During a Rugby World Cup send-off dinner in Vancouver on Thursday, current and former Canadian internationals Hubert Buydens, Jamie Cudmore, Luke Cudmore, John Hutchinson, Danny Nikas and Jim Yagenegi were presented their caps from their test debuts.
The practice is an initiative of Rugby Canada and the Canadian Rugby Foundation, as both organizations work to award all players who were capped for Canada with their official cap.
The following players received their caps on Thursday:
Hubert Buydens
Hubert Buydens started playing his Club Rugby for the Saskatoon Wild Oats. He made his debut on June 10, 2006, in Toronto, in the Barclays Churchill Cup competition, against the England Saxons. He has, after playing three matches this year, a total of six caps and is establishing himself as the team’s loosehead prop. The twenty-nine year old, who weighs in at 125 kilograms, also plays for the Prairie Wolfpack in the Canadian Rugby Championship competition. Hubert will also be representing Canada as a member of 2011 Rugby World Cup squad.
Jamie Cudmore
Jamie Cudmore has earned twenty-three caps after playing in three matches this year. He played his first match for Canada on July 13, 2002, against the U.S. in Chicago, in the RWC Qualifier match. Jamie has played in two World Cups, twice against Wales, coming on as a replacement in Melbourne in 2003 and scoring a try in Nantes in 2007. He has played a total of six RWC matches. In 2002, he travelled to Germany with the Pacific Sport Under 23 team. Jamie signed his first professional contract with Llanelli in 2003, played in Grenoble and is currently plying his trade with ASM Clermont Auvergne in the French Top 14 competition. Jamie’s home club is the mighty Capilano RFC. Jamie will also be representing Canada as a member of 2011 Rugby World Cup squad.
Luke Cudmore
Luke Cudmore was born in Squamish, British Columbia. He plays in the second row, standing 6’ 7” tall and weighing in at 105 kilograms. He plays his Club Rugby for Capilano RFC in the B.C. Premiership competition. Luke has represented Canada on a number of occasions and his debut test match was in the Barclays Churchill Cup competition, in Chicago, against the U.S.A on June 21st, 2008. He has played for the London Irish Academy, the ASM Clermont Auvergne Academy as well as being involved with the Welsh Rugby Union Northwest Academy squad in 2010.
John Hutchinson
Born in Toronto, John Hutchinson played his Club Rugby in Ontario for the York Yoemen, before moving out west to further his career. He played for the U.B.C. Old Boys Ravens when he was first selected to play for his country. His debut came on June 5, 1993, coming on as a replacement against England at Twin Elm Rugby Park in Nepean. John went on to play fifty matches for Canada, his last match coming against Japan in 2000. Playing his Rugby at flanker, he holds a Canadian record for consecutive matches, at forty, playing every game between May, 1995 and October, 1999, including four matches in the 1995 and all 5 matches in the 1999 Rugby World Cups. John scored eight tries over his international career. He also lived in Japan, from 1996 to 2000, playing for IBM and Suntory.
Danny Nikas
Danny Nikas was coached by Spence McTavish at Lord Byng High School, where he started his rugby career. He played hooker and he played all his Club Rugby for the U.B.C. Old boys Ravens in the British Columbia Senior leagues. He played his first match for Canada in Montevideo, against Uruguay, on March 7, 1995. Danny’s only other game for his country was three days later, in that same Pan American Rugby Association tournament, in Buenos Aires, against the Pumas. He was selected as a replacement for the Canada side which hosted Wales in Markham in June, 1994. He also represented Canada in the Dubai Sevens in 1994.
Jim Yeganegi
Dr. Jim Yeganegi, a Dentist by profession, played two matches for Canada, coming on as a replacement at the hooker position on both occasions. His debut came when he was playing for the Meralomas in Vancouver, on May 11, 1996, at Balboa Park in San Francisco, against the U.S.A. His second match came a little more than two years later, against Japan at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver. Both these matches were in the old Pacific Rim tournament.
Dr. Yeganegi received his BSc from the University of British Columbia, in 1991 and he received his Doctor of Dental Medicine from Tufts University, in Boston, in 1995.
