Canadian women win Emirates 7s rugby title while Canada men finish fifth

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Canada defeated the U.S. 31-14 to win the women’s title at the Emirates Invitational 7s rugby tournament Saturday.

The Canadian women finished with a 5-1 record. After going 3-0 on Day 1, they lost 29-12 to France before rallying to down Japan 31-5 and set up the showdown with the U.S.

Argentina won the men’s event, defeating France 19-7 in the final. The Canadian men finished fifth overall, defeating Uganda 38-7 in the Plate semifinal and Chile 31-14 in the Plate final. Canada dropped into the consolation round after losing 21-19 to Kenya in the Cup semifinal.

It marks the first tournament for both Canadian teams in more than a year due to the pandemic. While not part of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, the Emirates Invitational 7s is billed as a high-performance prep event in advance of the Tokyo Olympics.

A second tournament in Dubai is scheduled for next weekend at The Sevens Stadium.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2021

The Canadian Press