Canada showing podium potential for Paris in women’s sevens

The rapidly-emerging Langfordbased Canadian women’s rugby sevens team again showed signs that it will be in the hunt for the podium at the Stade de France this summer in the 2024 Paris Olympics by placing fourth in the Los Angeles Sevens over the weekend. That followed up the team’s bronze medal the week before in the home Canada Sevens at B.C. Place.

Canada beat France 28-19 in the quarter-finals at Los Angeles before losing to defending Tokyo Olympics champion New Zealand 31-12 in the semifinals and 21-7 to the U.S. in the bronze-medal game. After some program turmoil following the bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Canada fell off the world pace. But the team is now again running with the big teams.

Canada qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning the North American and Caribbean qualifying tournament last August at Starlight Stadium in Langford. Canadian head coach Jack Hanratty is closely monitoring performances in World Series tournaments this year as he decides on finalizing his Olympic roster.

Looking strong for consideration are Sophie De Goede and Caroline Crossley, both of Victoria, University of Victoria Vikes stars Krissy Scurfield, Shalaya Valenzuela and Carissa Norsten, Fancy Bermudez of Westshore RFC, captain Olivia Apps, Breanne Nicholas, Chloe Daniels, Alysha Corrigan, Maddy Grant, Asia Hogan-Rochester, Florence Symonds and Charity Williams, the latter the last connection to the 2016 Rio Olympics bronzemedallist team.

“Every single player in our program, regardless of if they are named to a roster or not, has been putting in the work to help the team perform and build towards the Olympics,” said Hanratty.

Meanwhile, the Canadian men’s team lost 28-15 on Sunday to South Africa in the 11th-place game in Los Angeles after placing 11th in the Canada Sevens.

The Canadian men placed second to the U.S. in the North American and Caribbean Olympic qualifying tournament last August at Starlight Stadium and are preparing for the world last-chance Olympic qualifier for Paris 2024, taking place June 21-23 in Monaco.

The Canadian men’s and women’s teams now return to Langford to train for the storied Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens from April 5 to 7.