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From Langford to Rio, via Carey, South Carolina.
That鈥檚 the journey the Canadian men鈥檚 sevens rugby team is hoping to make as its opens the North American and Caribbean Olympic qualifier in Carey today. The winner of the tournament advances to Rio 2016.
sa国际传媒 is in Pool B with Trinidad and Tobago, Cayman Islands, Bahamas and Guyana. The final on Sunday is likely to be a showdown between world No. 9 sa国际传媒 and the No. 6 U.S.
sa国际传媒 was once the king of North American rugby, but no longer. The U.S. is 4-1 against sa国际传媒 this year in sevens, although sa国际传媒鈥檚 lone victory was 40-0.
The Americans鈥� ascension in the sport has been building, with sevens the ideal vehicle for them because they can use the Olympic angle as leverage in marketing the sport at home.
This could be their moment, especially after the Americans鈥� shock championship win in the London Sevens at Twickenham, the final IRB World Series tournament of the season.
sa国际传媒 will counter with the return of Phil Mack of Victoria from a long-term leg injury.
The Oak Bay High-grad is a dynamic player who can turn the trajectory of a game 鈥� and a tournament.
The pros are all aboard for sa国际传媒 in what is the biggest tournament in national sevens history. Oak Bay High-grad Connor Braid has been called from London Scottish, Tyler Ardron and Jeff Hassler from Ospreys in Wales and Taylor Paris from Agen in France.
Also named for sa国际传媒 are Sean Duke and Nathan Hirayama from the University of Victoria Vikes, Mike Fuailefau and Ciaran Hearn from the Castaway Wanderers of Oak Bay, Justin Douglas from Abbotsford RFC, Harry Jones and Adam Zaruba of Capilano and Connor Trainor of UBCOB Ravens. John Moonlight from James Bay will captain.
鈥淲e know what we need to do to win and it鈥檚 about executing that,鈥� Canadian coach Liam Middleton said in a statement.
New Zealand, South Africa, Britain and Fiji qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics by placing in the top four of the 2015 IRB World Series, while Brazil is in as host. Argentina won the South American qualifier, with the other continental qualifiers pending, beginning today with the North American/Caribbean tournament.
Following the five continental qualifiers, the final two of the 12 Rio Olympic berths will be decided in a last-chance qualifier next year.
The women鈥檚 North American/Caribbean Olympic qualifier is also this weekend in South Carolina. The Langford-based Canadian team isn鈥檛 playing because it has already qualified for Rio 2016 by placing second in the 2015 World Series.
