Team Canada provided plenty of excitement for longtime fans and newcomers alike during the inaugural Canada WomenB次元官网网址檚 Sevens tournament last April at Westhills Stadium.

While a sixth-place finish wasnB次元官网网址檛 quite what the national team had in mind, Canada rebounded to post top results in subsequent events last year and placed second on the World Rugby Sevens Series, thus punching their ticket to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Heading into this weekendB次元官网网址檚 second edition of the tournament in Langford, the hosts sit third on the Series behind three-time 2016 winner Australia and New Zealand, following a fourth-place finish last weekend in Atlanta.

Team veteran Ashley Steacy, who remains sidelined with an injury and wonB次元官网网址檛 play this weekend, said there were many lessons learned from last yearB次元官网网址檚 tournament in Langford.

B次元官网网址淚 guess some of those would have been distraction control,B次元官网网址� she said, noting that many players had family and friends in town to watch the games. B次元官网网址淭o have them in the crowd and cheering and that sort of thing, we had to kind of deal with that little bit of a different distraction. It came down to how to settle ourselves and prepare for games when there is that different kind of factor involved.B次元官网网址�

Captain Jen Kish, whose formidable presence and slashing running style was missed here last April, looks forward to playing in front of the home fans in Langford.

Her friends and family came from Edmonton last time and didnB次元官网网址檛 get a chance to see her play.

B次元官网网址淭his time itB次元官网网址檚 the same people coming out,B次元官网网址� Kish said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty exciting for me and I think itB次元官网网址檚 really exciting for them, because most of my family and friends have never seen me play live. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to be a new experience for them and a new experience for me seeing them in the crowd cheering us on.B次元官网网址�

On-field improvement noticeable, coach says

Head coach John Tait was impressed with his teamB次元官网网址檚 efforts in Atlanta, where they went 3-0 the first day, beat Fiji in the first playoff match then lost by identical 26-14 scores to Australia in the semifinals and  England in the bronze medal match.

Despite being without the services of key individuals such as Steacy, the team has still managed to maintain a high level of play.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e improved with every tournament,B次元官网网址� Tait said. B次元官网网址淭he chance to play at home now and improve again on our performance is exciting for us, because each tournament is just another opportunity to help us prepare for Rio.B次元官网网址�

Ontario native Britt Benn was among the players who didnB次元官网网址檛 make the trip to Atlanta due to injury, but said she feels ready to go this weekend, having been put back on the active roster for the Series.

B次元官网网址淚njury is just the nature of the game; rugbyB次元官网网址檚 a game of risks, itB次元官网网址檚 a very physical sport B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 just how you bounce back from it,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 definitely excited to be put back in the selections and compete with this wonderful group of women.B次元官网网址�

While she considers her fellow national team members like family, she admitted that working to gain a spot on CanadaB次元官网网址檚 12-player roster for a World Rugby Sevens event is always a challenge.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e our own best competition. We train hard every day, we challenge each other and I think thatB次元官网网址檚 important to have in your daily training environment.B次元官网网址�

In terms of who presents the toughest test this weekend, Benn said Australia and New Zealand are always tough, but thereB次元官网网址檚 also much parity. But CanadaB次元官网网址檚 strategy is more about analyzing past tournaments and making adjustments from game to game, she said. As such, she wasnB次元官网网址檛 looking too far ahead.

Kish, whose sweet, sunny disposition off the field belies her imposing, heavily tattooed form on the pitch is optimistic about CanadaB次元官网网址檚 chances of success in Langford.

B次元官网网址淲e have a lot of skill and talent and I think weB次元官网网址檙e still trying to unlock it all at once. So itB次元官网网址檚 pretty exciting when weB次元官网网址檙e all on together and weB次元官网网址檙e gelling, I think weB次元官网网址檙e unstoppable and we can create some magical rugby. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what IB次元官网网址檓 hoping that we do this weekend is create magic.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com

Rugby weekend at a glance

B次元官网网址� The Canada WomenB次元官网网址檚 Sevens tournament runs April 16 and 17 at Westhills Stadium, Langford.

B次元官网网址� Pool play matches, 20 minutes each, get underway at 11 a.m. Saturday with the last one ending about 7 p.m. Playoff round action starts at 10 a.m. Sunday, with the bronze medal match at 5:40 p.m. and the championship at 6:05.

Team Canada schedule:

April 16 -- 11:22 a.m. vs Japan; 2:14 p.m. vs. Ireland; 4:44 p.m. vs England

B次元官网网址� Tickets are available online at . They may also be available at the gate.