By Canadian Press

Toronto Arrows add Argentine fly half/fullback and re-sign four more players

Jun 23, 2020 | 12:04 PM

TORONTO — The Toronto Arrows have signed Argentine fly half/fullback Juan Cruz Gonzalez and brought four members of the 2020 squad back into the fold.

The returnees are prop Richie Asiata, centre Spencer Jones, forward Kolby Francis, and hooker Steven Ng.

The Arrows have now signed 11 players ahead of the 2021 Major League Rugby campaign.

The North American pro rugby circuit suspended play on March 12 because of the global pandemic, cancelling the season a week later. The second-year Arrows were second in the standings with a 4-1-0 record at the time.

Gonzalez, who played with Arrows back-rower Tomas de la Vega in Argentina, has represented his country on the World Sevens circuit and as a member of the Argentina XV in the Americas Rugby Championship and Americas Pacific Challenge. He scored five tries and kicked for 108 points in 17 appearances for the Argentina development side.

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The 27-year-old Gonzalez, who played club rugby for Club Universitario de Buenos Aires back home and in Spain with CAU Madrid Rugby, will help fill the void left by the departure of Sam Malcolm. The New Zealand fly half-turned-fullback signed with Japan’s Kamaishi Seawaves.

“Adding an exciting and talented player like Juan brings a new element to our attack that we’re really looking forward to unleashing,” Arrows GM Mark Winokur said in a statement.

“Juan has consistently proven himself as a top player in Argentina’s URBA Top 12, and has been a player we’ve watched closely for several years each time he’s faced Canada in the Americas Rugby Championship.”

The 24-year-old Asiata, from Brisbane, Australia, started all five matches in the abbreviated 2020 campaign. A powerful prop, he ranked second on the team in tackle breaks (3), third in carries (40), fifth in offloads (3) and sixth in carry metres (198).

Jones, born in Vancouver but raised in New Zealand, did not see action this season due to injury. The 22-year-old played in 16 matches in 2019.

The 23-year-old Francis, a lock/No. 8 from Brantford, Ont., has made 18 appearances for the Arrows in his two seasons with the club, including four games in 2020.

Ng is one of only two Arrows to have played in every match (22) in franchise history. The 22-year-old from Ottawa has represented Canada at the under-20 level.

“Our four returnees — Spencer, Steve, Kolby and Richie — are exciting young players, all between 22 and 24 years of age,” said Winokur.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2020.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press