By Canadian Press

Canadian speedster Justin Douglas returns from concussion for Hong Kong Sevens

Apr 3, 2019 | 2:15 PM

Speedster Justin Douglas returns from a concussion to bolster Canada’s lineup for the Hong Kong Sevens.

But the rest of the injury news is not as encouraging for coach Damian McGrath with Lucas Hammond, Cole Davis, Pat Kay and Adam Zaruba all unavailable for the seventh stop on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

Fiji has won the Hong Kong event the last four years and seven of the last 10, with only New Zealand (twice) and Samoa interrupting their recent reign. In all, Fiji has won the tournament 18 times while making 26 finals.

Going into Hong Kong, the U.S. tops the overall standings ahead of New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa. The top four teams at the end of the season secure automatic qualification to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The Canadian men, who are 12th in the standings, open Friday against No. 8 Argentina at Hong Kong Stadium. Canada’s record against the South Americans is 16-31-2.

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The team resumes Group B play Saturday against No. 10 France and Portugal, an invitational side. The Canadians are 22-41-4 against France, which was runner-up to South Africa in Vancouver last month, and 18-12-0 against Portugal. 

After Hong Kong, the Series switches to Singapore the next weekend. Canada made history at the Singapore event in 2017, winning the Cup final in its 140th event on the world circuit.

Douglas, who missed events in Las Vegas and Vancouver due to the concussion, and Mike Fuailefau are both on 48 tournaments and could hit the 50 mark in Singapore.

The Canadian men are coming off a 10th-place finish in Vancouver, where they missed out on the elite Cup quarterfinals on point difference despite upsetting Olympic champion Fiji. The home side, its roster reduced by injury, ended up losing 35-21 to Australia in the consolation Challenge Trophy final.

Prior to Vancouver, the Canadians finished 13th in Las Vegas, tied for 11th in Dubai, Cape Town and Sydney and tied for seventh in Hamilton, where they made the Cup quarterfinals.

Harry Jones takes over the captaincy in Hong Kong from playmaker Nathan Hirayama with McGrath looking to the in-form Connor Braid to help lead the team. Braid, 28, tops the DHL Performance Tracker with 40 tackles, 18 breaks, 20 offloads and 148 carries for a total of 226 points so far this season.

Douglas and Hirayama lead the all-time Canadian try list with 129 apiece.

Teenager David Richard of Mississauga, Ont., could make his debut for the sevens side. The 18-year-old turned heads with the Maple Leafs development squad earlier this year in South America.

Pool A in Hong Kong features Vancouver champion South Africa alongside Samoa, Scotland and Japan.

Pool C is made up of New Zealand, Fiji, Australia and Kenya (last year’s Hong Kong runner-up). Pool D consists of the U.S., England, Wales and Spain.

Companion qualifying tournaments will see 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams bidding to secure a core place on the 2020 World Rugby Sevens Series.

Canada Roster:

Phil Berna, UBC Thunderbirds, Vancouver; Connor Braid, James Bay AA, Victoria; Admir Cejvanovic, Burnaby Lake RFC, Burnaby, B.C., Andrew Coe, Markham Irish, Toronto; Justin Douglas, Abbotsford RFC, Abbotsford, B.C.; Mike Fuailefau, Castaway Wanderers, Victoria; Nathan Hirayama, unattached, Richmond, B.C.; Harry Jones (capt.), Capilano RFC, North Vancouver; Isaac Kaay, UVIC Vikes, Kamloops, B.C.; Luke McCloskey, Castaway Wanderers, Victoria; Matt Mullins, James Bay AA, Belleville, Ont.; David Richard, Mississauga Blues, Mississauga, Ont.; Jake Thiel, Abbotsford RFC, Abbotsford, B.C.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press