Butler named to Team Canada rugby squad
Blessed Trinity grad Glenn Butler has been named to the Team Canada under-20 men’s rugby team. Photo by Emilie-Prudhomme.
The Butler has done it again.
Blessed Trinity graduate Glenn Butler has been named to the roster for Team Canada’s under-20 men’s rugby team that will be competing in a tour of Portugal and Spain Feb. 13 to Feb. 25.
“Growing up being in the system, then getting recognized, and then finally being able to showcase your skills and what you have, it feels really good,” said Butler, who is coming off an excellent rookie season with the Royal Military College Paladins.
In Ontario University Athletics’ action with Royal Military College, the Grimsby native, who played fullback, led his team in points and hits, finished as the top rookie scorer in the OUA, and was seventh in the league overall in points. For his accomplishments, Butler was named to the OUA all-star team.
Butler will be among the youngest players on Team Canada’s roster, but he sees that as an advantage.
“I’m going to learn so much from the guys around me and playing opponents that are world class,” he said. “It’s a really great opportunity to be in the system one year later so we can learn so much this year from that higher level and then come back next year and excel our game even more.”
Butler was chosen to the team following a section camp early in the year. Following the tour of Portugal and Spain, the team will start preparing for a battle against the United States to see who advances to the World Trophy event, to be held in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, from July 9 to July 21
Canada will gather at Shawnigan Lake School May 14 to prepare for the two games against the USA to be held at the end of May and start of June. The winning team, based on a two-game aggregate score, will advance to the World Trophy.
The engineering student is excited for what lies ahead this summer leading up to his sophomore season at Royal Military College.
“It’s going to be such high-level rugby,” Butler said. “I’m going to learn a lot of new techniques, new systems of the game, and hopefully I can bring it back and integrate it into the RMC rugby team and elevate our club as a whole.”
Butler first came to the attention of the national team when his rugby team folded and he was picked up by the Misfits Academy. After the Misfits won the Magnificent Sevens Tournament in Toronto and the New York Sevens Tournament, the coaches of the Canadian national 15-a-side under-18 men’s rugby team asked him to attend a camp in Toronto.
The former member of Ontario under-16 rugby team that won a bronze medal at the nationals ended up being selected for Team Canada White for a tournament in Arizona. Of the 56 players who attended the event in Arizona, Butler was one of 23 players chosen to compete in a tournament in Hong Kong in March 2018.
In an earlier interview with BPSN, the former Blessed Trinity football player said he enjoyed rugby because of its camaraderie and variety.
“I like the bonding on a rugby team and I feel it’s not like any other sport. I like the brotherhood,” he said.
With files from Royal Military College and Rugby Canada.
