Canada has named an experienced lineup for the Vancouver stop of the HSBC SVNS circuit, with nine members of the squad that won silver at last summer's Paris Olympics.
The 10th edition of HSBC SVNS Vancouver runs Feb. 21-23 at B.C. Place Stadium. Canada won bronze at last year's event, defeating Australia 19-14 in the third-place game before New Zealand lifted the trophy with a dominant 35-19 decision over France.
Alysha Corrigan, Fancy Bermudez, Krissy Scurfield and Charity Williams return to the Canadian side for the first time since Paris.
Corrigan, Bermudez and Scurfield have spent the season playing 15s club rugby in England, with Corrigan and Bermudez at Saracens and Scurfield leading the Loughborough Lightning in tries scored.
Williams, a three-time Olympian who helped UBC to its first-ever U-Sports women’s rugby championship in the fall, is one try away from 100 on the HSBC SVNS circuit.
Other Paris Olympians on the Vancouver roster are Asia Hogan-Rochester, Carissa Norsten, Florence Symonds, Olivia Apps and Piper Logan.
Logan captains Canada with Apps as vice-captain.
Breanne Nicholas will play in her 39th SVNS series event, moving her into second place all-time among Canadian women behind only Bianca Farella's 45.
Pamphinette Buisa returns to the roster after missing the last event in Perth, Australia. Rookies Mahalia Robinson and Olivia Sarabura, who made their international sevens debuts earlier this season, also make the squad.
Iain Monaghan will serve as interim Canada coach in Vancouver with head coach Jocelyn Barrieau on leave in Montreal until March as she prepares to start a family.
“It was a hard-fought selection process, with players making for a competitive selection camp over the last two weeks in Langford (B.C.) and we are excited to see this experienced squad take to the pitch at B.C. Place," Monaghan said in a statement. “Vancouver is a special place to play, and our team is eager to get in front of the Canadian crowd and to continue to build upon the work we’ve been doing this season."
The Canadian women are coming off a season-best fourth in Perth, the third stop on the elite rugby sevens circuit. That performance lifted Canada two places to fifth in the season standings.
Canada opens Feb. 21 against No. 9 Brazil and No. 12 Spain before wrapping up Pool A play the next day against No. 2 Australia.
The Canadians lost 24-17 to eventual champion Australia in the Perth semifinals. France then defeated Canada 14-12 in the third-place game.
Australia, beaten 21-12 by Canada in the semifinal of the Paris Olympics, has defeated the Canadians in each of the three events to date this season — 39-0 in the Dubai quarterfinal and 26-10 in pool play in Cape Town before the Perth meeting — to improve its career HSBC SVNS record against the Canadians to 26-14-1.
The Australian women, who also won the season-opening competition in Dubai, have moved within two points of Series leader New Zealand, which won in Cape Town and was runner-up in Dubai. The French are third in the standings.
After Vancouver, the seven-stop circuit moves to Hong Kong and Singapore before wrapping up May 3-4 in Carson, Calif.
The Singapore event will crown the SVNS season winners before the top eight men’s and women’s teams take part in the winner-takes-all world championship at California’s Dignity Health Sports Park.
The Canadian women finished fifth in the standings last season before losing 26-14 to New Zealand in June in Madrid in the third-place game. Australia won the women’s title, defeating France 26-7.
Canada’s men dropped off the circuit last June after being beaten 22-14 by Spain in a relegation decider in Madrid. They are looking to earn a chance back into the top tier via World Rugby's Challenger Series.
The Canadian men will play Japan and Trinidad and Tobago in an invitational tournament in Vancouver held at the same time as the HSBC SVNS event.
Canada Roster
Breanne Nicholas, Blenheim, Ont., Kent Havoc RFC; Charity Williams, Toronto, UBC; Florence Symonds, Vancouver, UBC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont.; Lindsay RFC; Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Piper Logan (capt.), Calgary, UBC; Krissy Scurfield, Canmore, Alta., Loughborough Lightning (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Saracens (England); Carissa Norsten, Waldheim, Sask., University of Victoria; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Westshore RFC; Olivia Sarabura, Guelph, Ont., UBC; Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
