As venerated as the Hong Kong Sevens is in rugby circles, it’s better the Canadian women’s team stumbled there this weekend than at Paris this summer in the Olympic Games.
The crossover quarter-finals are the trickiest stage in any international sports tournament. The Langford-based Canadian women’s team found that out in going 3-0 in group play Friday only to lose in the quarter-finals Saturday in the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.
Canada was beaten 26-5 by defending Tokyo Olympic champion New Zealand in a tough quarter-final match-up.
The University of Victoria connection of Shalaya Valenzuela, on a try from an offload by Vikes teammate Krissy Scurfield, accounted for the Canadian scoring.
Canada had dispatched Japan 24-5, Spain 14-7 and the United States 12-5 in group play in a rousing start to the tournament on Friday.
Carissa Norsten of the UVic Vikes assisted on a key try by Canadian XVs captain Sophie De Goede of Victoria against Spain.
Veteran Charity Williams, the last connection to Canada’s 2016 Rio Olympics bronze-medallist team, scored two tries against Japan and Scurfield one. Captain Olivia Apps and Fancy Bermudez of Westshore RFC scored the Canadian tries against the U.S.
Canada was playing Fiji for fifth place late Saturday night. Also on the roster for Canada in Hong Kong was former UVic Vikes star and 2020 Tokyo Olympian Pamphinette Buisa.
The Canadian women have qualified for the Olympics by winning the North American and Caribbean qualifying tournament last year at Starlight Stadium. Ranked No. 5 in the world, the Canadian women are potential medal threats for Paris.
Heading into Hong Kong, Canadian women’s head coach Jack Hanratty said in a statement: “We are proud of what we have accomplished this season, but we know that there is still huge room to grow as we look to guarantee our spot in the [World Series] Grand Final in Madrid while also building to be at our best at the Paris Olympic Games.”
The world No. 12 Canadian men’s sevens team, also based in Langford, went winless in group play in Hong Kong on Friday with losses to Australia, France and two-time Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Fiji, before losing Saturday 21-0 to Argentina in the ninth-place consolation playoff.
The Canadian men were set to play Great Britain for 11th place on Saturday night.
Morgan Di Nardo made his debut for Canada in Hong Kong following a standout freshman season for the Vikes at UVic.
“It’s always special when players earn the opportunity to gain their first cap in our program,” Canadian men’s head coach Sean White of Victoria said in a statement.
“Morgan Di Nardo has been a standout player with UVic this season, and we are happy to have a relationship with UVic allowing him to join us during a pivotal time in their season and in his school year.”
Also playing in Hong Kong for Canada was Matt Percellier of Victoria.
The Canadian men placed second to the U.S. in the North American and Caribbean Paris Olympics qualifying tournament last August at Starlight Stadium and are preparing for the last-chance 2024 Olympics qualifier to be held June 21-23 in Monaco.
