Apps to captain Canada at World Championship opener in Hong Kong

Olivia Apps will captain Canada Women’s Sevens at the first HSBC SVNS World Championship event in Hong Kong in April.

The 27-year-old is one of six players included in the squad that won Olympic silver at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Apps represented Canada in Singapore and Perth earlier this HSBC SVNS Series season. Along with Fancy Bermudez, Alysha Corrigan and Sabrina Poulin, Apps plays her club rugby in Premiership Women’s Rugby.

“All players and staff are looking forward to the opportunity ahead of us at the World Championships,” Jocelyn Barrieau, Canada Women’s Sevens head coach, said.

“The return of veteran players brings valuable leadership on and off field to the group as we enter this next phase of competition.”

A number of players that have featured for the Canada Women’s Sevens team on the Series this season have been named in Kévin Rouet’s Canada’s 30-player squad for the Pacific Four Series, which overlaps with the World Championship event in Hong Kong.

Asia Hogan-Rochester, Pamphinette Buisa, Chloe Daniels, Claire Gallagher, Mahalia Robinson, Shoshannah Seumanutafa, Taylor Perry and Gabrielle Senft will all be in the USA playing matches against the Wallaroos, Black Ferns and Women’s Eagles.

“We’re proud to see so many athletes contributing across both sevens and fifteens programs,” Barrieau said.

“While we’ll miss those competing in the Pacific Four Series, we have created opportunities for many players in our depth chart to step up and make an impact in both codes in these competitions this spring.”

At the end of the HSBC SVNS Series season Canada finished fifth in the overall standings. Their best result came in Singapore, where the side registered their only podium finish of the campaign as they beat the USA Women’s Eagles Sevens in the bronze medal match.

“Our focus is on building consistency in our performances and continuing to grow our game management in high-pressure moments,” Barrieau said. “We’ve shown progress throughout the season, and now it’s about putting together complete performances.”

Canada Women’s Sevens HSBC Hong Kong SVNS squad

4. Breanne Nicholas
5. Savannah Bauder
6. Charity Williams
7. Florence Symonds
8. Carmen Izyk
9. Olivia Apps (C)
10. Fancy Bermudez
14. Eden Kilgour
16. Alysha Corrigan
22. Sabrina Poulin
33. Caroline Crossley
38. Kennedi Stevenson
47. Larah Wright