Crossley returns to Dubai as rugby wars veteran at 19
It was two years ago in the Dubai Sevens that Caroline Crossley of Victoria became the youngest player to don a Canadian jersey in a World Series event. She was 17. The Oak Bay High graduate returns to Dubai with the start today of the five-event 2017-18 World Series season, already a veteran at age 19. People look at her six-foot frame and marvel at her athleticism. The ceiling is high for her.
“I feel I have good size and power and skill in the air,” Crossley said. “And now I have a level of international experience.”
It’s all there and is coming together. This is the complete package — one poised for a breakout season — en route to the ultimate goal of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
It has been a steady rise since her father, former University of Victoria Vikes and Castaway Wanderers player David Crossley, created the CW girls’ team six years ago to give his daughter and other young female players a place to play rugby.
“I just want to continue my development as a player,” Caroline Crossley said.
There will be two additional events, along with the regular World Series stops, in which to display that emerging talent this season with the 2018 Commonwealth Games scheduled in April at Gold Coast, Australia, and the World Cup in July at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
“I’m excited because it’s a big year, especially because of the Commonwealth Games and World Cup, which are huge events for our sport,” Crossley said.
Canadian captain Ghislaine Landry, meanwhile, was one of three nominees for World Rugby’s female sevens player of the year after scoring 269 points last season to push her world all-time career-leading total to 844. The award, at the World Rugby ceremony this week in Monte Carlo, went to Michaela Blyde of New Zealand.
“It was a nice recognition to be nominated, but I don’t go out to win awards,” Landry said.
“It’s a team sport. I try to perform consistently. If I do well, it helps the team.”
Tofino-born and Abbotsfordraised Tausani Levale, 18, and Emma Chown, 21, of Barrie, Ont., will make their cap debuts today when Canada opens against Spain, Ireland and Fiji in Dubai. The chance comes because of injuries to regulars Bianca Farella, Charity Williams, Kaili Lukan and Sara Kaljuvee.
On the Canadian women’s team for Dubai are Crossley, Levale, Chown, Julia Greenshields, Breanne Nichols and 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallists Landry, Britt Benn, Hannah Darling, Megan Lukan, Kayla Moleschi, Natasha Watcham-Roy and Jen Kish.
Both the women’s and men’s national squads trained at Westhills Stadium the past few months ahead of leaving last week for Dubai and the start of the World Series season.
The Canadian men have an allAfrican opening day at the Dubai Sevens on Friday against Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. Named to the team are Pat Kay of Duncan, Mike Fuailefau and Connor Braid, both of Victoria, University of Victoria Vikes products Nathan Hirayama, Lucas Hammond and Isaac Kaay, John Moonlight of James Bay, Phil Berna, Admir Cejvanovic, Justin Douglas, Matt Mullins, Liam Underwood and captain Harry Jones.
Tickets go on sale Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. at canadasevens.com for the women’s World Series Canada Sevens to be held at Westhills Stadium for the fourth consecutive year, May 12-13.
The other women’s World Series stops are Dubai this weekend, Sydney on Jan. 26-28, Kitakyushu, Japan, on April 21-22, and Paris from June 8-10.