The sweet memories from the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games still linger for the Langford-based Canadian men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams, when both swept to gold medals before passionate and raucous home crowds at BMO Field.
Pat Kay of Duncan wasn’t on that Canadian men’s team, so he wants a golden moment of his own at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The Canadian men are set to open today in Gold Coast, Australia, against Kenya at 5:15 p.m. and Zambia at 8:55 p.m. PDT before concluding pool play at 3:49 a.m. Saturday morning against New Zealand.
“I missed out on the Pan Am Games, so am keen to do well [in the Commonwealth Games],” said the Cowichan High graduate, who has developed into a reliable regular on the Canadian roster.
But it won’t be easy. In fact, it will be downright difficult. As decent as the likes of the U.S. and Argentina are, the Pan Am Games tournament was nowhere near the level of the Commonwealth Games tournament.
The top-four nations in the men’s world ranking — South Africa, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia — are from the Commonwealth. The No. 7 English, No. 8 Kenyans and No. 9 Samoans gives the Commonwealth seven of the world top-10. Canada is No. 11, Scotland No. 12 and Wales No. 13, giving the Commonwealth 10 of the top 13 in the world.
Kay got a taste of it when he represented Canada in the 2011 Youth Commonwealth Games in the Isle of Man, along with current Gold Coast-teammates Lucas Hammond and Justin Douglas.
“That was a great experience but a real eye-opener for me,” said Kay, who is studying business online through the University of Victoria.
“In the Youth Commonwealth Games, I played against some of the star guys I play against now on the World Series. It’s been cool to see us all come up together and develop.”
The Canadian team in Gold Coast includes Island players Kay, Oak Bay-product Connor Braid and SMUS-grads Mike Fuailefau and Luke McCloskey of Victoria, Isaac Kaay of the UVic Vikes and UVic alumni Hammond and Nathan Hirayama.
This is Hirayama’s fourth Games after the 2010 Delhi and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games. The Olympics have eluded the Canadian men’s squad, but hope will spring anew on the road to Tokyo 2020 qualifying. Hirayama said playing in multi-sport Games is so different than rugby-only events.
“You feel part of a greater Canadian team and greater Canadian experience at a Games,” said the former UVic Vikes standout, one of the finest players to grace Wallace Field.
“There are so many more distractions you learn to deal with as you compete. But it’s also a ton of fun. We went to cheer on other Canadian athletes in wrestling, swimming and track. When do you get a chance to do that in [rugby-only events]?”
Women’s sevens makes its debut in the Commonwealth Games and Canada’s best chance for a rugby medal in Gold Coast rests with Oak Bay High-grad Caroline Crossley and the Langford-based 2016 Rio Olympics bronze-medallist Canuck women’s squad.
As with the men’s tournament, Gold Coast is basically a mini Olympics. Half of the women’s world top 10 nations are competing in the Commonwealth Games — the top-three of Australia, New Zealand and Canada along with No. 9 England and No. 10 Fiji.
The Canadian women opened overnight PDT against South Africa and Kenya and meet New Zealand today at 7:49 p.m. PDT to close out pool play.
The men’s and women’s medal rounds are Saturday.
“This is one of our busiest years . . . with the Commonwealth Games and world championships [in July at AT&T Park in San Francisco] added on to the regular 10 stops on the World Series,” said Kay.
But nobody who ends up with a Commonwealth Games or world championships medal hanging around the neck will be complaining.
There are 283 Canadian athletes competing in Gold Coast, of which 52 are from the Island or who live and train full-time in Greater Victoria.
