Canada's male and female players set to compete side-by-side in California rugby sevens tournament, with significant implications on the line

Rewritten Article:

On May 3-4, Canada's men and women rugby teams will battle it out at Dignity Health Sports Park, the venue for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics' rugby sevens event. Yet, these two teams are tackling different challenges in Carson, California.

The Canadian women are shooting for a triumphant end to the season at the HSBC SVNS World Championship. This tournament gathers the top eight men's and women's teams after six successful rounds on the elite rugby sevens circuit. Canada snagged fourth place in the rankings following back-to-back third-place finishes in Hong Kong and Singapore.

In contrast, Canada's men are striving to reclaim their spot in the top tier after being demoted last June.

Before the sevens finale, the Canadian women have been honing their skills with the 15s team in Chula Vista, California.

"We've strengthened our foundation and are enormously proud of our performances in Hong Kong and Singapore," said Canada women's sevens coach Jocelyn Barrieau in a statement. "We've pinpointed areas for improvement, and we're eager to get back on the pitch together in L.A."

The squad includes eight players from the Hong Kong and Singapore groups. Charity Williams, Asia Hogan-Rochester, and Alysha Corrigan rejoin the team after their last appearance in Vancouver, February. Like Williams, Savannah Bauder is back from injury, while Larah Wright, who made her debut in Perth, gets another invite.

After the California event, Corrigan, Hogan-Rochester, Florence Symonds, Mahalia Robinson, and Olivia Apps will join the 15s team for the remaining matches of the Pacific Four Series in New Zealand and Australia.

Canada's men, meanwhile, finished third in the second-tier Challenger Series, earning a spot in a promotion/relegation playoff featuring the top four teams from the Challenger Series and the bottom four sides from the HSBC SVNS, battling it out for four spots in the top tier next season.

The Canada men are coming off a third-place finish in the final Challenger Series event in Krakow, Poland. "We've been eagerly anticipating this tournament all season," said Canada coach Sean White. "We've targeted crucial areas for improvement coming out of Krakow and made that our focus over the past few weeks in camp in Langford (B.C.)."

Joining the players who represented Canada in Krakow is Kal Sager, who returns to the squad following an injury.

The Canadian women have been placed in a pool with Japan, Britain, and New Zealand. The men, on the other hand, are in a pool with Uruguay, Ireland, and Germany.

Roster

Canada Women

Breanne Nicholas (Blenheim, ON) – Kent Havoc RFC
Charity Williams (Toronto, ON) – UBC / Markham Irish
Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
Carmen Izyk (High River, AB) – Foothills Lions / Queen’s University / RCTPM
Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC
Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) – Saracens / CRFC
Carissa Norsten (Waldheim, SK) – Kirin RFC / University of Victoria
Sabrina Poulin (St-Georges, QC) – Town of Mount Royal RFC / Exeter Chiefs
Shalaya Valenzuela (Abbotsford, BC) – Abbotsford RFC
Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC
Savannah Bauder (North Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
Mahalia Robinson (Fulford, QC) – Town of Mount Royal RFC
Larah Wright (Calgary, AB) – University of Victoria.

Canada Men

Rhys James (Kelowna, B.C.) – Pacific Pride
James Thiel (Abbotsford, B.C.) – Pacific Pride
Ethan Turner (Maple Ridge, B.C.) – Burnaby Lake Rugby Club
Alex Russell (Bracebridge, Ont.) – McGill University
Brenden Black (Oakville, Ont.) – Guelph University
Ethan Hager (Brantford, Ont.) – Castaway Wanderers
Morgan Di Nardo (Toronto, University of Victoria)
Jamie Armstrong (Ottawa, University of Ottawa)
Kyle Tremblay (White Rock, B.C.) – Bayside RFC
Thomas Isherwood (Okotoks, Alta., Westshore RFC)
Kainoa Lloyd (Mississauga, Ont.) – James Bay AA
Kal Sager (Peterborough, Ont.) – Trent University
Elias Hancock (Ottawa, Ont.) – University of Ottawa.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2025

Insights:

The team participated in the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens and came away with a bronze medal.
Canada represents the bottom four teams in the HSBC SVNS, aiming to secure a place in the top tier for the next season.
Canada's women seek to develop players and build team cohesion for future international competitions like the Rugby World Cup.
Matches and times for the tournament have not been officially announced yet but will be aired live on TSN+.
specific emphasis on the One Squad philosophy that the women's team is adopting by training with the 15s team.

The Canadian women's rugby team aims for a triumphant end to the season at the HSBC SVNS World Championship, where they will face competition from top men's and women's teams from around the globe.
In preparation for the tournament, the Canadian women have been collaborating with the 15s team in Chula Vista, California, focusing on areas of improvement to ensure continuity in their performance.
Meanwhile, Canada's men's rugby team is striving to return to the top tier after being demoted last June, and they have already secured a spot in a promotion/relegation playoff in anticipation of re-entering the top-tier next season.
The HSBC SVNS World Championship serves as a crucial opportunity for both teams to display their skills and demonstrate their progress, with the women's team including players like Charity Williams, Asia Hogan-Rochester, and Alysha Corrigan, who have returned from previous tournaments, and the men's team welcoming the return of Kal Sager from injury.