After having their early expectations derailed, the Canadian womenB次元官网网址檚 sevens team hopes playing in front of a hometown crowd at the upcoming HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series event in Vancouver can help put their season back on track.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not been the start and the season that we were wanting,B次元官网网址� co-captain Olivia Apps said during a break in training. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 lots to be said about this new group and just trying to build some chemistry and some cohesion with some new faces.

B次元官网网址淚 think for myself and the team, weB次元官网网址檙e really looking forward to making some bigger strides in the end of the season and finishing on a high.B次元官网网址�

After four stops on the World Rugby Sevens Series, the Canadian women are ranked 10th among the 14 teams with 16 points. The teamB次元官网网址檚 best finish was eighth place in Cape Town, South Africa.

New Zealand, the winner of three of the tournaments, leads the standings with 78 points.

The HSBC Canada Sevens will be held at BC Place Stadium March 3-5. It will be the eighth time the tournament has been staged in Vancouver but the first with a full slate of 12 womenB次元官网网址檚 teams competing at the same time as the men.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 definitely something the team has been looking forward to,B次元官网网址� said Apps. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really special because itB次元官网网址檚 such a young team being able to showcase the rugby we have been working on.

B次元官网网址淚 have so much belief in this program and what weB次元官网网址檙e doing. ItB次元官网网址檚 really going to be an honour to be able to do it in front of friends and family.B次元官网网址�

The Canadian women finished seventh overall in last yearB次元官网网址檚 world sevens series. They were eighth in Dubai early in the season, then down the stretch placed fifth playing at home in Langford, B.C., and finished sixth in the final event in Toulouse, France.

B次元官网网址淲e wanted to get a podium finish this year and we are still looking to do that,B次元官网网址� said Apps, a 24-year-old scrum half from Lindsay, Ont. B次元官网网址淲e were expecting some higher results this year, especially with the training weB次元官网网址檝e done.

B次元官网网址淐learly we have a lot of work that still needs to be done, lots of learning going forward.B次元官网网址�

Co-captain Breanne Nicholas said the Canadians will feed off the energy of the frenzied crowd that has packed BC Place for past tournaments.

B次元官网网址淲e know what the home crowd feels like in Langford, so weB次元官网网址檙e even more amped to get to BC Place, where we know there will be a huge crowd,B次元官网网址� said the 28-year-old hooker from Blenheim, Ont.

B次元官网网址淚t will be awesome. We can turn the season around.B次元官网网址�

The Canadian lineup will benefit from several players returning from injury, including rising star Piper Logan.

Logan turned heads in her international debut last year as part of the team that finished fourth at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. She also was part of the team that finished sixth at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town.

The Calgary native, who plays for UBC, suffered a foot injury in November during the ThunderbirdsB次元官网网址� Canada West championship win over the Victoria Vikes.

Logan was sidelined for eight weeks but had her first full practice Monday and has been given the green light to play again. Being forced to watch as the team struggled hasnB次元官网网址檛 been easy.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a new experience,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淵ou want to be out there. ItB次元官网网址檚 difficult seeing the challenges theyB次元官网网址檙e going through and not being able to help out.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of us are coming back from injury so it will be a new group, which will be exciting for us.B次元官网网址�

Logan brings some versatility to the Canadian lineup by being able to play several different positions.

Apps likes what she has seen from Logan in the past.

B次元官网网址淧iper is an unpredictable player,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪he brings a lot of speed and a lot of strength both defensively and offensively.

B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 really an exciting player to watch.B次元官网网址�

Apps believes having men and women playing at the same tournament benefits the sport.

B次元官网网址淲ith the menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 sevens program in Canada, itB次元官网网址檚 nice to have more cohesion,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚nternationally, women being able to play alongside the men at the same tournament, equality across the board is really important. Having more tournaments with them is going to be great exposure for the womenB次元官网网址檚 game and for sevens in general.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擩im Morris, The Canadian Press