Teams set for Langford 7s

The men have wrapped up their HSBC Sevens Series for 2016-17 but there are still two stops left on the women’s circuit. This weekend it’s “Canada 7s” Take Two, this time in Langford as the women were only part of the Vancouver tournament in an exhibition capacity.

Overall leaders New Zealand will look to turn their healthy lead into an insurmountable one as they current sit a full 10 points ahead of second place Australia. They have the most fortuitous draw with the USA and an off-tempo England their toughest competition. Un-ranked Netherlands round out the pool.

Alev Kelter will again lead out the Women’s Eagles as they look to catch up to Russia who are four points ahead in 5th overall. They’ll need to rebound after Japan proved a difficult tournament despite showing promising results in Sydney and Las Vegas.

Hosts Canada headline Pool B and will face tricky customers Russia and France with South American representatives Brazil the lowest ranked of the bunch. After a slow start in Dubai it’s been an impressive run for Ghislaine Landry & Co., who are just two points shy of Australia for the coveted second spot behind New Zealand, now the most realistic target with only Clermont to follow after Langford.

Brazil have struggled outside a good tournament in Sydney and are now in danger of falling outside the threshold required to gain automatic core status for the 2017-18 circuit. They currently sit three points behind Spain and must make up the gap quickly.

Olympic champions Australia enter as top seeds in Pool C. The dangerous a rapidly improving Fiji should prove stern competition while Ireland look to distance themselves from nearest competitors Spain, who in turn are defending the 10th and final automatic qualification spot for 2017-18 core status.

The two-day tournament kicks off at 10:30am local (1:30pm Eastern) on Saturday, May 27. A complete list of fixtures can be seen here. All matches will be streamed live by World Rugby.

 

POOL A

NEW ZEALAND (1)
Kataria Ahata, Shakira Baker, Michaela Blyde, Rebekah Cordero-Tufuga, Jessica Drummond, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Crystal Mayes, Tyla Nathan-Wong (capt.), Cheyelle Robins-Reti, Alena Saili, Ruby Tui, Niall Williams

USA (6)
Sylvia Braaten, Cheta Emba, Joanne Fa’avesi, Kelly Griffin, Nicole Heavirland, Atumata Hingano, Jessica Javelet, Alev Kelter (capt.), Kelsi Stockert, Naya Tapper, Kristen Thomas, Kate Zackary

ENGLAND (8)
Holly Aitchison, Natasha Brennan, Lauren Cattell, Charlotte Clapp, Heather Fisher, Deborah Fleming, Katie Mason, Chantelle Miell, Alice Richardson (capt.), Kelly Smith, Joanne Watmore, Emily Wood

NETHERLANDS (NR)
Erin Arens, Marit Bakker, Jordan Heil, Anne Hielckert, Jannicke Ijdens, Pleuni Kievit (capt.), Angelina Stolk, Willemijn Ter Avest, Linde van der Velden, Johanna van Rossum, Bodil van Wijnbergen, Nikki Weijers

 

POOL 2

CANADA (3)
Britt Benn, Caroline Crossley, Hannah Darling, Bianca Farella, Julian Greenshields, Jen Kish, Ghislaine Landry (capt.), Megan Lukan, Breanne Nicholas, Ashley Steacy, Natasha Watcham-Roy, Charity Williams

RUSSIA (5)
Arina Bystrova, Anna Gavrilyuk, Baizat Khamidova, Marina Kukina, Daria Lushina, Alena Mikhaltsova, Anna Minislamova, Daria Noritsina, Maria Perestiak, Marina Petrova (capt.), Ekatarina Skoromko, Elena Zdrokova

FRANCE (7)
Montserrat Amédée, Pauline Biscarat, Lénaïg Corson, Camille Grassineau, Elodie Guiglion, Fanny Horta (capt.), Shannon Izar, Marjorie Mayans, Carla Neissen, Serafine Okemba, Chloé Pelle, Jennifer Troncy

BRAZIL (11)
Maira Behrendt, Luíza Campos (capt.), Isadora Cerullo, Paula Ishibashi, Raquel Kochhann, Cleice Lopes, Beatriz Muhlbauer, Aline Ribeiro, Edna Santini, Haline Scratut, Bianca Silva, Cláudia Teles

 

POOL C

AUSTRALIA (2)
Charlotte Caslick, Emilee Cherry, Chloe Dalton, Dominique du Toit, Georgina Friedrichs, Demi Hayes, Tiana Penitani, Shannon Perry, Alicia Quirk, Cassandra Staples, Brooke Walker, Sharni Williams (capt.)

FIJI (4)
Merewai Cumu, Raijeli Daveua, Rusila Nagasau, Ana Maria Naimasi, Mariama Naiobasali, Aloesi Nakoci, Timaima Ravisa, Viniana Riwai, Ana Maria Roqica (capt.), Pricilla Siata, Vilisi Vakaloloma, Talica Vodo

IRELAND (9)
Ashley Baxter, Chloe Blackmore, Kim Flood, Stacey Flood, Louise Galvin, Katie Heffernan, Claire Keohane, Lucy Mulhall (capt.), Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Sene Naoupu, Audrey O’Flynn, Hannah Tyrrell

SPAIN (10)
Nerea Aguirre, María Ahis, Uribarri Barrutieta, María Casado, Iera Echebarría, Amaia Erbina, Olivia Fresneda, Barbara García Ordoñez, Patricia García, Maria Losada, Bárbara Plà (capt.), María Ribera