GRR: Vancouver 7s
March rolled in like a lion with the USA 7s in Las Vegas, followed by a new World Series tournament in Vancouver.
Both were huge successes, with Vancouver selling out all available seats - allowing them to open the upper deck at BC Place for 2017 - and Vegas continues to grow, and will even more so with the Women’s World Series USA stop moving to Sin City as well.
Despite early technical challenges yesterday morning that impacted the 2017 HSBC Canada Sevens Early-Bird on-sale launch, the HSBC Canada Sevens Organizing Committee has confirmed more than 60% of total tickets were sold in the first 24 hours; more than doubling their Early Bird sales from this time last year.
So I'm back from the Canada 7s in Vancouver, and I have some observations.
Samoa beat the USA 31-19 in the Plate Final at the Canada 7s in Vancouver.
In the end, the Samoans played a very good form of defense, pushing the USA team back, and slowing the ball down in the breakdown.
As a result, little turnovers became big problems for a starting seven that had put everything not the weekend’s effort.
The USA is into the Plate Final after the Eagles defeated Wales 38-12 in Vancouver.
Perry Baker once again was a main strike weapon for the Americans, racing in for the opening try. Folau Niua added on before Baker put on one of his better runs of the weekend, dummying, faking, and changing direction to make his way to paydirt.