It is the word that will be hanging over every national team in a summer sport for the next year and a half.
The word is “qualification,” as in for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In rugby sevens, the top-four men’s and women’s finishers in their respective 2018-19 World Series standings will earn Olympic berths to Tokyo.
The Langford-based Canadian teams have been in preparation for the World Series’ Dubai Sevens from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, with the women breaking camp at Westhills Stadium and departing today and the men later in the week.
The women’s World Series began last month with Canada placing third at the USA Sevens in Denver, Colorado. The Dubai tournament, however, will be the first on the men’s World Series calendar.
The big picture can overwhelm, so both Canadian squads are approaching it in increments.
“We know this is the first qualifying period for 2020 but we’re focused on the day-to-day process,” said Canadian women’s team player Charity Williams.
“We’re all about the process and working hard every day in our training blocks.”
The third-place World Series tournament finish in Colorado was a good first “building block” toward Tokyo, said Canadian player Kayla Moleschi of Williams Lake.
“We all realize what the sweep of the year is about, but we take each game as it comes, knowing it gets us closer to that word — qualification,” she added.
As to the keys in Dubai, Moleschi said it’s about “ball possession and supporting each other.”
Both Moleschi and Williams were part of Canada’s bronze-medal team at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“I believe our attack patterns can beat anybody in the world,” said Williams.
“So, defence is going to be the key for us.”
The Canadian men’s sevens must overcome the loss of eight pre-season weeks while 13 of them were boycotting training camp in protest of proposed new funding and training systems installed by Rugby Canada. The players, some still disgruntled, are proceeding with the season under an agreement that was reached Nov 1.
“We’re behind the eight-ball and our lungs will be burning in Dubai,” said Canadian standout Connor Braid of Victoria.
Canada will rely heavily on being a veteran group.
“If we are lacking a bit in conditioning, we have the cohesion that comes with knowing each other so well,” said Braid, a product of Oak Bay High and James Bay Athletic Association.
“We are a tight-knit group of guys that loves to play together and we have been working hard over the past three weeks [since the boycott ended],” said Braid.
“We know this is the first Olympic qualifier and that there are avenues after that [repechage qualifiers that will fill out the 12-team field for Tokyo 2020]. But right now every nation is on an equal field with zero points.”
Both World Series will again feature Canada Sevens events, the men’s March 9-10 at B.C. Place and the women’s May 11-12 at Westhills Stadium.
