The Webb Ellis Cup may have left Canada behind to head for Germany, but rugby is still very much on the agenda in the 'Great White North' with Langford preparing to host the next tournament on the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Rugby Canada’s Gareth Rees looks ahead to this weekend’s Canada Sevens in Langford, British Columbia – the first World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series tournament held on Canadian soil. “If we could win a tournament it would send out a message to the Canadian public, the media and potential sponsors that this is a team that could be going to Rio to wear a gold medal.” 

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Canada will have to do without injured star player Jen Kish at this weekend’s tournament, and 50,000 visitors to the World Rugby Sevens Facebook page have seen exactly the sort of skills the Maple Leafs will be missing after viewing the #ThrowbackThursday video feature which captures her stunning solo score against New Zealand at the Amsterdam Sevens.

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RWC Tackles: Worsley's last gasp tap tackle
Joe Worsley's diving tap tackle on Vincent Clerc is remembered as one of the defining moments of the semi-final in 2007, england 14-9 France

But, as voted for by the general public, Joe Worsley’s tap tackle on runaway France wing Vincent Clerc during the Rugby World Cup 2007 semi-final takes the honours with an amazing 215,000 views. It’s a good job Joe doesn’t cut his fingernails – not that England fans would have had any left at that point with their side trailing by a point with less than 15 minutes to go!

STAT OF THE WEEK

This week’s award goes to Slovakia who remarkably boasted 13 different try-scorers in an 82-0 win against a Montenegro President’s XV, one short of the all-time record held by Fiji. Fiji set the record when they beat the Solomon Isles 113-13 in August 1969.

TWEET OF THE WEEK


RESULT OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to Slovakia for winning the European Nations Cup Division 2D after a 31-3 win against Montenegro in the Division 3 play-off final. However, this week’s nomination goes to Lebanon who celebrated hosting an elite Asian Rugby Football Union men’s XVs competition for the first time with a 71-3 victory over Jordan at the Fouad Chehab Stadium, Jounieh, in Division 3 West of the Asia Rugby Championship. The Phoenix can now look forward to another ‘first’ this weekend – a test match against Iran.

DESTINATION OF THE WEEK

Rome was the latest stopping point as the World Rugby U20 Championship trophy continued its tour around host nation Italy. The U20 Championship kicks off on 2 June, when all 12 competing teams are in action. Reigning world champions England are up against newly-promoted Japan in Calvisano on the opening day.

TRIVIA OF THE WEEK

Tonga defence coach Dave Ellis, who has been to three Rugby World Cups with France, named his daughter’s Labrador after his favourite back-row player, Serge Betsen. Apparently ‘Betsen’ pretends to be ferocious but is a big softy – a bit like the great man himself, according to Dave, who was this week interviewed by World Rugby TV.

FINAL WHISTLE

Good luck and a bon voyage to former World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Ollie Phillips and the 10 other intrepid travellers who set off for the Artic on Thursday. The end goal? To trek 100 miles across the Magnetic North Pole and compete in the most northerly rugby match and hopefully raise lots of money for Wooden Spoon.