Canada plan to use the last two tournaments of the 2015-16 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series as preparation for the final Olympic Games qualifier in Monaco, starting with Paris next weekend (13-15 May).

With the Olympic Games repecharge in Monaco fast approaching, Canada sevens head coach Liam Middleton is hoping to use the Paris Sevens, as well as the London Sevens the following week, as part of final preparations for the qualifier.



“There’s so much spoken about the qualifier and it will mean so much to the teams participating in it,” Middleton said. “However, with our focus on Paris and London it really is part of that process which is about getting out there, playing well and to our potential and then taking that momentum into the qualifier.”



Admir Cejvanovic and Adam Zaruba have been recalled to the Canadian squad for the penultimate tournament of the season.



Cejvanovic missed out in Singapore with injury while Zaruba hasn’t featured since Vancouver. John Moonlight once again captains Canada and is joined by Phil Berna, Luke Bradley, Justin Douglas, Mike Fuailefau, Lucas Hammond, Nathan Hirayama (main picture), Luke McCloskey, Matt Mullins, Conor Trainor and Sean White.

“We’re certainly excited for Paris,” said Middleton. “It presents another opportunity for us to get out and face good opposition. There are no real goals in terms of the outcome of the tournament. It’s about playing well.”Canada enter the tournament in 13th place in the season standings. Despite having not reached a cup quarter-final, Canada has claimed the bowl title on two occasions in Sydney and then famously in Vancouver.In Paris, Canada has been drawn into Pool D with Argentina, USA and hosts France, the latter two Canada played during the pool stages in Singapore. Canada has yet to play Argentina this season and is 1-1 against France and has a loss and tie with the USA.“With the series nowadays nothing’s a given,” said Douglas. “We’ve beaten teams way above us but lost to teams below us in the standings. Anything can happen but in sevens so much changes.”

With just two tournaments left in the season, Hirayama leads the series in points with 288 and is tied for fifth with 26 tries and is averaging an astonishing 36 points per tournament this season.



Canada squad: Phil Berna, Luke Bradley, Admir Cejvanovic, Justin Douglas, Mike Fuailefau, Lucas Hammond, Nathan Hirayama, Luke McCloskey, John Moonlight (capt), Matt Mullins, Conor Trainor, Sean White, Adam Zaruba.

Article photo: Ian Muir

Argentina call-ups for Cordero and Moroni

Argentina sevens head coach Santiago Gomez Cora has has recalled Jaguares duo Santiago Cordero and Matias Moroni for the final two tournaments of the season.

Both have played sevens in the past before heading off to Rugby World Cup 2015 last year and joining up with the Jaguares, but have been named in GomezCora's side with one eye on Rio.

In Hong Kong and Singapore Javier Ortega Desio was named, with Cordero and Moroni the latest to be trialled by GomezCora.

Argentina currently sit sixth in the overall series standings having reached the final in Cape Town, and finishing fourth in the most recent tournament in Singapore.

The HSBC Paris Sevens takes place on 13-15 May, before the London Sevens a week later. Before they embark on their journey to Europe, the squad will train in Buenos Aires on 5-6 May before departing on 7 May.



Argentina Sevens squad: Santiago Alvarez, Santiago Cordero, John Paul Estelles, Rodrigo Etchart, Baustista Ezcurra, Fernando Luna, Matías Moroni, Axel Müller, Gaston Revol, Javier Rojas, Franco Sabato, Germán Schulz.