Canada’s Men’s Sevens head coach Geraint John has made five enforced changes to his squad for the penultimate round of 2013/14’s IRB World Series in Glasgow.
Sidelined with respective injuries are Nanyak Dala and Nathan Hirayama while Ciaran Hearn, Chauncey O’Toole and Lucas Hammond are unavailable – with the latter enjoying a stint at the Crusaders in New Zealand – so John has shuffled his pack for May
3-4.
Coming in for the quintet will be Adam Kleeberger, Connor Braid, Mike Fuailefau, Pat Kay and Duncan Maguire, with Jake Webster, Justin Douglas, Sean Ferguson, Jordan Wilson Ross and Pat Parfrey on stand-by should any injuries occur before the tournament.
John’s men currently sit in seventh place in the overall standings after enjoying an impressive start to 2014 that has seen them accumulate 49 points in their most recent four stops of the Series, leaving Canada only a point adrift of sixth-placed Samoa.
Such form has seen the team progress to four straight Cup competitions which they will hope to make five at Scotstoun Stadium, a venue where they did just that a year ago, eventually losing to Argentina in the semi-final stages of the Plate competition.
Amid the alterations there’s one ever-present for the Glasgow showpiece as John Moonlight looks to follow up another Dream Team selection in the most recent Hong Kong Sevens.
The James Bay man has been named as captain for the leg in Hirayama’s absence.
Moonlight leads the squad in Glasgow against Japan, France and England, with Canada coach John admitting all three pool games are tough in their own right.
“We are looking forward to it,” he said. “It will be a tough competition with Japan the first game. They won the (Hong Kong) qualifier and will want to show everyone how good they are. They are fast, skilful and played very well in Hong Kong and Tokyo, where they drew with Argentina and only lost to Wales in overtime.”
“Then we play France and those games are always close and physical before we have England who we narrowly lost to in Tokyo so ouraim will be to gain revenge.”
Regarding the prospect of achieving their best ever IRB World Sevens Series finish, John revealed that there is an undercurrent of excitement as the team looks to end the campaign strongly in Scotland before the finale at Twickenham the following week.
“Our main aim is to continue to improve,” he added. “We’ve managed to get in the top eight in the last four tournaments and that’s our aim again. We are currently seventh in the standings and it would be an outstanding achievement if we can maintain this or even better it. It would be a great end to a fantastic Series.”
Thanks to Bryan Kelly Coordinator National Program Communications, Rugby Canada for the info.
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