Day two in Singapore for Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team featured a big win over Hong Kong China and a close battle with the USA as the end of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 nears, with just two stops remaining.
After finishing third in Pool B, Canada met Kenya in the ninth place quarter finals. Max Stewart got the scoring started, tripping a few metres from the try line, but reaching the ball over to get the try. A conversion from Lockie Kratz put Canada up by seven in the third minute. Kenya responded quickly to tie the game and had a good start to the second half, increasing the score to 21-7 in their favour. Captain Phil Berna got Canada on the scoreboard one more time, finding space to break through Kenya’s line in the twelfth minute. Kratz had another clean kick too, but Kenya ended up taking the win 28-14.
Canada rebounded with a big win over Hong Kong China in the thirteenth place semi finals. Only allowing one try against, Berna and Stewart scored their second tries of the day in the first half, with Matt Oworu and Will Percillier adding tries of their own in the second half. With three successful conversions (Stewart, Thomas Isherwood and Brennig Prevost), Canada took the win 26-5 to progress to the thirteenth place play-off.
Josiah Morra, who continues to lead Canada in points scored this season, had a standout performance in Canada’s final game of Singapore Sevens. After the United States opened scoring in the first minute, Morra scored three tries in a row (with Stewart converting his final try) to put Canada up 17-7. The Americans came back in the final minutes however, with Adam Channel scoring once and Perry Baker twice to steal the win from Canada 22-17.
Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team will next compete in Toulouse, France over May 12 to 14, the second to last men’s stop of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023.
