Canadian women drawn with Britain, Fiji and U.S. for rugby 7s stop in Australia
The Canadian women’s rugby sevens team is gearing up for the HSBC SVNS Perth tournament in Australia later this month. They have been placed in Pool B alongside tough competitors Britain, Fiji, and the U.S. The Perth event is the third round of the seven-stop rugby sevens season and will take place from January 24-26 at HBF Park.
Currently, Canada sits in seventh place in the overall standings after finishing eighth in Dubai and fifth in Cape Town. They had a tough start in Dubai with a 1-4-0 record but bounced back in Cape Town with a 3-1-0 record. The U.S. is currently fourth in the standings, with Britain in fifth and Fiji in 11th place.
After the Perth tournament, the teams will head to Vancouver for the fourth stop of the season at B.C. Place Stadium from February 21-23. The circuit will then move to Hong Kong, Singapore, and wrap up in Carson, California on May 3-4. The Singapore event will crown the SVNS season winners before the top eight men’s and women’s teams compete in the world championship at Dignity Health Sports Park in California.
New Zealand leads the women’s standings, followed by Australia and France. The Canadian women, who won silver in the 2024 Olympics, finished fifth in the standings last season. They are looking to improve on their performance and secure a spot in the top tier of the sevens circuit.
On the men’s side, Fiji currently leads the standings, with Spain, France, and South Africa close behind. Canada’s men dropped off the circuit last season but are aiming to make a comeback through World Rugby’s Challenger Series.
In Perth, New Zealand, the Olympic women’s champion, has been drawn in Pool A with Japan, Ireland, and Brazil. Host Australia will compete in Pool C alongside France, China, and Spain.
The HSBC SVNS schedule for the upcoming tournaments is as follows:
– Jan. 24-26: Perth, Australia, HBF Park.
– Feb. 21-23: Vancouver, B.C. Place Stadium.
– March 28-20: Hong Kong, Kai Tak Stadium.
– April 5-6: Singapore, National Stadium.
– May 3-4: Los Angeles, Dignity Health Sports Park.
