Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Canada’s Men’s Sevens team are headed to the Olympic Games for the first time. The team won all three matches in convincing fashion on the second day of the Rugby Americas North tournament to secure their spot among the 12 teams that will compete in Tokyo next year.
As it was on Day One, the only HSBC Sevens Series core side competing in George Town proved far too strong for the part-time opposition. Guyana, Bermuda, and finally Jamaica fell in succession with victory never in doubt at any moment.
So ends a turbulent year that began with a player strike and more recently saw the controversial dismissal of coach Damian McGrath. The team will now prepare for the 2019-2020 Sevens Series with eyes on preparation for the Olympics rather than qualification via the Repechage, a fate left to second-place Jamaica and third-place Mexico.
In the short term, however, some players may put their hand up for inclusion in the XV-a-side Rugby World Cup, with Kingsley Jones leaving the door open in his training squad. Others will be involved in the Pan Am Games in Peru later this month.
CANADA MEN’S SEVENS
Phil Berna, Cooper Coats, Andrew Coe, Mike Fuailefau, Nathan Hirayama, Harry Jones (capt.), Josiah Morra, Matt Mullins, Isaac Kaay, Pat Kay, Jake Thiel, Adam Zaruba
POOL RESULTS
Canada 47 – 0 Barbados
Canada 49 – 5 Mexico
Canada 55 – 0 Bermuda
QUARTER FINAL
Canada 47 – 5 Guyana
SEMI FINAL
Canada 55 – 0 Bermuda
CUP FINAL
Canada 40 – 5 Jamaica
