Canada out to grab World Cup spot

Canada will battle it out with Guyana, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Mexico, Barbados, St Vincent and The Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago for the last open IRB Sevens World Cup spot in the NACRA region (North America/Caribbean region)

USA are already qualified from this region.

Canada sent a team of womens select development players to Barbados last year for the 2011 NACRA tournament. Though it was the first time a Canadian Womens team participated in the annual 7s competition, The Maple Leafs had a strong showing at the competition and took the tournament after defeating Jamaica 38-0.

The stakes are much higher this time as the winner of the tournament will qualify for the Rugby World Cup in Moscow next year.

Canada are strong favourites to grab the last remaining spot in the NACRA region though their squad is not as strong as the squad sent to London and Amsterdam earlier this year with the likes of Mandy Marchack, Kelly Russell and Brittany Waters not part of this tournament.

Head Coach John Tait commented on Canadas goal in the competition.

First and foremost is to qualify for the R7WC 2013. Secondary it will provide an opportunity to a few younger players that impressed in the recent East-West trials, to show that they are ready to factor in this years 7s series and build to Moscow next June.

There are some potential world-class players in this group that are continuing to improve all the time, the likes of Magali Harvey and Bianca Farella are two examples of this, Tait said. Leading from the front and captaining the team will be Jen Kish, who I believe, has quickly become the best two way player in the world of women's rugby. She checks all the boxes of what a coach could ask of a player in her position and most of the others on the field as well.

7s is the kind of game that you'd be foolish to take any opponent lightly. We are favoured to win qualification and will do so by focusing on our game and what we want to achieve every time we take the field regardless of who will be the opposition.

The competition takes place on August 25 and 26 at Twin Elm Rugby Park in Ottawa, Ontario.

The format of the tournament, which is being played alongside the mens qualifiers, sees all six teams play each other over the two days, playing three matches on the first day and two on the second.

To buy tickets to the NACRA 7s Championship, visittickets.rugbycanada.ca.For more information on the event, visitevents.rugbycanada.caFor more information on NACRA, visit the regions website atwww.nacrugby.com

Canadas NACRA Womens Squad

Britt Benn - Fergus Highland Rugby Club (Guelph ON) Guelph UniversityArielle Dubissette-Borrice - Toronto Scottish (Ajax ON) University of Western OntarioBianca Farella - Town of Mount Royal Rugby Football Club (Montreal QC)Lisa Gauthier - Ottawa Irish (St-Bernardin ON) St. Francis Xavier UniversityMegan Gibbs - Markham Irish Canadians (Barrie ON)Julia Greenshields - Sarnia Saints Rugby Club (Sarnia ON)Magali Harvey - Club de Rugby de Qubec (Quebec City QC) St. Francis Xavier UniversityJen Kish - Edmonton Rockers (Edmonton AB)Kayla Moleschi - Williams Lake Womens Rustlers (Williams Lake BC)Karen Paquin - Club de Rugby de Qubec (Quebec City QC) Universit LavalAmanda Thornborough - Brandon Barbarians (Brandon MB)Julianne Zussman - Town of Mount Royal RFC (Verdun QC)

Staff

John Tait- Head CoachSandro Fiorino- Assistant CoachClaudine Tyrell -Team ManagerJason White Athletic Therapist