Barring an epic collapse, the Langford-based Canadian women鈥檚 sevens rugby team will qualify today in Amsterdam for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
All sa国际传媒 needs is to advance to Saturday鈥檚 quarter-final round, through today鈥檚 pool play in the final World Series event of the season, and it will have garnered enough points to qualify for Rio. sa国际传媒鈥檚 Pool C opponents today include two minnows, Netherlands and Spain, along with France.
The top-four teams in the World Series standings will qualify for Rio in the first wave to join host Brazil. The leading Kiwis have clinched. sa国际传媒 and Australia are tied for second place with 76 points each, England and France tied for third at 62 points each with the U.S. sixth with 60 and Russia seventh at 52. Those latter six are the teams remaining with mathematical possibilities this weekend of qualifying for Rio.
Based on form, and its relatively easy pool, sa国际传媒 should be returning to Westhills Stadiums in Langford on Monday with qualification to Rio secured.
鈥淥ur number one goal this season has been to take a top-four [Olympic] qualifying spot and we are on the cusp of it,鈥� said Canadian head coach John Tait in a statement.
But he is not getting ahead of himself. 鈥淕etting some wins on Day One is all we are driving towards right now,鈥� added Tait.
鈥淲e are just trying to focus on improving again from last weekend [injury-time loss to the Aussies in the final of the London Sevens in Twickenham]. If we do that, then qualifying will look after itself. [Amsterdam] will be an intense competition with the table behind us so tight and teams fighting for the last qualifying positions.鈥�
