Rugby Canada resurrects Pacific Pride program, looking to develop young talent
Rugby Canada is dipping back into the past to resurrect the Pacific Pride, a national high-performance men’s academy program for players aged 18 to 24.
The academy will run some 10 months a year out of the Rugby Canada Al Charron National Training Centre in Langford, B.C.
Jamie Cudmore, Danny Baugh, Ryan Smith and John Tait are among the graduates of the original under-23 Pacific Pride program, which ran from 1996 to 2005.
The new program will largely draw on uncapped players seen to be one to three seasons away from playing senior international rugby. They will be chosen by Rugby Canada in conjunction with provincial unions. Selection for the 2019-2020 season is underway, with the beginning of August a tentative starting date.