Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The pools for the next round of the HSBC Sevens Series to be held for the first time in Vancouver this coming weekend have been announced, with some exciting match-ups set for Saturday, the first of the two-day event.
Las Vegas champions Fiji head up Pool A, with giant-killers Kenya, Shield champions Samoa, and basement dwellers Portugal alongside. Fiji will take some stopping after showing a return to form this past weekend.
Hosts Canada look to have a very achievable path to the Cup finals with both Wales and Russia grouped in Pool B together with finalists Australia. Of course Canada fell to those same two sides in Las Vegas, so that path is far from certain.
Argentina find themselves in Pool C and will face South Africa, Scotland, and fellow South Americans Brazil. The latter’s inclusion comes at the expense of Japan, who will be disappointed not to be able to build on their improved showing in Nevada. Brazil should find their team bolstered by several players who recently competed in the Americas Rugby Championship.
Pool D will leave two top teams left by the wayside as the USA, New Zealand, France, and England are all sandwiched into the appropriately dubbed ‘Pool of Death’. The men in black will have to make due without Sonny Bill Williams, a late withdrawal from Las Vegas with a knee injury who will instead fly home to New Zealand to rehabilitate rather than risk long-term damage in Vancouver.
