Rugby Canada names 14-player roster for Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens later this month

Canada back Olivia Apps (2) runs by New Zealand back Jazmin Felix-Hotham (9) during the women's rugby sevens gold medal match at the Summer Olympics in Paris on July 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Taylor Perry has been named to Canada’s team for the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, returning to the rugby sevens squad for the first time since winning silver at last summer’s Paris Olympics.

Perry has been playing 15s rugby in England with the Exeter Chiefs. Exeter teammate Sabrina Poulin also returns for the first time since competing in Hong Kong last April.

The Hong Kong Sevens run March 28 to 30 at Kai Tak Sports Park.

The Canadian women, sixth in the overall standings after four events, have been drawn in Pool C with No. 2 Australia, No. 5 Japan and No. 12 Spain. New Zealand tops the table, winning in Cape Town and Vancouver and finishing runner-up to Australia in Dubai and Perth, Australia.

Canada finished eighth in Dubai, fifth in Cape Town, fourth in Perth and seventh last month in Vancouver.

Fourteen players will travel to Hong Kong, with 13 to be declared for the final roster ahead of competition.

Players have been moving between the sevens and 15s teams ahead of the remaining stops on the HSBC SVNS circuit and the Pacific Four Series and Rugby World Cup later this year in 15s play.

“We are excited to keep building on the foundations of our performances this season,” Canada coach Jocelyn Barrieau said in a statement. ”We will continue to support all of our teams and players in this monumental year for women’s rugby in Canada, and look forward to seeing the return of multiple players to the international sevens stage in the brand-new Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong.”

Carmen Izyk, who last played in Perth, returns from her 15s club team in France, Rugby Club Toulon Provence Méditerranée. Julia Omokhuale, who spent the season in England with the Leicester Tigers, and Vanessa Chiappetta from the University of Victoria also make the squad.

Olivia Apps, who is on 296 points in HSBC SVNS play, will captain the team in the absence of the injured Piper Logan.

Canada opens against Japan and Australia on March 28 before wrapping up pool play on the 29th against Spain.

Following Hong Kong, the circuit shifts to Singapore for the penultimate event of the season April 5-6. The top eight men’s and women’s team will then compete in the May 3-4 season-ending World Championship at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.

The California finale will also feature a promotion/relegation playoff involving the top four men’s and women’s teams from the second-tier HSBC Sevens Challenger and the bottom-four teams on the HSBC SVNS circuit.

The Canadian men, relegated last June, are set to take part in the final Challenger Series event April 11-12 in Krakow, Poland.

Canada currently tops the Challenger standings after finishing runner-up in the first event, losing 33-7 to Chile, and third in the second stop after beating Japan 28-15. Both tournaments were in Cape Town.

Canada Roster

Vanessa Chiappetta, Rigaud, Que., Westshore RFC; Breanne Nicholas, Blenheim, Ont., Kent Havoc RFC; Charity Williams, Toronto, UBC; Florence Symonds, Vancouver, UBC; Carmen Izyk, High River, Alta., RCTPM; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Eden Kilgour, Barrie, Ont., Westshore RFC; Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Carissa Norsten, Waldheim, Sask., University of Victoria; Sabrina Poulin, St-Georges, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Olivia Sarabura, Guelph, Ont., UBC; Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

Article by Neil Davidson.