Toronto sets Gold Standard

It’s hard to overestimate how significant Sunday was in sunny Toronto. On the field and off, it was as good a day as this country has seen in the sport. Two gold medals, a stadium full of people, and an immense amount of exposure that will do no end of good as we turn the corner into the most important 12 months in the game since the 1995 World Cup welcomed professionalism.

Saturday wasn’t as exciting. While the women coasted, the men had problems with Brazil and were well beaten by Argentina. More offensive was the fact that none of the games were broadcast live. Ultimately – as emerged thanks to some digging by Patrick Johnston of The Province – it was the decision of the Pan Am committee not to broadcast the games, which to a rugby fan seems like an incredibly shortsighted decision. It’s exactly this lack of awareness that rugby is desperately trying to break down.

Thankfully Rugby Canada and the CBC worked out a deal to broadcast day two in its entirety over the internet. Special thanks must also go to press officers Bryan Kelly and Mark Sheldon for the play-by-play. Kelly has shouldered a massive workload over the past couple weeks but he will be comforted by the fact that his calls have now been replayed countless times all over the country. Rugby Canada doesn’t always get their communications right, but they came through in spades on Sunday.

The accolades continue to the fans in attendance. Initial pictures at the start of day one looked bleak, but the fans trickled through the gate and by business time on day two, the atmosphere at Exhibition Stadium was stirring. Thousands of flag waving supporters came together to create one of the most memorable scenes in Canadian rugby history. Toronto’s status as a mecca for the sport continues unabated.

Of course the players are the ones who make it all happen, and they also delivered in fine fashion. The women were nothing short of sensational all weekend, obliterating all comers and further entrenching their spot as the best this country has to offer. Jen Kish was magnificent, Karen Paquin tireless, and Magali Harvey at her mesmeric best. John Tait and Sandro Fiorino have earned their keep and then some.

Liam Middleton’s men came up trumps in the end, but that they were there at all was nothing short of miraculous. They were outplayed by Chile in the quarter final and it was only a moment of sudden dementia from Tomás Ianiszewski that saved them. Exactly what was going through his head when he failed to kick the ball dead with time up on the clock is beyond rational explanation. It was a cataclysmic error, and allowed Canada not only to tie, but to win in extra time.

No fingernails were spared through the final two matches. A bad start was made worse by a senseless yellow card awarded to Admir Cejvanovic for a blatantly late challenge on Carlin Isles after the speedster had dotted the ball down in the try zone. To his credit, Cejvanovic put in a stirling effort on his return, nearly making the corner on one charge and blasting through the line to score the winner on full time.

The final was equally gripping. Another bad start against Argentina put Canada in a tight spot yet again, but this time it was a yellow card to Franco Sábato for a clumsy in-air challenge that turned the tables. A magical Phil Mack try brought them to within two points, and then a risky cross-kick from Nathan Hirayama found Harry Jones in space. It took every ounce of the midfielder’s muscle to fight off two defenders, and when at last he reached over the line the city was in rapture.

It’s hard to imagine a more exhilarating spectacle during the remainder of the Pan Am Games, and one can only hope that the sponsors and decision makers of the sporting world are taking note. Rugby may seem alien to some, but sevens does not suffer from the nuances of the ruck and maul that the full game does, and even a neophyte can appreciate the strength and athleticism of the athletes on show.

As the baton passes to Vancouver, the stage is set for a record-setting event in mid-March. Five home games and a fifteen-a-side World Cup will help light the way, but it’s undeniably the sevens that holds the best hopes of capturing new imaginations. Let’s hope the golden glow of a terrific day in Toronto lives long enough to see us through the winter.