Eric Howard (Kanata, Ont.), a fourth-year men's rugby player for the Guelph Gryphons, has been selected to attend Rugby Canada's Senior Men's Team Training Camp ahead of this June's International Summer Series.
 
Howard earned a spot on the roster following a standout performance during the inaugural Americas Rugby Championship (ARC) earlier this year (Feb.6 – March 5). He earned his first national team Cap against Brazil and then two more against Argentina and Chile. No stranger to the International stage, the Kanata, Ont. native also represented Canada at the FISU games in Kazan, Russia in 7's Rugby in 2013.
 
The 5-foot-9, 230lb hooker was named a 2014 OUA All-Star this year and is the Gryphon men's rugby team's two-time reigning MVP. The Sociology major is also set to return to the 2015 OUA silver medal Gryphon team for the 2016 season. 
 
"Eric is one of the hardest working athletes I know and I'm extremely happy to see him rewarded with this invitation," said Gryphon head coach Cory Hector. "Eric brings with him a very unique skillset of strength, speed and power and has the ability to carry tacklers or run around them. Eric possesses a high work ethic both on and off the field and a very high level of compete."
 
The 35-man list of players will begin assembling in camp on May 28 at Shawnigan Lake School on Vancouver Island. Upon completion of the camp on June 5, a squad of 28 will be selected ahead of the June 11 test match against Japan at BC Place.

Howard will be competing for a spot on this 28-man roster to compete in the Test series. These games will provide valuable experience against two higher ranked opponents (Italy, Japan) as the team prepares for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
 
Visit Rugby Canada here for more information and full team list