NZ 7s Wraps Up: Canada Men Finish 14th and Women Finish 11th: Match Videos
A disappointing tournament overall for both the men and women in New Zealand, both teams dropped in the rankings.
The men dropped from 13th place to 14th. They remain above Japan who currently occupy the immediate relegation position. Teams ranked 12 to 14 will enter a relegation tournament in London, the final series stop this season. Kenya were the big winner in that group gaining 7 series points. All teams gained on Uruguay who currently occupy the last “safe” spot in 11th. There are 6 more tournaments left to determine the all important 11th spot to avoid the relegation tournament. At the top of the standings there’s interest for Canada as well since the top four teams qualify for the Olympics and if USA finish top four they won’t be part of the North American qualifying tournament. USA made the final four in this tournament and are second in the series overall behind NZ.
Men’s Relegation Standings
11 Uruguay 21 points
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12 Kenya 16 points
13 Spain 16 points
14 Canada 13 points
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15 Japan 5 points
The women dropped from 9th to 10th spot with Japan leaping ahead of them after this tournament. Only Brazil remains lower ranking among the core teams. Fortunately for Canada there doesn’t appear to be any relegation this year for the women with 11 core teams and one more to be added for next season.
Women’s Standings
8 Spain 15 points
9 Japan 15 points
10 Canada 12 points
11 Brazil 8 points
Men’s Day 2 Results
Kenya 21 – Canada 5
Canada 21 – Uruguay 17
Spain 24 – Canada 14
Women’s Day 2 Results
Spain 7 – Canada 0
Canada 44 – Papua New Guinea 5
Videos Day 2
*Canada Men 1-2 & Women 0-2-1 on Day 1 of NZ 7s: Match Videos*
The big shock on Day 1 was the women losing to Japan which knocked them out of the Cup round. The women’s format is 12 teams so only 4 teams don’t make the Cup round. The maximum points the Canadian women can make out of the tournament is 4 if they defeat Spain on Day 2 and then the winner of Brazil v PNG.
The men defeated Spain to finish 3rd in their pool, that puts them up against Kenya in the first round of the 9th place playoff. If Canada can defeat Kenya they’ll get the favourable side of the 9th place semi-final and avoid Samoa who didn’t make the Cup round even though winning the Cape Town tournament. Canada will face either the winner or loser of the Great Britain v Japan match depending on the Kenya result.
Since the tournament was played on two fields, only some of Canada’s games were live streamed.
Men
South Africa 34 – Canada 5
Argentina 29 – Canada 14
Canada 12 – Spain 5
Women
Canada 12 – France 12
Australia 33 – Canada 7
Japan 17 – Canada 7
*Rugby Canada Announces Men’s and Women’s Teams for NZ 7s on January 20th*
Both the men’s and women’s squads have been named for the NZ 7s in Hamilton, which starts on Friday the 20th (in Canada’s time zones).
On the women’s side a couple of players from the XVs World Cup squad are named, Alysha Corrigan and Maddy Grant. Piper Logan, from UBC, who made a big impact last season is not on the list and may still be recuperating from injury. The women are in a pool with France, Australia and Japan. Based on current ranking and form Canada should get through to the Cup quarter-finals, at least as one of the two best 3rd place teams.
On the men’s side Elias Hancock is called into the side, the Pacific Pride #8 has been outstanding as a replacement for Callum Botchar in the Pride roster. Botchar was moved from the Pride program to the Canada 7s program but hasn’t been selected yet. Dawson Fatoric who was also moved from the Pride to the 7s program gets his first call up this tournament. Canada are in a pool with South Africa, Argentina and Spain. Based on current ranking and form, Canada will have to elevate their game to make the Cup quarter-finals. In the men’s tournament only the top two teams in each pool advance to the Cup round.
The women are currently ranked 9th, the men are ranked 13th.
CANADAS WOMENS 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
6. Charity Williams (Toronto, ON) Markham Irish
8. Bianca Farella (Montreal, QC) Town of Mont Royal RFC
10. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) NorWesters Athletic Association / Westshore RFC
16. Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) CRFC / Saracens
19. Nakisa Levale (Abbotsford, BC) Abbotsford RFC
21. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) Lindsay RFC
23. Shalaya Valenzuela (Abbotsford, BC) Abbotsford RFC
33. Maddy Grant (Cornwall, ON) University of Ottawa
77. Chloe Daniels (Sutton, ON) Aurora Barbarians / Queens University
99. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) Ottawa Irish / University of Victoria
CANADAS MENS SEVENS ROSTER
1. Anton Ngongo (Victoria, BC) Castaway Wanderers
2. Jake Thiel (Victoria, BC) James Bay AA
3. DShawn Bowen (Toronto, ON) Pacific Pride
4. Phil Berna (Vancouver, BC) Vancouver Rowing Club
6. Josiah Morra (Toronto, ON) Castaway Wanderers / Toronto Saracens
7. Brock Webster (Uxbridge, ON) Oshawa Vikings RFC
11. Elias Ergas (Vancouver, BC) University of British Columbia
14. Josh Thiel (Victoria, BC) James Bay AA
19. Matthew Oworu (Calgary, AB) Pacific Pride
23. Thomas Isherwood (Okotoks, AB) Foothills Lions RFC
27. Dawson Fatoric (Ottawa, ON) Pacific Pride
33. Kal Sager (Peterborough, ON) Peterborough Pagans / Trent University
64. Elias Hancock (Ottawa, ON) Bytown Blues
Women’s Team Announcement from Rugby Canada
Head Coach Jack Hanratty has named Canadas Womens Sevens Team for the next stop of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 in Hamilton, New Zealand.
The third tournament of the 2023 womens series, the New Zealand Sevens will take place January 20-22 at FMG Stadium Waikato, with Canada competing in Pool B along with France, Australia and Japan. The team returns to action following back-to-back legs in Dubai and Cape Town in December.
Four players will make their first appearances of the Sevens Series 2023 following a number of injuries. Maddy Grant and Alysha Corrigan make the transition over from the 15s game, having last represented Canada at the 2021 Rugby World Cup (played in 2022) in New Zealand this past fall. Corrigan was named Player of the Match in the final pool game versus the USA en route to Canadas exceptional fourth place finish.
Tokyo Olympian Pamphinette Buisa returns to the sevens roster, along with Chloe Daniels, a former Maple Leaf Academy player who made her World Rugby Sevens Series debut in Dubai in 2021 at the age of 18. Buisa and Daniels were also both called upon to support Canada at the 2021 Rugby World Cup.
We were hit hard with injuries in Cape Town and we had players stepping up and getting an opportunity to gain some crucial Sevens Series experience, said Jack Hanratty, Canadas Womens Sevens Team Head Coach. Every stop on the series is an opportunity to test ourselves against the best, and we are looking forward to starting off the new year with the chance to test the strength and depth of our squad in New Zealand.
Canada opens pool play against France on Friday January 20 at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET, followed by matches against Australia at 5:50 p.m. PT / 8:50 p.m. ET and Japan at 8:34 p.m. PT / 11:34 p.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. Please note that due to matches being played on two fields simultaneously, select matches may not be broadcast.
CANADAS WOMENS 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
6. Charity Williams (Toronto, ON) Markham Irish
8. Bianca Farella (Montreal, QC) Town of Mont Royal RFC
10. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) NorWesters Athletic Association / Westshore RFC
16. Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) CRFC / Saracens
19. Nakisa Levale (Abbotsford, BC) Abbotsford RFC
21. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) Lindsay RFC
23. Shalaya Valenzuela (Abbotsford, BC) Abbotsford RFC
33. Maddy Grant (Cornwall, ON) University of Ottawa
77. Chloe Daniels (Sutton, ON) Aurora Barbarians / Queens University
99. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) Ottawa Irish / University of Victoria
Men’s Team Announcement from Rugby Canada
January 12, 2023 (Langford, BC) Canadas Mens Sevens Team for the New Zealand Sevens, the fourth mens tournament of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023, has been named by interim Head Coach Sean White.
Led by captain Phil Berna, the team will play in Pool D at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton from January 20-22. Canada closed out 2022, and the start of the current Sevens Series, with a tenth place finish in Hong Kong, followed by fourteenth place finishes in Dubai and Cape Town. Josiah Morra and Brock Webster lead the team in scoring with 45 and 44 points respectively; both will be back on the pitch in New Zealand.
Making his international sevens debut is Dawson Fatoric, who first represented the country last summer with Canadas Mens Rugby Team in fixtures against Belgium and Spain. After touring with the Mens Sevens Team in 2022, Josh Thiel also joins the roster from the 15s squad, having played with the Senior Mens Team throughout the fall in the Americas Rugby Trophy and Canadas international test matches, and now returns to sevens throughout the fall. Elias Hancock, who was a member of the 2022 Singapore Sevens and Commonwealth Games teams, has been named to the New Zealand roster as well.
I thought the players executed the small adjustments we made prior to Dubai and Cape Town quite well. Their execution, especially early in the games, put us in a strong position, said Sean White, Canadas Mens Sevens Team interim Head Coach. Where we are looking to improve is with our execution under pressure and minimizing our unforced errors at pivotal moments, which has been a focus of ours since returning in the new year. In Hamilton we are aiming to build off the many positives the team showed they are capable of in Cape Town.
Canada will play South Africa, Argentina and Spain during pool play, starting with South Africa on Friday January 20 at 12:10 p.m. PT / 3:10 p.m. ET. The team faces Argentina the same day at 3:16 p.m. PT / 6:16 p.m. ET, followed by Spain at 8:34 p.m. PT / 11:34 p.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. Please note that due to matches being played on two fields simultaneously, select matches may not be broadcast.
CANADAS MENS SEVENS ROSTER
1. Anton Ngongo (Victoria, BC) Castaway Wanderers
2. Jake Thiel (Victoria, BC) James Bay AA
3. DShawn Bowen (Toronto, ON) Pacific Pride
4. Phil Berna (Vancouver, BC) Vancouver Rowing Club
6. Josiah Morra (Toronto, ON) Castaway Wanderers / Toronto Saracens
7. Brock Webster (Uxbridge, ON) Oshawa Vikings RFC
11. Elias Ergas (Vancouver, BC) University of British Columbia
14. Josh Thiel (Victoria, BC) James Bay AA
19. Matthew Oworu (Calgary, AB) Pacific Pride
23. Thomas Isherwood (Okotoks, AB) Foothills Lions RFC
27. Dawson Fatoric (Ottawa, ON) Pacific Pride
33. Kal Sager (Peterborough, ON) Peterborough Pagans / Trent University
64. Elias Hancock (Ottawa, ON) Bytown Blues