshore RFC and an assistant coach with the Westshore Valkyries Premier Division side, Panga is excited at the prospect of lining up at flanker this weekend against Uruguay, and potentially in subsequent matches against Brazil (Feb. 20 at Westhills), and road games against U.S.A., Argentina and Chile.
B次元官网网址淲ith that position, thereB次元官网网址檚 always a lot of depth. You get to be all over the field,B次元官网网址� he said, adding, when asked, that he still considers himself B次元官网网址減retty fast.B次元官网网址�
Local fans will recognize a number of players from the B.C. Premiership, including team captain, prop Hubert Buydens, who suits up for the Castaway-Wanderers in club rugby.
Other CW players on the roster for the ARC include veteran hooker Ray Barkwill and props Jake Ilnicki and Djustice Sears-Duru, while University of Victoria Vikes, fly half Gradyn Bowd and lock Liam Chisholm, have also drawn in.
The team is training at Shawnigan Lake School in Mill Bay this week in preparation for SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 match. They were scheduled to have a run against the Canada under-20 side there yesterday (Feb. 2) and wind up the mini-camp with a B次元官网网址渃aptainB次元官网网址檚 runB次元官网网址� Friday to fine-tune strategy.
Panga isnB次元官网网址檛 taking anything for granted as he dons the red jersey.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 so privileged and honoured to be able to play on this team,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淔or me itB次元官网网址檚 been 10 years of hard work and IB次元官网网址檝e seen a lot of other guys leave (the program). For me to be able to be here B次元官网网址� I wonB次元官网网址檛 give up on my dream.B次元官网网址�
SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 opponent, Uruguay, sits one spot below Canada at No. 20 in the most recent world rankings. Panga expects them to offer a good challenge, despite suffering a lopsided loss to Canada in last yearB次元官网网址檚 ARC.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e one of those South American teams that are continuously improving and weB次元官网网址檒l need to bring our B次元官网网址楢B次元官网网址� game,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檒l be a physical encounter, so if youB次元官网网址檙e into big hits ad running rugby I think thatB次元官网网址檚 what youB次元官网网址檙e going to see.B次元官网网址�
Kickoff is 4 p.m. this Saturday against Uruguay and Feb. 20 against Brazil. Tickets may still be available at .
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
