Seven players from the University of Victoria Vikes men’s rugby team have been named to Canada’s U20 squad for the 2025 Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge, set to take place in Fiji from May 28 to June 7.
Adam Doane, Brighton Feldman, Josh McIndoe, Matthew Bennett, Morgan Di Nardo, Reece Thompson, and Spencer Cotie will represent Canada in Nadi, Fiji, where the team will face Samoa, Fiji and Tonga.
Four of those athletes – Bennett (St. Michael's University), Feldman (Royal Bay), and McIndoe and Cotie (Claremont) – graduated from Greater Victoria high schools before joining the Vikes.
Vikes head coach Scott Manning said the selection of seven players reflects the program’s commitment to developing talent for the national level.
“One of the core goals of our varsity rugby program is to create pathways for athletes to reach the highest levels of the sport, including national team selection,” Manning said. “We’re incredibly proud of these individuals for earning the opportunity to represent Canada’s U20s this summer.”
All seven players have previous experience with Canadian age-grade national teams, with several having competed for the Canadian U18 squad at the 2024 Corendon Rugby Summer Tour in Amsterdam.
Before heading overseas, the Canadian U20 team will hold a two-week training camp in early May, with sessions in Langford and at Shawnigan Lake School.
Team Canada head coach Christiaan Esterhuizen emphasized the tournament's importance for Canadian rugby development.
“Participating in the 2025 Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge is a critical step in developing our young Canadian players,” Esterhuizen said. “Competing against top Pacific nations like Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga will test our players’ resilience and adaptability while giving them a valuable taste of international rugby.”
Canada's first game will be on May 28 against Samoa.
