Canadian men's rugby 7s squad gears up for Las Vegas
National union recently revamped its logo, changed uniform suppliers
The Canadian men's rugby sevens squad will look different when it takes the pitch for the Las Vegas leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Granted, the roster still consists of familiar faces like Nathan Hirayama and John Moonlight, but the kits and crest the team will be sporting are brand new. Rugby Canada signed a multi-year equipment deal with Canterbury as part of a major overhaul which includes a revamped logo — a maple leaf with the word 'rugby' in the centre.
The new look will come to life on the field this season when it makes its debut on the <a href="https://twitter.com/canterburyNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@canterburyNZ</a> kit worn by Canada’s men’s & women’s national teams, beginning w/<a href="https://twitter.com/USASevens?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USASevens</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/CanadaSevens?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CanadaSevens</a>!<br><br>Purchase your new jerseys today> <a href="https://t.co/264cjKWjBW">https://t.co/264cjKWjBW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RugbyCA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RugbyCA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForwardTogether?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForwardTogether</a> <a href="https://t.co/aVnX5O9SV3">pic.twitter.com/aVnX5O9SV3</a>
—@RugbyCanadaAesthetics aside, the squad is looking to rebound after going winless in pool play at its most recent tournament in New Zealand. Once in the consolation bracket, Canada went on to defeat Wales in the quarter-finals before losing to Argentina.
Canada's best result this season came in December in Cape Town, when the team placed fourth. It's the only time during the campaign that the No. 11 Canadians successfully reached the Cup playoffs.
The team opens pool play in Las Vegas against England on March 2 at 8:12 p.m. ET, followed by a Cape Town bronze-medal rematch against South Africa at 11:35 p.m. ET and a game against Wales on March 3 at 4:48 p.m. ET.
The tournament runs from March 2-4 and all matches will be streamed live on CBCSports.ca.
Connor Braid and Admir Cejvanovic return to the sevens team after joining the 15s team for its World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay; Braid missed the second leg of the two-game aggregate series with an ankle injury as Canada lost to Los Teros, putting their hopes at reaching the 2019 Rugby World Cup in jeopardy.
Pat Kay and Mike Fuailefau also rejoin the team, while Andrew Coe could make his sevens debut for Canada after previously playing on the 15s team.
"The boys are in good shape and looking forward to having a good run in Las Vegas to build confidence ahead of our home tournament in Vancouver," head coach Damian McGrath said in a press release. Vancouver's B.C. Place will host the next stop on the Sevens Series on March 10-11.
Here's the men's team's roster, captained by Harry Jones:
- Luke Bradley (Port Alberni, B.C.)
- Connor Braid (Victoria)
- Tevaughn Campbell (Toronto)
- Admir Cejvanovic (Burnaby, B.C.)
- Andrew Coe (Victoria)
- Justin Douglas (Abbotsford, B.C.)
- Mike Fuailefau (Victoria)
- Nathan Hirayama (Richmond, B.C.)
- Harry Jones (North Vancouver, B.C.)
- Isaac Kaay (Kamloops, B.C.)
- Pat Kay (Duncan, B.C.)
- Luke McCloskey (Victoria)
- John Moonlight (Pickering, Ont.)
With files from The Canadian Press