Season best performance for Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team in Toulouse

Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team put on a season best performance at HSBC France Sevens, finishing fourth in the penultimate men’s tournament of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023.

Facing Argentina in the semi finals, Canada had a tough first half, down 26-0 after the first seven minutes. Kal Sager got Canada on the board in the twelfth minute, charging through several Argentinians after a yellow card to Argentina’s Tobias Wade. However, the eventual silver medallists went on to win 33-5.

Canada closed out the tournament playing the home team in the bronze final. Jack Carson scored first off a lineout, continuing the team’s success with scoring off the set piece to give Canada a 5-0 lead over France. Despite a great effort from David Richard to chase down the French counterattack, France stole the momentum, leading 7-5 at half-time. Following another French try, Brock Webster responded immediately at the kick off, grabbing a bouncing ball and tearing away from France to score and convert his own try, surpassing 150 career World Rugby Sevens Series points. Despite closing the gap to 14-12, France sealed the deal, and the bronze medal, with two more tries before the final whistle, winning 28-12.

“Certainly a weekend we won’t soon forget. Couldn’t be prouder of the boys and their relentless effort they showed each and every game," said interim Head Coach Sean White. "It’s a credit to the training group back home in Langford and the pressure they put on each other each day on the field and in the gym. Although we found success in Toulouse, London ultimately holds the the challenge we’ve been preparing for. We must use this weekend as a springboard into three tough pool games next week against two teams that will certainly be hungry for revenge from our pool in Toulouse and another team looking to make a statement fresh off a Challenger Series victory. We accept the challenge head on and can’t wait to get stuck into it.”

Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team met Spain in the ninth place play-off, their final match of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023. Down 5-0, Julia Greenshields scored her second try of the tournament late in the first half. Olivia Apps converted the try to give Canada the lead, but Spain managed to score once more before half-time. The game remained at 10-7 until the thirteenth minute, at which point Spain furthered their lead with a try from Ingrid Algar. Piper Logan sidestepped Spain’s defence to break down the field and put the ball between the posts, with Apps once again quickly converting the try, but time ran out, with Spain winning 15-14.

“We had some brilliant moments in every tournament this year, but we didn’t make this a constant,” said Head Coach Jack Hanratty. “This will start at home in our training environment first, then we look forward to our Olympic qualifier. But the goal is not just to be Olympians, it’s to be Olympic medallists, and we have a lot of work to do right now to get there.”

Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team will return to the pitch May 20 and 21 in London in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series relegation play-off. For full results from the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, visit the official website: world.rugby/sevens-series.

Both Canada’s Women’s and Men’s Sevens Teams will compete at the regional qualification event for Paris 2024 in Langford, British Columbia over August 19-20. Tickets can be purchased at rugby.ca/en/tickets.