VANCOUVER 鈥� Toto, something tells me we鈥檙e not in Westhills anymore.
There were Princess Leias, Wonder Women, sexy nuns, guys in Mexican wrestling masks, Captain Americas and a cast of Monty Python Holy Grail knights, complete with coconut clickers instead of hoof beats. And that was just in one row of sa国际传媒 Place.
Rugby sevens fans treat tournaments, such as the sa国际传媒 Sevens taking place Saturday and today at sa国际传媒 Place, like a cross between Halloween and Mardi Gras 鈥� but cranked up a few notches.
The Langford-based Canadian team tied Australia 19-19 on the last play, lost 28-21 to the U.S. on the last play, and beat Uruguay 47-5 to go 1-1-1 in group play to exhaust a crowd of more than 39,000 Saturday. Everyone was blown away by the atmosphere.
鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely awesome,鈥� said Island-based Canadian head coach Damian McGrath. 鈥淚f you can鈥檛 play to your best in conditions like this, then when can you? The crowd was our eighth man and played a big role for us. I鈥檓 disappointed we could not give them the result they wanted [advancement to the championship round].鈥�
Island players performing for sa国际传媒 were Luke McCloskey and Mike Fuailefau, both St. Michaels University School grads, and Oak Bay High product Connor Braid, all from Victoria, Duncan鈥檚 Pat Kay out of Cowichan Secondary, Isaac Kaay from the University of Victoria Vikes, former UVic stars Nathan Hirayama and Lucas Hammond, and John Moonlight from James Bay Athletic Association.
鈥淚t's unreal,鈥� Braid said of the atmosphere. 鈥淚t gets you hyped up and pumped. But once the whistle blows, the focus is all between the lines. I wish we could have given the crowd [a place in the championship-round quarter-finals].鈥�
Islander Braid said he was 鈥済utted鈥� after the loss to the arch-rival Americans, despite his try to open the scoring, which electrified the crowd.
Aside from the relegation to today鈥檚 consolation round, the event is especially meaningful for the sa国际传媒 players.
鈥淭his tournament is definitely exciting, especially for the players from sa国际传媒, but all the Canadian players,鈥� said Kay.
At training last week, Hirayama said the event was 鈥渁 highlight we have circled in red on the calendar. The crowds are amazing and are excited as we are. Nobody expected it to take off as it has.
鈥淭his is a celebration, not only for the sa国际传媒 players, but all the Canadian players. We鈥檙e trying to stay focused on the job, on the field, we have worked so hard for in training in Langford.鈥�
Even with the large number of Island fans who travelled over on the ferries, there were almost as many Fijian flags as Maple Leafs, with thousands of Fiji fans cheering on the defending Olympic champions.
Advancing to today鈥檚 championship-round quarter-finals out of sa国际传媒鈥檚 group were Australia and the United States, while sa国际传媒 dropped to a consolation-round quarter-final against Scotland.
The women鈥檚 sa国际传媒 Sevens, hosted by the 2016 Olympic bronze-medallist Canadian team, will run from May 12 to 13 at Westhills Stadium in Langford.
