Canada set to kick off Olympic qualifying season

Led by captain Ghislaine Landry, who holds the all-time record as the highest women’s points scorer with 984, Tait’s roster includes a wealth of experience as all 13 names have prior caps on the series.
 
With all eyes on qualifying for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2020, Canada will look to build on last year’s 4th place finish by starting the season off with a podium appearance, something that has been missing in recent years.
 
BK – John, there’s been a lot of moving parts lately in the NSW7s with France (Training Camp), Japan (Maple Leafs), Buenos Aires (Youth Olympic Games). What's the latest update?
 
JT – It’s been challenging for the all players and staff to have these lead up tournaments and camps in France these past few weeks leading into Denver, but critical for us to get everyone playing, competing and match ready for the Youth Olympics and more importantly this first series stop in the Olympic qualifying season.
 
BK – How did the training go in Marcoussis and how did that affect selection for Colorado?
 
JT – The games against Belgium, Ireland & France’s squads gave everyone there an opportunity to perform and contest for this first series selection. I thought some of our younger players really took some steps forward in their consistency of play and it really has made selection more difficult, which is a nice dilemma to have. 
 
BK – Thoughts on the USA Women’s Sevens pool?
 
JT – It’s a good pool for us, we know the opposition well and what we need to do to be successful against them, so we can really focus on how we want to play them. Fiji are always dangerous, Ireland have given us some great competition last season and France finished ahead of us last season as well as taking the last game we face them. 
 
BK – Obviously, it goes without saying that it's important to start an Olympic qualifying year off strongly, but over the years Canada has more often than not struggled in the first tournament. How are you feeling leading into the season?
 
JT – Last season, I felt at least, was mentally the toughest that we’ve gone through. We had inconsistent results, lots of injuries to our most experienced players and we got away from what our strengths in the past have been. We have had a really honest reflection across the whole program on areas where we all need to be better and now are refocused, excited and ready to take down one of those four automatic Olympic qualifying places from the series.
 
CBC Sports – Canada’s Olympic Broadcast station – will be live streaming the entire men’s and women’s 2018-19 season at www.cbcsports.ca with select coverage provided on television.
 
Canada roster for USA Women’s Sevens:
 
1. Olivia Apps, Lindsay RFC (Lindsay, ON)
2. Britt Benn, Guelph Redcoats (Napanee, ON)
3. Pam Buisa, Ottawa Irish (Gatineau, QC)
4. Emma Chown, Aurora Barbarians (Barrie, ON)
5. Caroline Crossley, Castaway Wanderers (Victoria, BC)
6. Bianca Farella, Town of Mount Royal RCF (Montreal, QC) 

7. Julia Greenshields, Sarnia Saints (Sarnia, ON) 

8. Sara Kaljuvee, Toronto Scottish (Pickering, ON)
9. Ghislaine Landry, Captain, Toronto Scottish (Toronto, ON) 

10. Kaili Lukan, Unattached (Barrie, ON)
11. Kayla Moleschi, Williams Lake Rustlers (Williams Lake, BC)
12. Breanne Nicholas, London St. Georges RFC (Blenheim, ON)
13. Charity Williams, Markham Irish (Toronto, ON)
 
USA Women’s Sevens Schedule:
 
Saturday, October 20
Canada vs. Fiji – 12:30pm ET/9:30am PT
Canada vs. Ireland – 3:14pm ET/12:14pm PT
Canada vs. France – 6:20pm ET/3:20pm PT
 
Sunday, October 21
TBD
 
2018-19 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series
 
Glendale, USA – October 20-21, 2018
Dubai, UAE – November 29-30, 2018
Sydney, Australia – February 1-3, 2019
Kitakyushu, Japan – April 20-21, 2019
Langford, Canada – May 11-12, 2019
Paris, France – May 31 – June 2, 2019
 
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