It could have been a sneak preview. World No. 3 sa国际传媒 versus No. 4 Great Britain could be projected as the bronze-medal game in women鈥檚 sevens rugby at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, based on rankings.
So the Langford-based Canadian side should be heartened by its 5-0 victory over England on Saturday at Westhills Stadium to win Pool C on the opening day of the sa国际传媒 Sevens stop on the HSBC World Series Tour. (At the Olympics, England enters under the Great Britain umbrella abetted by Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish athletes).
鈥淣ow that the Olympics are in sight, everyone is pushing hard. Everyone wants it. No one is holding back at this point,鈥� said Bianca Farella of Montreal, who scored sa国际传媒鈥檚 lone try against England.
It was part of an opening day in which sa国际传媒 also defeated Japan 38-0, with Farella scoring two tries, and Ireland 26-0.
鈥淚 was really pleased, defensively, to keep a clean sheet on the first day,鈥� said Canadian head coach John Tait.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a big challenge, not to have those letdowns. The players threw everything at it.鈥�
The Canadian team usually practises at Westhills Stadium before a handful of coaches, managers, therapists and the like. There were about 3,000 fans there Saturday to lift the home side.
鈥淭here was a lot of energy and emotion when we got out there [on the pitch],鈥� said Canadian captain Jen Kish of Edmonton.
鈥淚t鈥檚 impressive nobody scored any points on us.鈥�
Her teammates concurred about the fan uplift.
鈥淚t was an amazing home crowd and it gave us great energy,鈥� said Kayla Moleschi, who scored a try against Japan.
鈥淲e displayed pure grit and stayed with our game plan. We came out full force, with a good bench and 12 players showing unity.鈥�
That鈥檚 what you need over two sapping days.
鈥淲e rotated as much as possible [with bench players against Japan and Ireland] to have fresh legs for England,鈥� Tait said.
鈥淚t was a complete effort.鈥�
Among the subs making an impact was Kayla Mack, who scored her first two career World Series tries, in the game against Ireland. 鈥淚 was happy to get into the end zone,鈥� Mack said.
After the game, she searched for her mom, dad and husband in the stands.
Tait couldn鈥檛 help but note Mack鈥檚 exuberance. 鈥淚 told her if she didn鈥檛 look around, maybe she could have run it under the posts [for an easier conversion],鈥� the Canadian coach quipped.
Despite its outstanding opening day, sa国际传媒 drew a difficult game for its quarter-final game this morning at 10:44 against world No. 5 France. In the other quarter-finals, world No. 1 Australia meets Spain, world No. 2 New Zealand plays Russia, and the U.S. faces England.
Action begins today at 10 a.m., rolling continuously all day, culminating with the championship game at 6:05 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL SEVENS: A powerhouse Oak Bay roster rolled to the sa国际传媒 girls鈥� high school rugby sevens championship with a 38-0 victory over Lake City of Williams Lake in the final after toppling defending-champion Brentwood College in an all-Island semifinal.
Oak Bay was led by Caroline Crossley, who has already been capped for sa国际传媒, and Sophie De Goede, daughter of former national rugby legend Hans De Goede and a Canadian under-18 player considered a prime future prospect for the national team.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see a small town in the final against schools from Victoria or Vancouver,鈥� said Canadian team player Moleschi, a native of Williams Lake, who attended Lake City when it was known as Colmuneetza Secondary.
鈥淚t鈥檚 encouraging to have the [Lake City] players look up to me and pushes me even more.鈥�
Brentwood College won the bronze medal.
