The Following is a Press Release from Rugby Canada.
Kleeberger, Kay, Fuailefau, Braid and Maguire return to Canada’s roster for Glasgow on May 3-4; Canada looking for fifth straight Cup Round appearance in the HSBC Sevens World Series
LANGFORD, BC – Canada’s Men’s Sevens head coach Geraint John has made five enforced changes to his squad for the penultimate round of 2013/14’s IRB World Series in Glasgow.
Sidelined with respective injuries are Nanyak Dala and Nathan Hirayama while Ciaran Hearn, Chauncey O’Toole and Lucas Hammond are unavailable – with the latter enjoying a stint at the Crusaders in New Zealand – so John has shuffled his pack for May 3-4.
Coming in for the quintet will be Adam Kleeberger, Connor Braid, Mike Fuailefau, Pat Kay and Duncan Maguire, with Jake Webster, Justin Douglas, Sean Ferguson, Jordan Wilson Ross and Pat Parfrey on stand-by should any injuries occur before the tournament.
John’s men currently sit in seventh place in the overall standings after enjoying an impressive start to 2014 that has seen them accumulate 49 points in their most recent four stops of the Series, leaving Canada only a point adrift of sixth-placed Samoa.
Such form has seen the team progress to four straight Cup competitions which they will hope to make five at Scotstoun Stadium, a venue where they did just that a year ago, eventually losing to Argentina in the semi-final stages of the Plate competition.
Amid the alterations there’s one ever-present for the Glasgow showpiece as John Moonlight looks to follow up another Dream Team selection in the most recent Hong Kong Sevens. The James Bay man has been named as captain for the leg in Hirayama’s absence.
Moonlight leads the squad in Glasgow against Japan, France and England, with Canada coach John admitting all three pool games are tough in their own right.
“We are looking forward to it,” he said. “It will be a tough competition with Japan the first game. They won the (Hong Kong) qualifier and will want to show everyone how good they are. They are fast, skilful and played very well in Hong Kong and Tokyo, where they drew with Argentina and only lost to Wales in overtime.”
“Then we play France and those games are always close and physical before we have England who we narrowly lost to in Tokyo so our aim will be to gain revenge.”
Regarding the prospect of achieving their best ever IRB World Sevens Series finish, John revealed that there is an undercurrent of excitement as the team looks to end the campaign strongly in Scotland before the finale at Twickenham the following week.
“Our main aim is to continue to improve,” he added. “We’ve managed to get in the top eight in the last four tournaments and that’s our aim again. We are currently seventh in the standings and it would be an outstanding achievement if we can maintain this or even better it. It would be a great end to a fantastic Series.”
Canada’s Men’s Glasgow Sevens
May 3-4 – Day One
Canada vs Japan at 11:36 local (6:36am ET/3:36am PT)
Canada vs France at 14:42 local (9:42am ET/6:42am PT)
Canada vs England at 17:31 local (12:31pm ET/9:31am PT)
Canada’s Roster for Glasgow – (Club, CRC Team) Hometown, Province
John Moonlight (captain) – (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Pickering, ON
Adam Kleeberger – (Castaway Wanderers RFC/BC Bears) White Rock, BC
Mike Scholz – (Castaway Wanderers RFC/Ontario Blues) Oakville, ON
Connor Braid – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Mike Fuailefau – (Castaway Wanderers) Victoria, BC
Phil Mack – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Harry Jones – (Capilano RFC/BC Bears) North Vancouver, BC
Conor Trainor – (UBCOB Ravens/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
Sean Duke – (UVic Vikes/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
Sean White – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Pat Kay – (Uvic Vikes/BC Bears) Duncan, BC
Duncan Maguire – (St. Albert Rugby Club/Prairie Wolf Pack) St. Albert, AB
Unavailable Players:
Nanyak Dala – (Castaway Wanderers RFC/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
Nathan Hirayama – (UVic Vikes/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
Ciaran Hearn – (Castaway Wanderers RFC/The Rock) Conception Bay South, NL
Chauncey O’Toole – (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Belleisle, NB
Lucas Hammond – (Toronto Nomads/Ontario Blues) Toronto, ON
Stand-by players:
Jake Webster – (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Lindsay, ON
Justin Douglas – (Abbotsford RFC) Abbotsford, BC
Jordan Wilson Ross – (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Alliston, ON
Pat Parfrey – (James Bay AA/Atlantic Rock) St. John’s, NL
Sean Ferguson – (UBC Thunderbirds) Vancouver, BC
Senior Men’s Team Staff:
Geraint John – Head Coach
Kieran Crowley – Assistant Coach
Danielle Mah – Physiotherapist
Calum Ramsay – Performance Analyst
Lorna Barry – Strength and Conditioning Coach
Brian Hunter – Manager
Canada’s Men’s Sevens Program is proudly sponsored by Sport Canada and Own the Podium.
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