IFAF: Canada arrives in Graz, Austria after 30 hours of travel

After 30 hours of travel (2 buses and 2 planes) Canada’s Senior National Team has arrived in beautiful Graz, Austria. Today begins with meetings in the morning followed by an afternoon practice.

The team will practice all week in Graz in preparation for their first game versus France July 9th. Team Roster, game schedule & past World Champions is listed below. This is Canada’s first entry in the tournament, the 4th time it has taken place since it’s inception in 1999.

Streaming of the tournament is not confirmed but expect an announcement any day on availability of watching the games online.

Top Picture: (left to right)
Tom Labenski, Sammy Okpro, Steve Faoro, Justin Glover, Anthony Maggiacomo

Offense

Michael Faulds (UWO) QB Eden Mills, ON [St. Andrew’s / Guelph Bears]
Josh Sacobie (Ottawa) QB Frederickton, NB [Champlain / Leo Hayes]
Donnie Marshall (UWO) QB London, ON [Mother Teresa / London Falcons]

Nick FitzGibbon (Guelph) RB Pushlinch, ON [Centennial / Guelph Bears]
Matt Walter (Calgary) RB Calgary, AB [Bishop O’Byrne]
David Stevens (U of Sask) RB Moose Jaw, SK [Moose Jaw]
Michel-Pierre Pontbriand (Laval) FB, Rec Ste-Adèle, QC [Edouard-Montpetit]

Shamawd Chambers (Laurier) REC Markham, ON [Markham / Raiders]
Ricky Clarke (Manitoba) WR, SB, RB, KR, PR Toronto [ Metro Wildcats]
Dante Luciani (Laurier) REC Oakville, ON [St. Thomas Aquinas / Burlington Stampeders]
Jahmeek Murray (SMU) WR, RB Mississauga, ON [St. Aloysius Gonzaga / Miss. Warriors]
Scott Valberg (Queen’s) WR, SB Kingston, ON [Bayridge]
Alexandre Poirier (Sherbrooke) REC Victoriaville, QC [Victoriaville Vulkins]
Jedd Gardner (Guelph) REC Niagara Falls, ON [St. Michael’s / Niagara Spears]

Justin Glover (McMaster) OL Hamilton, ON [Delta / Ironmen]
Sherko Haji-Rasouli (Miami) OL Toronto [Sir John A MacDonald / Toronto Thunder]
Reed Taylor Alexander (Calgary) OT/ OG Medicine Hat, AB [Medicine Hat / Okanagan Sun]
Daniel Bederman (Queen’s) OL Toronto, ON [Upper Canada College / Metro Wildcats]
Matt Norman (UWO) OL Montreal, ON [Vanier]
Zach Pollari (UWO) OL Guelph, ON [Centennial / Guelph Bears]
Jason Medeiros (McMaster) OL Hamilton, ON [St. Thomas More]
Josh Buttrill (UWO) OL Barrie, ON [Bear Creek]

Lirim Hajrullahu (UWO) K/ P St. Catharines, ON [Governor Simcoe / Niagara Spears]

Defense

Adriano Belli (Houston) DL Toronto [Central Tech]
Brian Guebert (U of Sask) DL Saskatoon, SK [Lutheran 6-man / Saskatoon Hilltops]
Michaël Jean-Louis (Laval) DL Granby, QC [Champlain]
Jacob Thomas (Acadia) DT, LB Douglas, NB [Leo Hayes]
David Rybinski (U of Sask) DE, DT Kinistino, SK [Melfort 9-man / Regina Thunder]
Josh Symons (Calgary) NT/ DT Calgary, AB [Bishop O’Byrne]

Thaine Carter (Queen’s) MLB Nanaimo, BC [St. Andrew’s]
Christian Houle (U de M) LB Trois-Rivières, QC [Vieux-Montréal]
Alex Daprato (Queen’s) LB Toronto, ON [North Toronto]
Anthony Maggiacomo (Laurier) LB Cambridge, ON [Jacop Hespeler]
Steve Faoro (Acadia) LB/LS Port Moody, B.C [Pinetree]
Peter Carrière (U de M) LB/ S Laval, QC [Vieux-Montréal]
Tom Labenski (Acadia) LB Oakville, ON [Oakville Trafalgar]

Joel Lipinski (SMU, Regina) DB/C Regina, SK [Campbell / Vancouver Island]
Maxime Bérubé (Laval) DB Valleyfield, QC [François-Xavier-Garneau]
Shane Hall (New Hampshire) CB Toronto, ON [Metro Wildcats]
Julien Hamel (U de M) DB Boucherville, QC [Vieux-Montréal]
Alexander Hoad (Ottawa) CB, KR, PR Rockwood, ON [Guelph Bears]
Bryce McCall (U of Sask) DB Regina, SK [Regina Thunder]
Sammy Okpro (Concordia) HB, SAM, FS Montreal, ON [Vanier]
Troy Adams (Northeastern St.) DB Toronto, ON [Toronto Thunder]
Matt Carapella (UWO) DB [Saunders / London Falcons]

Game Schedule

Friday, July 8 – Innsbruck
USA vs. Australia

Germany vs. Mexico

Saturday, July 9 – Graz
Austria vs. Japan

France vs. Canada

Sunday, July 10 – Innsbruck
Mexico vs. Australia

Germany vs. USA

Monday, July 11 – Graz
Japan vs. France

Canada vs. Austria

Tuesday, July 12 – Innsbruck

Australia vs. Germany

USA vs. Mexico

Wednesday, July 13 – Graz
Austria vs. France

Canada vs. Japan

Friday, July 15 – Vienna
Bronze Medal Game

Fifth Place Game

Saturday, July 16 – Vienna
Gold Medal Game

Seventh Place Game

All time IFAF Senior World Championship results
2007 – Tokyo, Japan
Championship Game
USA 23 Japan 20 (OT)

Third place
Germany 7 Sweden 0

Fifth place
Korea 3 France 0

Group Stages:

Japan 48 France 0
Germany 32 Korea 2
Sweden 16 France 14
USA 77 Korea 0
USA 33 Germany 7
Japan 48 Sweden 0

2003 – Frankfurt Rhein-Main, Germany
Championship Game
Japan 34 Mexico 14

Third Place
Germany 37 France 6

Semi Finals:
Japan 23 France 6
Mexico 21 Germany 17

1999 – Palmero, Italy
Championship Game

Japan 6 Mexico 0 (OT)

Third place
Sweden 38 Italy 13

Fifth place
Australia 10 Finland 3

Group Stages:

Italy 28 Finland 7
Mexico 89 Finland 0
Mexico 54 Italy 0
Sweden 22 Australia 6
Japan 21 Sweden 14
Japan 54 Australia 0