Tourney leaves fans in Sevens heaven
You can’t go home again, they often say.
The first edition of the Canada Sevens in 2016 was a grand event. It surprised. It impressed. It delighted. Delivering the same glitter in Year 2 was a big task — and it’s safe to say the mission was accomplished.
Canadian fans brought energy to every Canadian game. Even the tense 15-14 loss to New Zealand on Saturday to close out the day had that vibe, even if the real final was still a day away, the players said.
“It makes it a very special tournament,” England captain Tom Mitchell said of the loud, proud fans. “They cheer for everyone as well, it’s an amazing experience.”
So sure, the Canadians were two and done on Day 2, missing out on the drama of a placement final like last year. They didn’t get a dramatic final win. But, in the big picture, they showed how close they are.
“It’s disappointing we couldn’t put on more of a show for the fans,” Canada captain Harry Jones said after their 12-5 loss to Argentina in the fifth-place playoff semifinal. “But for rugby in Canada, this is unbelievable: to pack the house, for two days, playing rugby, not the Canucks, not the B.C. Lions, not the Whitecaps — this is rugby, Canadian rugby, a lot of red out there. This is for the kids that are out there as well, because we need that grassroots to start growing because in five, 10 years, those are the kids who are going to be playing.”
And that really is the story. England may have beaten South Africa 19-7 in the final, but the Canadians finished tied for seventh on the day, and are now 10th overall on the series. It didn’t have the drama, but it’s progress. This is a team that is selling a dream.
The Canadian women won bronze in Rio, and that’s done nothing but wonders for growth in the women’s game. The men getting back into the top 10, where they were just two seasons ago, will make a good recruiting tool, too.
It also sets a standard for the team. Three of the last four tournaments have seen the Canadian men finish top eight, as coach Damian McGrath noted. It’s pushed the team’s ambition upward.
“Last year and before Christmas, we couldn’t buy a quarter-final,” he said. “Now we’re in the quarterfinals and we’re desperately disappointed we’re not going further. It’s a step forward.”
Building out the team’s depth is his big goal.
“I’m squeezing blood out of the stone,” he said.
There’s not much to be done when you suffer three key injuries on Day 1 — John Moonlight, Justin Douglas and Phil Berna all were suffering and far from at their best Sunday — other than raise the average quality that you started with. It’s coming, he said. “When we were fit and healthy on Day 1,” McGrath said of what he hoped fans would think about when they recall the weekend. “I hope they take that with them rather than the battered and bruised group at the end.”