Canada Player Biographies

Following are brief biographies of the Canadian World Cup squad (ages correct at start of tournament):

PAT PARFREY (coach). Irish-born 49-year-old, succeeded Ian Birtwell in 1996. First assignment in Australia led to 79-9 defeat to the Wallabies but he led Canada to victory in the Pacific Rim championship in 1997 and 1998 and through the World Cup qualifiers in Argentina. A Professor of Medicine at Memorial University in St John's, Newfoundland, has developed the side's all-round game rather than the previous forward-dominated style. Have not won this year, losing all five games at the Pacific Rim and losing to England and Wales. Began playing rugby at 13 at the Christian Brothers School in Cork, Ireland, played for Munster from 1969-1977 and was capped on the wing for Ireland against New Zealand in 1974. Coached London Irish and took them to the 1980 English Cup final, moved to Montreal in 1982 and coached Montreal Irish. Says will quit after the World Cup because he cannot afford being away from his work for three months a year.

JOE PAGANO. Fullback. Age 27. Height 1.82m. Weight 88kg. Caps: Nine. Retail manager. Can also play on the wing, where he made his debut against Ireland in 1997.

SCOTT STEWART. Fullback/wing. Age 30. 1.87m. 88.5kg. Caps: 50. Tough tackler. Made his debut against the United States in 1989. Played in the 1991 and 1995 World Cups and in the Sevens World Cup in 1993 and 1997. Has played for English side Bedford.

WINSTON STANLEY. Wing/fullback. Age 25. 1.85m. 83.5kg. Caps: 34. Made his debut against the United States in 1994. Canada's all time top try scorer with 13, he started in all three 1995 World Cup games in South Africa. Scored tries in three consecutive matches in the 1997 Pac Rim tournament and has played sevens for Canada at Hong Kong, Fiji, the 1997 World Cup and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Featured in all three 1998 World Cup qualifiers, scoring a try against Uruguay. Scored his 13th try against Western Samoa in the 1999 Epson Cup.

DAVID LOUGHEED. Wing. Age 31. 1.87m. 91kg. Caps: 27. Ferocious tackler and relishes physical side of the game. Played left wing for Canada in all three 1995 World Cup games in South Africa. Scored two tries against England at Twickenham in 1994. Has played for the Barbarians and has been a key member of the national sevens squad. Plays with leading English club Leicester.

COURTNEY SMITH. Wing. Age 28. 1.77m. 87kg. Caps: 20. Featured in all five 1999 Epson Cup matches and appeared against Uruguay in the 1998 World Cup qualifiers in Argentina. Played for Saracens and London Scottish in England during 1997-1998.

JEREMY CORDLE. Wing. Age 26 (27 on October 24). 1.85m. 91kg. Caps: Five. Born in Wales. Debut against Hong Kong in 1998. Impressed at the 1999 Welsh Challenge Cup to earn squad place.

SCOTT BRYAN. Centre. Age 30. 1.87m. 93kg. Caps: 17. Lawyer. Made his debut against Uruguay in 1996. Played against the U.S. and Argentina in 1998 World Cup qualifiers and the five Pacific Rim matches in 1999.

KYLE NICHOLAS. Centre/wing. Age 24. 1.85m. 85kg. Caps: 11. Student. Has also played sevens for Canada.

GARETH REES (captain). Flyhalf. Age 32. 1.82m. 92.5m. Caps: 52. Teacher by profession. Can also play fullback, fine kicker and quick off the mark, despite his portly physique. Debut against the United States in 1986. Has scored 443 international points, a Canadian record. Will become the only person to play in all four World Cups. Played in the 1987 tournament aged 19, captained team in 1995 - when he was sent off after brawl with South Africa. Top scorer in English club season in 1996 and 1997. Helped Wasps to the English Cup this year, playing at fullback.

MORGAN WILLIAMS. Scrumhalf. Age 23. 1.86m. 82kg. Caps: Three. Student. Debut against Tonga in the 1999 Epson Cup. Expected to edge out veteran John Graf for the number nine spot at the World Cup.

JOHN GRAF. Scrumhalf. Age 30. 1.75m. 88kg. Caps: 53. Very rugged, combative player. Made his debut against Ireland in 1989. Has won caps in four different positions behind the scrum and is Canada's most capped player. Played number nine in 1995 World Cup matches in South Africa and also played in the 1991 tournament. Has also captained the side. Could be second choice in the World Cup after Al Charron beat him to the role of vice-captain.

JULIAN LOVEDAY. Scrumhalf. Age 36. 1.77m. 79kg. Caps: 10. Owns a computer company. Accomplished sevens player, captaining Canada in the 1993 World Cup Sevens.

ROB ROBSON. Flanker/number eight. Age 31. 1.86m. 90kg. Caps: Four. Government employee. Toured New Zealand with Canada in 1989 and 1991 and has won four British Columbia championships with Victoria's James Bay club. Toured Ireland with Canada in 1997.

BOB ROSS. Flyhalf/fullback. Age 30. 1.80m. 84kg. Caps: 36. A professional rugby player, he also works as a fishing guide. A prolific kicker, he has scored 297 international points. Made his debut against Ireland in 1989. Played in every game for Canada in 1996 and 1997. Played for Cardiff in 1997-1998 season.

MIKE SCHMID. Number eight. Age 29. 1.90m. 102kg. Caps: 17. Captains English club side Rotherham. Has played for Canada's sevens team.

AL CHARRON. Flanker. Age 33. 1.98m. 111kg. Caps: 51. Hugely powerful with a never-say-die attitude. Regarded as the heart of the 1999 team. In his third World Cup after making his debut in 1991. Scored a second-half try against New Zealand in the 1991 World Cup quarter-final and the winning try against Wales in 1993 in Cardiff. Scored two tries in 1995 World Cup when he played in four positions in three games. Selected as a Barbarian on several occasions. Played for Moseley in England until transferred to Bristol in 1998.

JOHN HUTCHINSON. Flanker. Age 30. 1.93m. 104kg. Caps: 43. Computer company executive. Debut against England in 1993. Made his World Cup debut in 1995 and established himself as first-choice flanker in 1997.

RYAN BANKS. Flanker. Age 27. 1.82m. 101kg. Caps: Seven. Moved from gridiron football to rugby in 1996. A technician by trade. Played for Bedford in England.

DAN BAUGH. Flanker. Age 24 (25 on October 9). 1.82m. 91kg. Caps: 14. Chef. Also a fine sevens exponent. Made his debut against Japan last year.

MIKE JAMES. Lock. Age 26. 1.98m. 111kg. Caps: 32. Played against Romania and Australia in the 1995 World Cup but broke his thumb against the Wallabies, forcing him to miss the South Africa game. Has played for French side Perpignan.

CHRIS WHITTAKER. Lock. Age 28. 1.98m. 104kg. Caps: 16. Plays for James Bay in British Columbia. Played for London Welsh in 1998.

JOHN TAIT. Lock/flanker. Age 26. 2.03m. 104kg. Caps: 14. Made his debut against the United States in 1997. Attended the University of Ulster and played for Irish Colleges and Ulster- under 23. Considered by Canada as the find of the 1997 Pac Rim Championship. Played for Cardiff in Wales.

ROD SNOW. Prop. Age 29. 1.80m. 120kg. Caps: 26. Began his career as a flanker with Newfoundland and then switched to prop, but won his first cap as hooker against Argentina in 1995. Played in the 1995 World Cup, scoring a try against Romania, and, along with Rees, being sent off against the Springboks. He played for Eastern Province in South Africa, before switching to Welsh side Newport. Toured Australia with Canada in 1996. Played for a World XV against Argentina in 1999.

RICHARD BICE. Prop. Age 31. 1.90m. 120kg. Caps: 21. Was in Canada's 1995 World Cup squad but made his debut a year later against the United States. Played for Valence d'Agen in France in 1997-1998.

DUANE MAJOR. Prop. Age 27. 1.88m. 103kg. Caps: One. School teacher. A New Zealander who plays for the Christchurch Cantabrians, a development side for the Super 12 Canterbury Crusaders. Qualified for Canadian citizenship through his mother. His one cap came against England at the end of August. Formerly played as a flanker.

BRIAN MCCARTHY. Prop. Age 29 (30 on Sept 15). 1.98m. 118kg. Caps: Three. Can also play lock and number eight. Played for Nottingham in England in 1996-97. Made his debut against the United States in 1996.

DAVE PENNEY. Prop. Age 29. 1.85m. 118kg. Caps: Seven. Teacher. Played for Oxford University against Cambridge in the 1995 and 1996 Varsity matches. Made his Canadian debut against the United States in 1995.

JON THIEL. Prop. Age 24. 1.85m. 118kg. Caps: 10. Student. Earned his first two caps in the 1998 Pac Rim tournament.

MARK CARDINAL. Hooker. Age 38. 1.80m. 93kg. Caps: 33. Owner of recycling company. Made his debut against the United States in 1986. Canada's oldest active international player. Would have been in fourth World Cup but missed 1991 for business reasons. Scored a try against Ireland in the 1987 World Cup.

PAT DUNKLEY. Hooker. Age 27. 1.83m. 93kg. Caps: 13. Works in retail sales. Joined the Canadian squad in the 1996 Pan-America Series and won his first cap against Japan in 1998. Can also play in the back row.

Reuters contributed to this report.