It wasn鈥檛 on the championship side of the equation, but there was a measure of satisfaction to be derived on the consolation side for the Langford-based Canadian men鈥檚 rugby sevens team on Saturday at the World Cup at AT&T Field in San Francisco.
The Canadian men defeated Japan 35-17 to advance to meet the Aussies in today鈥檚 Challenge Cup semifinals.
鈥淲e came out with a point to prove,鈥� said Canadian head coach Damian McGrath.
鈥淲e know how disappointed the Canadian rugby public would have been [with Friday鈥檚 championship-round Sweet 16 elimination] and felt we had something to prove. We showed why we are contenders on the world stage on a week-to-week basis.鈥�
The Canadian women鈥檚 sevens, the 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medallists also based in Langford, continued to spiral. They will meet Russia today for seventh and ninth place after losing 26-14 to Spain on Saturday on the consolation side following Friday鈥檚 championship-flight quarter-final loss to France.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we were near as aggressive as we need. We absorbed and absorbed and absorbed,鈥� said Canadian women鈥檚 head coach John Tait.
There is clearly a lot of work ahead in training at Westhills Stadium over the next two years, and some serious questions to be posed, on the road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
鈥淚鈥檝e got to find a group that wants to put the hits in and work together on defence,鈥� Tait said.
The Island-flavoured world No. 9 Canadian men鈥檚 team includes Mike Fuailefau and fellow St. Michaels University School-grad Luke McCloskey and Oak Bay-product Connor Braid, all of Victoria, Pat Kay of Duncan, University of Victoria Vikes star Isaac Kaay, former UVic Vikes great Nathan Hirayama, Andrew Coe of Markham, Ont., Admir Cejvanovic of Burnaby Lake, Justin Douglas from Abbotsford, Lucan Hammond of Toronto, Matt Mullins of Belleville, Ont., and captain Harry Jones of North Vancouver.
The Canadian women鈥檚 team includes Bianca Farella of Montreal, Caroline Crossley of Victoria, Pam Buisa of the UVic Vikes, Kayla Moleschi of Williams Lake, Charity Williams of Toronto, Olivia Apps of Lindsay, Ont., Britt Benn of Napanee, Ont., Julia Greenshields of Sarnia, Ont., Sara Kaljuvee of Ajax, Ont., Breanne Nicholas of Blenheim, Ont., Natasha Watcham-Roy of Gatineau, Que., and captain Ghislaine Landry of Toronto.
