Inconsistency has tripped up the young Canadian men鈥檚 rugby sevens squad during the first half of the season, but head coach Henry Paul is confident his team can find its legs during this weekend鈥檚 HSBC Canada Sevens rugby tournament.
鈥淲e have to stop doing the self-harm things,鈥� Paul said after a practice at BC Place Stadium. 鈥淪ome of our fundamentals in the sevens game is letting us down. It鈥檚 less what other teams are doing. We鈥檝e got to fix what we want to do.鈥�
Co-captains Nate Hirayama and Harry Jones, along Justin Douglas and Connor Braid, are among the 10 veterans who retired from the sevens team that finished eighth at the Tokyo Olympics.
Established players like captain Phil Berna and Jake Theil remain, but this year鈥檚 team has been stocked with young faces like Brenning Prevost of Victoria, Elias Ergas of Vancouver and Calgary鈥檚 Matthew Oworu.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a rebuilding year,鈥� said Theil. 鈥淎ny time when you have the full team switching over it鈥檚 going to be a bit of a tough adjustment.
鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult, it鈥檚 had its ups and downs. Each tournament we kind of build on. Hopefully this is where we鈥檙e going to hit our peak. We鈥檙e going to be really good in year or two. We just need time to grow.鈥�
The Canadian men have 24 points in five tournaments this year, leaving them tied for 13th place with Wales among the 19 teams competing in the World Rugby Sevens Series.
Canada鈥檚 best result was losing in the quarterfinals of the tournament in Malaga, Spain. In the following two tournaments in Seville and last week in Singapore, Canada won just one of 11 games.
Paul said the team has showed flashes of its potential.
鈥淓ndeavour and effort I can鈥檛 fault,鈥� said the native of Tokora, New Zealand, who played internationally for both New Zealand and England. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been in most games with a score or less to go with time just expiring and we just do something a little bit silly, a little bit dumb.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to learn from those moments.鈥�
Berna said experience will eliminate some of the mistakes.
鈥淭hat comes with having a young team,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been in this position before.
鈥淐onsistency has always been something we鈥檝e been striving for. We鈥檙e a bit rough around the edges but (there鈥檚 been) a lot of positive moments.鈥�
Another positive step for the team is former Canadian international Sean White being named an assistant coach.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 done a really good job of growing Canadian coaches and Canadian rugby is strong,鈥� said Thiel, who missed the Singapore tournament is a leg injury. 鈥淲e need to start growing the coaches along with the players.
鈥淭he thing Sean brings is he鈥檚 been around and he knows these young players. Sean will back anybody and he wants to give these kids a shot.鈥�
The tournament, being held Saturday and Sunday at BC Place, will see 16 teams in action including South Africa, which leads the standings with 98 points after winning the first four tournaments.
Australia and Argentina, tied for second with 83 points; the U.S. and Olympic gold medallists Fiji will also compete.
The teams are divided into four pools. Canada is slotted into a challenging group that includes South Africa, Australia and Spain, currently ranked ninth in the standings.
Paul said his team won鈥檛 be intimidated.
鈥淲e want to be making the quarterfinals,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be difficult. We鈥檙e under no illusions 鈥� but I think we鈥檙e up to the challenge.鈥�
Due to the pandemic, the 2021 men鈥檚 season was reduced to two events 鈥� in Vancouver and Edmonton in September 鈥� with several top teams unable to compete due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions.
South Africa won both tournaments, with Canada finishing sixth and fourth.
Of the 13 players selected to this weekend鈥檚 roster, nine were either born in B.C. or play rugby on the West Coast.
Berna said playing in Vancouver, in front of friends and family, will be an advantage.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always a tournament that provides the boys a lot of energy,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e just hope it all clicks this weekend. With the fans behind us, I鈥檓 optimistic that it will.鈥�
The tournament comes not long after an independent review into Rugby Canada鈥檚 high-performance programs painted a damning picture of a dysfunctional organization at odds with its athletes, staff and supporters.
Thiel said the report is a chance for Rugby Canada to move forward.
鈥淪omeone needs to lead the pack,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his new generation of player has accepted that role. It鈥檚 never easy to stand up and demand change, but that鈥檚 what we have done.
鈥淲e鈥檝e let our voices be heard and are trying affect positive change, which I think is coming.鈥�
鈥� Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
