Match versus Samoa a family affair for Canadian
Victoria native to line up against his father’s homeland in Canada Sevens
The Canadian team’s first game at the 2019 HSBC Canada Sevens is just about an all-or-nothing affair: they face Samoa at 11:01 a.m. Saturday at B.C. Place Stadium.
The winners will be one step away from finding themselves in the quarter-finals on Sunday; either a follow-on win over Fiji (at 2:08 p.m.; yes, anything is possible) or Kenya (at 5:40 p.m.; a team missing a slew of veterans from last year’s second-place squad) will land them a top-eight spot.
For the Canadians, it’s a chance to avenge a narrow loss in last week’s pool play in Las Vegas, one that propelled the Pacific Islanders on their way to a place in the final, where they lost to the host Americans.
The Canadians, meanwhile, slumped to the consolation round, eventually finishing 13th overall on the weekend.
Canadian forward Mike Fuailefau has an added incentive: Samoa is his father’s homeland.
“It’ll be interesting to look up in the stands and see what jersey he’s wearing,” the always-smiling Fuailefau joked after a practice this week at B.C. Place Stadium. “Last time we had a fundraiser I think he was wearing a Samoa hoodie over a Canada jersey.”
“No, I’m sure he’ll be rocking the red and white.”
That’s where the affinity for Samoa ends for the Victoria-bornand-raised 26-year-old.
“It’s always nice to play against Samoa, but it’s not different from every other team. We want to win.”
Fuailefau is as solidly built as a rugby player can be. It’s been a long time since he’s played the 15-a-side version of the game, but when he does he’s an inside centre. In sevens, he’s usually a forward, playing a physically confronting style but also able to throw some silky-smooth steps and passes into the mix. Still, he’s been in the mix for the Canada sevens squad since 2012 and the wear and tear has taken its toll.
He’s had two ankle surgeries in that time, and fully admits that speed isn’t a big factor in his game anymore.
“I’m not as spry as I was when I started,” he said, again with a laugh.
“You have to find different things that you’re good at. Certain things aren’t there: I’m never going to be the fastest guy on the park, I have to be good at the breakdown, I have my own jobs at the scrums and at the lineouts. Everyone has to be a ballplayer. You can’t go out there and not be able to pass or make a tackle.”
But when he’s available to play, every coach Fuailefau has toiled under has been quick to put him in the lineup; he’s a quintessential glue guy, it would seem. His current coach is quick to praise what Fuailefau brings to the table.
“He brings that little bit of Xfactor that most forwards don’t have,” Damian McGrath said. “He’s not quite what he was in the past because his speed hasn’t quite come back, but he’s still got that footwork and that work ethic and he’s a clever player.”
To finish 13th in Las Vegas, the Canadians rebounded from their disappointing Saturday — the Samoa loss was followed up by a narrow loss to Scotland in the consolation-round quarter-finals — by first beating France and then Wales.
The Canadians’ second try of the Wales game was dotted down by Fuailefau, who ran into the end zone untouched after a perfectly executed set play by the Canadians off a lineout.
The big Canadian may never have run through a bigger gap in a defensive line than that one.
“Honestly, I think they were like ‘Just give him one,’” he said of the score.
“If you looked at my eyes it was a look of complete shame and exhaustion. I don’t think I would have got there if Luke (McCloskey) didn’t run a great line off the back, if (Connor) Braid didn’t push me.”
McGrath said the try proved what Fuailefau is able to do.
“Like (Nathan) Hirayama, they seem to have more time and space. They can do things just with a drop of the hips.”