Despite losses to Australia and Wales on Day Three, Canada Rugby Men’s 7s picked up 10 Series Points and move to seventh place with two tournaments to go.
HONG KONG – Canada’s Men endured a tough final day at the Hong Kong Sevens as back-to-back defeats saw the team ultimately bow out at the Plate semi-final stage on Sunday. However, the top–eight finish sees Canada gather 10 IRB Sevens World Series points to move to seventh on the Series circuit.
A last second try from Australia broke Canadian hearts in their first match, the Cup quarter-final, as a 12-14 defeat saw the team drop into the Plate competition where Wales were too hot to handle for Canada.
Canada will now regroup ahead of the IRB Series run-in, which sees legs in Scotland and England bring a close to the season.
All games on the HSBC Sevens World Series can be watched LIVE at www.irbsevens.com!
Canada 12-14 Australia
Line-up: 3 Nanyak Dala, 4 John Moonlight, 5 Conor Trainor, 6 Sean Duke, 7 Phil Mack, 10 Ciaran Hearn, 11 Harry Jones
It was late heartbreak for the second week in a row on the Series for Canada on Sunday as they fell to a last minute converted try in their Cup quarter-final, as Australia edged to victory to knock the squad into the Plate semis in Hong Kong.
Like in Tokyo, Canada can hold their heads high after another strong performance saw them dominate most of the game but ultimately come up just short in the end.
Canada, who were without injured captain Nathan Hirayama, were leading 5-0 at the half-time break following a terrier like start from the squad that had Australia on the ropes. Good work at the breakdown from Phil Mack was the catalyst for Harry Jones finishing off the opening five-pointer, which was posted inside the first minute.
John would have wanted more of the same from his side after the turnaround as Michael O’Connor’s men couldn’t get their hands on decent ball nor territory, but in fact it was an eighth minute try from Australia’s Alex Gibbon that arrived soon after.
Cameron Clark’s conversion of that aforementioned try saw Australia hit the front for the first time in the match. But Canada launched a response soon after, showing intelligence to go quickly from a line-out on halfway before spreading possession to Ciaran Hearn who finished nicely for 12-7 with a minute left in the gripping contest.
But then came the sucker punch from the Australians as they struck with no time remaining on the clock, Paul Asquith with the try as Clark’s kick won the game to send the side wearing gold into the Cup semi-final and Canada towards the Plate.
Canada 14-31 Wales
Line-up: 3 Nanyak Dala, 4 John Moonlight, 5 Conor Trainor, 6 Sean Duke, 7 Phil Mack, 10 Ciaran Hearn, 11 Harry Jones
Canada had their three-day Hong Kong Sevens campaign brought to an end by Wales on Sunday, with the 14-31 result a disappointing finish to the weekend.
Five tries were scored by the Welshman with Canada’s efforts arriving via Sean Duke and Harry Jones as they now regroup ahead of the penultimate tournament of the Series in Scotland on May 3-4 before the Twickenham finale the following week.
Wales opened the contest in impressive fashion, crossing inside a minute when the busy Samuel Cross went over, with Lee Williams kicking the two points for 0-7.
The deficit grew in size two minutes later when James Davies scored as Canada struggled to repeat their impressive performances of the previous two days.
One small glimmer of hope arrived before the break, however, as following another Welsh score, Duke finished off a superb handling move across the backline to send the teams into their respective huddles with the scoreline delicately poised at 7-19.
Unfortunately for Canada the second-half was a similar story to the first though as further tries from Will Price and Alex Webber put Wales in an unassailable position at the Hong Kong Stadium, with an early exit from the tournament looming large.
Jones would hand the never-say-die Canadians a consolation score with a try in the fourteenth minute but the result was already settled at that point as Canada head home with another ten IRB World Series points in the bank, putting them on 63.
Canada’s Men’s Hong Kong Sevens
March 28-30
Day One
Canada 35-7 Portugal
Day Two
Canada 14-7 Argentina
Canada 12-14 England
Day Three
Canada 12-14 Australia
Canada 14-31 Wales
Canada’s Roster for Hong Kong – (Club, CRC Team) Hometown, Province
Nanyak Dala – (Castaway Wanderers RFC/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
Sean Duke – (UVic Vikes/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
Lucas Hammond – (Toronto Nomads/Ontario Blues) Toronto, ON
Ciaran Hearn – (Castaway Wanderers RFC/The Rock) Conception Bay South, NL
Nathan Hirayama, Captain – (UVic Vikes/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
Harry Jones – (Capilano RFC/BC Bears) North Vancouver, BC
John Moonlight – (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Pickering, ON
Chauncey O’Toole – (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Belleisle, NB
Mike Scholz – (Castaway Wanderers RFC/Ontario Blues) Oakville, ON
Conor Trainor – (UBCOB Ravens/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
Sean White – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Phil Mack – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Players Unavailable for Selection:
Connor Braid – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Justin Douglas – (Abbotsford RFC) Abbotsford, BC
Phil Mack – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
Pat Parfrey – (James Bay AA/Atlantic Rock) St. John’s, NL
Senior Men’s Team Staff:
Geraint John – Head Coach
Morgan Williams – 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, Sun Life Financial Hong Kong and Own the Podium.
photo credit Ian Muir/Rugby Canada
