The Langford-based Canadian men鈥檚 rugby sevens squad is in Las Vegas today knowing the best is yet to come.
鈥淲e had adopted the Las Vegas tournament as our 鈥渉ome鈥� tournament in previous years because it was the only one in North America,鈥� said captain John Moonlight, before the team left Victoria this week.
But all that changes with the introduction of the first sa国际传媒 Sevens next weekend, in which the lower bowl of sa国际传媒 Place is sold out at 28,000 for each of the two days.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be an unreal feeling playing in front of so many Canadian fans,鈥� said Moonlight.
鈥渟a国际传媒 has really been behind us. First, it was the national centre being set up in Langford. And now Vancouver has stepped up in a big way.鈥�
But first up is the Las Vegas Sevens and its annual tournament-eve tradition Thursday in which the participating national teams were paraded down the famous Fremont Street.
sa国际传媒 is drawn into a difficult Pool D and will be thrown into the crucible early today with a first game against the host U.S., followed by games against power South Africa and Wales.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be tough but we鈥檝e always played well in Las Vegas with good results,鈥� said young Canadian star Mike Fuailefau of Victoria, a graduate of St. Michaels University School.
鈥淗opefully, we can do well again in Vegas and build on that momentum into Vancouver next week.鈥�
Veteran Phil Mack of Victoria at Las Vegas will become the 29th player in sevens history to make 50 World Series tournament appearances and the first Canadian. The Oak Bay High and UVic Vikes grad has 956 career points as he homes in on becoming only the 13th player in World Series history to reach 1,000 points.
The undersized but pugnacious Mack also added that Las Vegas had previously been adopted as sa国际传媒鈥檚 鈥渉ome鈥� tournament by the team, but that now it actually has a home event in Vancouver to call its own on the World Series tour: 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a special couple of weeks.鈥�
The big goal this year is the last-chance Olympic qualifier June 18-19 in Monaco.
鈥淗opefully, I can end it off at the Olympics. That鈥檚 the dream,鈥� said Mack, 30, who has announced he will retire at the end of this year.
Moonlight concurred.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the pinnacle . . . the end goal for us,鈥� said the James Bay Athletic Association product.
鈥淓verybody wants to be an Olympian. But first things first, and for us right now, that means focusing on Las Vegas and Vancouver.鈥�
Named to the Canadian team for the Las Vegas Sevens are Mack, Moonlight, Fuailefau, UVic Vikes grads Nathan Hirayama, Lucas Hammond and Sean Duke, Pat Kay of Duncan, Sean White of Victoria, Admir Cejvanovic of Burnaby Lake, Justin Douglas of Abbotsford, Harry Jones of Capilano, Conor Trainor of Vancouver and Adam Zaruba of Capilano.
