Canadian under-18 rugby sevens men caught up in Youth Olympic numbers game

TORONTO — The Canadian men’s under-18 rugby sevens team did its part to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires later this year.

The young Canadians went undefeated at a qualifying tournament earlier this month, defeating the U.S. 14-10 in the final at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. The Canadian women did the same, downing the Americans 36-5 in their final.

But under IOC guidelines, each country is limited to one women’s and one men’s team for the Summer Youth Olympic Games.

The women are going to Argentina this fall. But the men’s rugby team, caught in a numbers game, has had to give way to Canada’s men’s under-18 field hockey team.

Canada’s Olympic team selection committee decided last May that one Youth Olympic berth would go to the rugby women if they qualified. The men’s spot was allocated to field hockey, with the rugby men going only if they qualified and the field hockey team did not finish first or second at the Continental Qualifier for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

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The Canadian field hockey men finished third on the weekend, blanking Paraguay 6-0. But because tournament winner Argentina is hosting the Youth Olympics, Canada joined runner-up Mexico in qualifying. 

It can be argued that the choice or rugby and field hockey gives both sports a chance to take advantage of the Youth Olympics. But that is not much solace for the rugby men.

And rubbing salt into the wound, the Americans will replace Canada in the Youth Olympic men’s sevens competition. 

“This is very disappointing for the players and the union but we are happy about the talent that we developed through this process and encouraged by the age-grade sevens in our country and the future they represent,” Meaghan Howat, Rugby Canada’s director of rugby sevens, said in a statement. 

Canadian international Admir Cejvanovic was a little more pointed in his remarks.

“Absolutely gutted to hear that the @RugbyCanada’s Mens U-18 sevens team won’t be going to the @youtholympics even after they qualified. To our young men, don’t let this cloud your vision your rugby careers are just getting started. Some serious talent in that group!” he tweeted.

Athletes aged 15 to 18 will compete in 32 sports from archery to wrestling at Buenos Aires 2018 in October.

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press