Canada strengthen for Hertz Sevens

Canada Sevens head coach Geraint John has announced his side for the first two sevens tournaments of 2013 in Wellington, New Zealand and Las Vegas, USA.

Currently in 11th position overall in the HSBC Sevens World Series Standings after the Gold Coast, Dubai and Port Elizabeth, Canada are now preparing for the fourth and fifth rounds.

Three familiar faces highlight the changes to the squad as Tyler Ardron, Taylor Paris and Conor Trainor are all included to the team that will face pool matches with Wales, South Africa and Samoa on day one in Wellington.
 
Ardron was a key member of the Canada team that won last summer’s NACRA event in Ottawa to officially qualify for the 2013 Rugby Sevens World Cup in Moscow.
 
Despite despite being only 20-years-old, Paris has been a member of Canada’s Sevens squad since 2010 and helped Canada achieve core status by winning the qualifier event in Hong Kong in March 2012.
 
Trainor was unavailable for the first three rounds of the 2012/2013 Series due to school commitments but the 23-year-old has excelled for Canada at both Sevens and 15s and won gold at the Pan-American Games in Guadelejara in 2011.
 
Nanyak Dala will once again act as Canada’s captain with Nathan Hirayama and Sean Duke both looking to continue their impressive form on the Series so far.

Duke is second in the try scoring charts (15) and despite missing the Gold Coast event due to injury, Hirayama returned in spectacular form and now sits sixth in the overall points scoring chart with 74 points.

“All of our guys have worked hard at each of the events on the series and last weekend was a very physical training camp for our players,” said John at the Centre of Excellence in Langford.

“This selection was the most difficult decision Kieran (Crowley) and I have ever had to make.”
 
“We have a great deal of depth in our roster and guys like Lucas Hammond and Justin Douglas who played incredibly well for us this season were unlucky to not be selected.”
 
Canada Sevens squad for New Zealand and USA: Tyler Ardron, Nanyak Dala (captain), Thyssen de Goede, Sean Duke, Jeff Hassler, Cairan Hearn, Nathan Hirayama, Harry Jones, Phil Mack, John Moonlight, Taylor Paris, Conor Trainor