Sports This Week: New Arrow proclaims team ready for MLR season

YORKTON -  The Toronto Arrows are readying for the 2023 MLR season – they launch the schedule Feb. 17, in Atlanta.

It will be something of a return trip for Cole Davis who ended the 2022 schedule with Atlanta, and is now with the Arrows.

Being with TO is also a return of sorts for Davis who grew up in Calgary.

“It feels like a bit of a homecoming,” he said of being an Arrow. “It adds a bit of fuel to the fire for me.”

While still a couple of weeks from the opening trip south when interviewed, Davis said camp was going well.

“We’re jelling well as a team,” he said.

The time for Davis was also one of just getting to know his teammates and his expected role with the Arrows having spent most of his MLR career with the now defunct Austin Gilgronis.

The Gilgronis had ownership issues that led to the team disbanding, but Davis said his experience in Austin was a good one.

“Austin, as a city, was awesome, a vibrant city,” he said, adding “. . . people there love their sports.”

Davis said the Gilgronis were very focused on building a larger rugby community in Austin, and he feels it was working, adding he hopes a team re-emerges in the Texas city.

The community work is something Davis is likely to get to do in Toronto too, which is fine by him.

“I think that’s very important (for rugby), as a minority sport that’s trying to grow,” he said, adding it’s important to leave a good impression, especially with youth, showing there is a path to opportunities with rugby.

Davis sort of discovered that path on his own.

Growing up in Calgary he was on skates first.

“I was actually playing hockey at a pretty high level, but ultimately decided it wasn’t for me,” he said.

What was a better fit was rugby, a sport he started in high school as an offseason option to his hockey.

Davis said he loved rugby and soon realized “the opportunities I had in rugby were a lot better.”

So what was it about rugby which fit so well for Davis.

“I just really jelled with rugby players and their personalities,” he said.

And there was the complete team aspect of rugby too. Davis said each player has to be ready for all aspects of the game, which is different from hockey where a single star might dominate and others are relegated to lesser roles on the fourth line.

In addition to his MLR experience Davis has earned seven caps for Canada since making his international debut against the United States in February 2018. He also represented Canada at the 2017 World Rugby Under-20 Trophy in Uruguay.

Davis also featured for Canada on the World Rugby Sevens Series, donning the red and white in two tournaments on the 2018-2019 circuit.

The role for Canada on the international stage actually dovetails well as an Arrow as the TO team features a large number of Canucks who could all feature on the national team at some point.

“For us Canadians every game is like it’s a selection match,” said Davis, adding national team eyes are on the Arrows.

That makes the Arrows important for the sport in this country far beyond MLR standings.

“I think it’s important for rugby in Canada as a whole,” said Davis. “We need to step up and show good rugby is being played here in Canada.”

While the national team is in something of a re-tooling heading to its next chance to qualify for the World Cup, the Arrows need to be ready in days.

“We’re still forming our identity,” said Davis, adding the bones of that identity are emerging though.

“We know the guys are going to be hard working . . . We’ll sacrifice for each other . . . We’re holding each other accountable.”

In the end Davis said that willingness to do everything for the team bodes well for the season ahead.