The 12 Canadian men’s rugby players who will carry qualification hopes for the 2024 Paris Olympics have been named. Phil Berna will captain the Langford-based national sevens side for the last-chance Games qualifier June 21-23 at Stade Louis II in Monaco.
Also key for hopes of getting to Paris will be Jack Carson of Victoria and Cooper Coats, the top-two points scorers for Canada in the just-completed HSBC World Series season.
Oak Bay Secondary grad Carson’s try against Argentina, with offloads from Berna and Kal Sager, was named 2024 World Series try of the year. That is quite something considering Canada was dropped from the World Series to the second-tier Challenge Series for next season following the recent promotion-relegation tournament in Madrid.
But qualifying for the Paris Olympics would take a lot of the sting away from the relegation loss.
“As difficult as it has been, this group has turned the page on Madrid and has a sole focus on the task at hand [Paris],” Canadian head coach Sean White of Victoria said in a statement.
“The goal is 1-0. Game by game. Moment by moment. Remaining present and steadfast on what our strengths are as individuals and how they contribute to the collective will be key for our success. We are aware of the challenges we will face and are ready to conquer them as they arise.”
The tournament in Monaco takes Canada back to the location of the last-chance qualifier for the 2016 Rio Games, where rugby sevens made its Olympic debut. Canada did not get to Rio from Monaco in 2016 and will be looking to make amends for Paris this month back in Monaco. But it won’t be easy with elite rugby nations Great Britain and South Africa also in the last-chance qualifier and looking for the lone berth out of Monaco to fill the 12th and final slot in the 2024 Olympic tournament next month at the Stade de France.
Canada will open pool play in Monaco Friday against Uganda before playing China and Great Britain on Saturday. The games against Uganda and China are must-wins to get into the playoff round June 23.
Canada was a quarter-finalist in the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 with now-retired veterans such as UVic Vikes great Nathan Hirayama, Connor Braid of Victoria and Harry Jones of North Vancouver leading the way. A suddenly younger and rebuilding Canadian side was redirected to the last-chance qualifier this time around for Paris 2024 by placing second to the U.S. in the direct North American and Caribbean Olympic qualifying tournament held last summer at Starlight Stadium.
Nothing against training in Langford, but Canada has remained in Europe to prepare for Monaco following the relegation tournament in Madrid.
“With some assistance from funding partners, alongside Rugby Canada funding, we were able to remain in Europe following the Madrid tournament, entering an intensive training block to prepare for Monaco, with additional players and staff members joining us in Roquebilliere, France, to complete our training group,” explained White, a former sevens and XVs star for Canada out of Oak Bay Secondary and James Bay.
Named to the Canadian roster for the last-chance Olympic qualifier are Berna, Carson, Coats, Sager, Alex Russell, Josiah Morra, Ethan Hager, Thomas Isherwood, Henry Kirwan, Elias Hancock, Matthew Oworu and Noah Flesch, the last two from Victoria Pacific Pride.
The Olympics-bound world top-five Canadian women’s sevens team, meanwhile, continues its training in Langford for Paris. The Canadian women advanced by winning the North American and Caribbean Olympic qualifying tournament last August at Starlight Stadium.
