Everything for the Langford-based Canadian men鈥檚 sevens rugby team this year is being seen through the prism of the last-chance Olympic Games qualifier for Rio 2016 taking place June 18-19 in Monaco.
The tournament, to decide the 12th and final berth into the Rio Olympics, is expected to come down to a Samoa-sa国际传媒 final. That鈥檚 why every game against the Pacific islanders is being closely parsed, including Sunday鈥檚 17-12 Canadian victory over Samoa in the Bowl final of the Australia Sevens at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. University of Victoria Vikes graduate Nathan Hirayama scored two tries and Pat Kay from Duncan one. The result comes, however, after a 26-7 sa国际传媒 loss to Samoa last week in the Bowl semifinals of the Wellington Sevens at WestPac Stadium in New Zealand.
But predicting sevens is a precarious business as best. That was evident as sa国际传媒 went 0-3 in its pool games against New Zealand, Australia and Portugal in Sydney but rebounded with the victory over Samoa and two other wins 鈥� 32-21 against Wales and 35-12 over Scotland 鈥� in the Bowl portion. Sean White of Victoria scored two tries against Wales. Harry Jones had three tries and Hirayama two against Scotland.
Also dressed for sa国际传媒 were St. Michaels University School grads Mike Fuailefau and Luke McCloskey, fellow Castaway Wanderer Nanyak Dala, Phil Mack of Victoria, John Moonlight of James Bay, UVic Vikes-grads Sean Duke and Lucas Hammond, Adam Zaruba, Matt Mullins and Admir Cejvanovic.
鈥淲e are not looking ahead to Monaco, although we realize everything leads up to that,鈥� said Duke, before the team left their training camp at Westhills Stadium to head across the Pacific.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one step, one tournament, at a time.鈥�
The team returns to Victoria today to begin preparations for the Las Vegas Sevens on March 4-6 before the first-ever sa国际传媒 Sevens at sa国际传媒 Place on March 12-13.
The Langford-based Canadian women鈥檚 team, meanwhile, is preparing at Westhills Stadium for the Sao Paulo Sevens on Feb. 20-21. The highly-touted Canadian women, No. 2 in the world in 2015 to qualify for Rio, will return to Brazil in August for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Before the Olympics, Island fans can see the Rio-bound women compete first-hand at Westhills Stadium on April 16-17 in the sa国际传媒 Sevens.
