Head Coach Jack Hanratty names Canada’s Women’s Sevens roster for the team’s opening HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series stop in Dubai

Head Coach Jack Hanratty names Canada’s Women’s Sevens roster for the team’s opening HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series stop in Dubai

November 24, 2022 (Langford, BC) – Canada’s Women’s Sevens roster has been named by Head Coach Jack Hanratty for the team’s first stop of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 in Dubai.

The 12 best women’s sevens teams in the world will compete over December 1-3 at the Emirates Dubai Sevens, which is widely known as the longest running and largest annual sports and entertainment event in the Middle East. The tournament, the first of four consecutive men’s and women’s combined stops, will kick off the 2023 women’s sevens season.

Newcomer Shalaya Valenzuela, from Abbotsford, BC, will gain her first international game experience after two years in Rugby Canada’s Maple Leaf Academy when the team begins pool play next week. The Abbotsford Rugby Football Club member also played for the BC Bears U23 team this past summer.

Two-time Olympian Charity Williams and Tokyo Olympian Julia Greenshields return to the line up for the first time since Tokyo 2020 (played in 2021) following a long injury recovery period, bringing with them extensive experience on the world stage. They will be joined by four other teammates from Tokyo: Olivia Apps, Bianca Farella, Keyara Wardley, and Breanne Nicholas, Canada’s leading points scorer from 2022. Florence Symonds and Krissy Scurfield return to the national team fresh off the U SPORTS Women’s Rugby Championship, where Symonds’s UBC squad defeated Scurfield’s University of Victoria team in the consolation final.

Apps returns to the sevens game after travelling to New Zealand in late October to support Canada’s team at the Women’s Rugby World Cup following an injury to Brianna Miller, and will co-captain the team with Nicholas.

“It’s exciting to be back competing with this group and kicking off the 2023 World Series in Dubai,” said Hanratty. This will be his first HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series stop since being confirmed as the full-time Head Coach of Canada’s Senior Women’s Sevens team in August. “Last season it was about creating stability and depth. We had a number of big performances, but this year we want to build on that with consistently challenging in the knockout rounds. With several key leaders returning to the pitch, we are excited to continue to progress and perform as a team this season.”

Canada will play the United States, Australia and China in Pool A, starting with the United States on Thursday December 1 at 9:00 p.m. PT / Friday December 2 at 12:00 a.m. ET.

SCHEDULE / COVERAGE

For the most up to date information on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and live coverage, visit the official website world.rugby/sevens-series. There you will find details regarding the event format, schedule, and the latest news.

WHERE TO WATCH

Broadcast coverage of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series will be available in Canada via CBC. All events are available to live stream via cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app, and the free CBC Gem streaming service.

CANADA’S WOMEN’S SEVENS ROSTER

1.     Olivia De Couvreur (Ottawa, ON) – Ottawa Irish
2.     Krissy Scurfield (Canmore, AB) – University of Victoria
3.     Renee Gonzalez (Toronto, ON) – University of Victoria
4.     Breanne Nicholas (Bienheim, ON) – Kent Havoc RFC
5.     Julia Greenshields (Sarnia, ON) – Sarnia Saints
6.     Charity Williams (Toronto, ON) – Markham Irish
7.     Florence Symonds (Hong Kong) – University of British Columbia
8.   Bianca Farella (Montreal, QC) – Town of Mont Royal RFC
10. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – Nor’wester Athletic Association / Westshore RFC
12. Keyara Wardley (Vulcan, AB) – Not Affiliated
19. Nakisa Levale (Abbotsford, BC) – Abbotsford RFC
21. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC
23. Shalaya Valenzuela (Abbotsford, BC) – Abbotsford RFC