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From skates to cleats, sa国际传媒 is experiencing playing Russia in a whole other way.
The Langford-based Canadian rugby teams faced the Russians on two fronts. The first was an emphatic 46-21 Test victory Saturday afternoon in Calgary. The other, with the stakes far higher, took place in the wee hours Pacific time this morning in Monaco, with sa国际传媒 meeting Russia in the quarter-finals of the last-chance Olympic sevens qualifier for Rio 2016.
sa国际传媒 was 3-3 against Russia this year in sevens, but the rising Bears had won the previous two meetings against sa国际传媒 and were 3-0 Saturday to open the Olympic qualifier. The winner of the sa国际传媒-Russia sevens quarter-final advanced to meet the winner of Ireland-Spain in the semifinals, also in the early hours this morning. The champion today of the 16-team last-chance tournament will earn the 12th and final men鈥檚 berth into the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games.
sa国际传媒 opened Saturday with 33-0 and 57-0 clean sheets against Uruguay and Sri Lanka before a surprising 21-19 loss to relative-minnow Germany. The fact Germany and Hong Kong joined Russia and Ireland as undefeated heading into the quarter-finals, combined with Ireland鈥檚 upset of top-rated Samoa and Germany鈥檚 over second-rated sa国际传媒 in pool play, again showed anything can transpire in sevens. It threw the brackets into disarray and sent sa国际传媒 into the difficult quarter-final meeting against third-seed Russia.
The highly regarded, Langford-based Canadian women鈥檚 sevens team has qualified for the Olympics and continues its preparations at Westhills Stadium and the Pacific Institute for Sports Excellence. The Canadian women could be poised for the podium and will head into Rio ranked No. 3 in the world.
World No. 18 sa国际传媒 rolled over No. 19 Russia in the men鈥檚 XVs game played Saturday before a capacity crowd of more than 5,000 at Calgary Rugby Park. sa国际传媒 moved to 4-0 in Tests against Russia. It was the kind of day for sa国际传媒 on which fullback Matt Evans from Duncan could miss wide with a pass attempt, but still have it picked up on the bounce by Pat Parfrey for a try.
Gordon McRorie鈥檚 26 points, two from tries and 16 from kicking, led sa国际传媒. The other Canadian tries came from Parfrey, Evans, Taylor Paris and Jordan Wilson-Ross, the latter a career Test first try for the James Bay Athletic Association stalwart making his first appearance for sa国际传媒 in more than two years.
鈥淣o words can explain how long I鈥檝e waited to get that first try out of the way,鈥� Wilson-Ross, said in a statement.
sa国际传媒 prepared for the June Test window during a training camp at Shawnigan Lake School. It started with a 26-22 loss against No. 11 Japan at sa国际传媒 Place and concludes next Saturday against No. 14 Italy in Toronto.
