Langford-based Rugby Canada named the men’s and women’s sevens teams for Hong Kong Sevens on March 28.
The competition will take place between April 5 and 7, marking the competition’s 30th anniversary at Hong Kong Stadium.
Canada’s women’s rugby sevens team won bronze at the 2024 Vancouver Sevens and head coach Jack Hanratty said he aims to build on that success.
“We are proud of what we have accomplished this season,” said Hanratty.
The women’s sevens squad currently ranks fifth worldwide, sitting behind only the USA, France, New Zealand and Australia.
“We look forward to returning to the international stage in Hong Kong and implementing what we’ve worked on this training block,” said Hanratty.
Sophie de Goede from Victoria will wear jersey number 15 for the team. Former Olympians Julia Greenshields and Pamphinette Buisa will compete in their first tournament of the season in Hong Kong.
Chloe Daniels and Krissy Scurfield could hit the 100-point milestone in the competition. Daniel has 89 points and Scurfield has 85.
Matt Percillier of Victoria, who plays for UBC, and D’Shawn Bowen from Toronto, who plays for the James Bay Atheltic Association and the Vancouver Highlanders, will join the men’s team.
Bowen will be rejoining the team after spending time with the Toronto Arrows during 2023 but he signed with the Vancouver Highlanders and has been training at James Bay, according to Men’s Sevens Team head coach Sean White.
“Credit to him for staying hungry and motivated in his training with James Bay,” White said.
Three new players will join the squad: Jack McCarthy, Jesse Kilgour, and Morgan Di Nardo. Kilgour and McCarthy were both selected in February to play again with the Major League Rugby Seattle Seawolves.
Di Nardo was the captain of Canada’s U18 Men’s Sevens team and represented Canada at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Amsterdam in 2023.
The addition of the new players will inject fresh new talent into the team and will allow the new squad members a chance to continue their growth, said White.
“It’s always special when players earn the opportunity to gain their first cap in our program.”
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