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The Langford-based Canadian men鈥檚 sevens team tied New Zealand, the world鈥檚 greatest rugby nation, in a highlight for the Canuck program on Saturday.
But that鈥檚 as good as it got for sa国际传媒 on the opening day of the South Africa Sevens in Cape Town.
The 19-19 draw against the Kiwis was tempered by 33-10 and 43-14 Canadian losses to England and Argentina, respectively. World No. 13 sa国际传媒 plays France in the consolation side Challenge Trophy quarter-finals today.
Englishman Damian McGrath was brought to Langford this fall to coach sa国际传媒 after the national side failed to qualify for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
鈥淭he inconsistencies that have beset the team over recent times are there for all to see,鈥� McGrath said in a statement following Saturday鈥檚 results in Cape Town.
But he sees hope.
鈥淩ome wasn鈥檛 built in a day and I know it will take time to build a team I think can challenge on the World Series,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 am using these first couple of months to assess players and the program. There is the nucleus of a good team, [but] we need the depth to support it.鈥�
sa国际传媒 lost three players on the opening day in Cape Town to injuries, including former University of Victoria Vikes star Nathan Hirayama. Also on the Canadian team in Cape Town are Pat Kay from Duncan and St. Michaels University School products Mike Fuailefau and Luke McCloskey from Victoria.
Kay scored a try and two converts against New Zealand, including the tying conversion at the death, following a try by Justin Douglas. Kay also had a try against Argentina.
The Cape Town event is captain John Moonlight鈥檚 50th career HSBC World Series tournament. He has joined fellow James Bay Athletic Association product Phil Mack of Victoria, now retired from sevens rugby, as the only Canadian players to appear in 50 World Series tournaments.
Both the 10-event men鈥檚 and six-event women鈥檚 2016-17 World Series seasons feature Canadian stops. The men鈥檚 HSBC sa国际传媒 Sevens is March 11-12 at sa国际传媒 Place in Vancouver, with more than 33,000 fans expected to fill the lower bowl and spill into the upper bowl each day. The Rio Games bronze-medallist Canadian women鈥檚 team, also based on the Island, hosts the female sa国际传媒 Sevens tournament May 27-28 at Westhills Stadium in Langford.
