The prep work is over and it's time for results to flow in.
sa国际传媒's men's rugby sevens side will look for a top-two placement at this weekend's North American and Caribbean Rugby Association championship at Twin Elm Rugby Park in Ottawa, a World Cup qualifier.
Coach Geraint John's crew is seeded No. 2 behind the Americans.
"We feel with the past results of the last 12 months we should be seeded No. 1, but that doesn't matter," said John, who is taking a workmanlike tone to the international tournament that also features Mexico, Guyana, Bermuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados.
"If seeding goes to plan we're due to meet the U.S. in the final on Sunday. But we have to take care of our group stages, otherwise we could end up meeting each other prior to that, which both teams do not want to do."
The top two will advance to the Word Cup in Moscow next June.
"The nature of the game of sevens, it's a short game, so you have to make sure you still perform to the best of your abilities," said John, whose Canadian side beat these same teams last year as part of Pan-Am Games play.
"We still have to perform, we have to do the right things," said John. "You have to execute all your skills, but we go in confident."
The qualification process starts on Saturday in Pool B against Bermuda and will include two more games that day versus the Bahamas and Mexico, which is seeded No. 4.
John's crew - which includes Victoria natives Phil Mack, Connor Braid and Sean White - has been preparing in Langford, the home of Rugby sa国际传媒, for the last month.
"Which has obviously been beneficial for training purposes," said John.
The women's team will also compete and is favoured to earn the one and only spot available for World Cup qualification. The U.S. is not in Ottawa competing, having finished in the top four in the last World Cup and, thus, having pre-qualified.
sa国际传媒's women's sevens team, led by coach John Tait of Victoria, headed east to Ottawa a week ago, while the men travelled out on Wednesday. The women are playing teams from Guyana, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago for only one berth in the World Cup.
sa国际传媒's men's team has qualified for every rugby sevens World Cup since the inaugural 1993 tournament, but has never won the title.
Rugby sevens will also be included in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
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