Ontario Junior Blues gearing up for Tropical Sevens in Orlando

March 26, 2018

Ontario Junior Blues gearing up for Tropical Sevens in Orlando

The Ontario Junior Blues Sevens program will be sending two teams – one U18 Men’s team and one U18 Women’s team – down South this weekend for the Tropical 7s – an international youth sevens tournament in Orlando, Florida. The two teams have been busy preparing for the event, with players participating in various training weekends and a few of the players representing Ontario at the Nationals in British Columbia.

This is a tremendous development opportunity for the Jr. Blues athletes – especially for the younger-aged players. The U18 Women’s team has six players born in 2002 and the U18 Men’s team has five. The competition level and experience will help these players to develop for future completions with the provincial and national program.

Tropical 7s is an exciting event that brings youth teams from around the world together for top competition in Olympic-style Rugby 7s, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the tropics of Florida. With an ideal warm weather environment, and full-size professionally maintained grass pitches, Tropical 7s offers the perfect rugby conditions.

For a full tournament schedule, go to https://www.tropical7s.com/event-info/schedule.

Field 1 and 2 matches will be streamed LIVE on Tropical 7s YouTube page. The Jr. Blues’ matches that will be streamed are identified with an asterisk (*) below.

You can also follow along on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Tropical7s or https://twitter.com/RugbyOntario.

Ontario Jr. Blues – Tropical 7s Schedule

U18 Women

Fri Mar 30 – Jr. Blues vs. Indian River – 10:40am ET*

Fri Mar 30 – Jr. Blues vs. Toronto Elite Reds – 12:20pm ET

Fri Mar 30 – Jr. Blues vs. Celtic Barbarians – 2:25pm ET

Sat Mar 31 – Jr. Blues vs. ARE United – 3:15pm ET (EXHIBITION MATCH)

Sat Mar 31 – Semi-Finals and Finals – To be determined

U18 Men

Fri Mar 30 – Jr. Blues vs. Indian River – 9:25am ET

Fri Mar 30 – Jr. Blues vs. Cayman Islands – 12:45pm ET*

Fri Mar 30 – Jr. Blues vs. Zambezi Steelers – 3:40pm ET*

Fri Mar 30 – Jr. Blues vs. Palm Beach Phoenix – 4:55pm ET*

Sat Mar 31 – Semi-Finals and Finals – To be determined

Ontario Jr. Blues – Tropical 7s Rosters – Name, Club (Birth Year)

- Ontario Jr. Blues U18 Women -

Suzanne Aasheim-Sorenson, Peterborough Pagans (2002)

Maddison Arnott, Stoney Creek Camels (2001)

Regan Casey, Barrhaven Scottish (2001)

Aislynn Grant, Toronto Nomads (2002)

Morgan Hummel, Cornwall Crusaders (2002)

Caitlin Mahaffy, Norfolk Harvesters (2001)

Katie McLeod, Aurora Barbarians (2001)

Ngozi Mosindi, Ottawa Irish (2002)

Megan Robertson, Ajax Wanderers (2001)

Quynh-Ni Tran, Ottawa Irish (2002)

Abigail Wade, Crusaders (2002)

Emma Wade, Crusaders (2000)

Jeremy Cairnie – Head Coach

Vicki Woodhead – Manager

- Ontario Jr. Blues U18 Men -

Matthew Canessa, Brantford Harlequins (2000)

Jared Cresswell, Ajax Wanderers (2001)

Kalen Haggarty, Oshawa Vikings (2002)

Harry Hibbert, Crusaders (2002)

Reed Melenhorst, Ottawa Ospreys (2001)

Cody Nhanala, Ottawa Ospreys (2001)

Rhys Patterson, Markham Irish (2002)

Jack Porter, Aurora Barbarians (2001)

Glenn Roy, Ottawa Irish (2001)

Christian Trianni, Brock RFC (2002)

Jared Usmar, Toronto Saracens (2002)

Nathan Woods, Brampton Beavers (2000)

Paul Myers – Head Coach

Sonny Raina – Manager

ABOUT THE ONTARIO BLUES

The Ontario Blues program is the high performance representative program for male and female rugby players in Ontario. Rugby Ontario is represented at the provincial level by the Ontario Blues. The program includes representative teams from Under-15 to Senior in both Women’s and Men’s Fifteens and Under-18 Men's and Women's Sevens. Specifically, the program is designed to develop and showcase rugby players for Canadian representative national teams.

To learn more, visit www.rugbyontario.com/ontario-blues.

ABOUT RUGBY ONTARIO

Rugby Ontario is the provincial sports governing body responsible for the organization of rugby in Ontario. Our mission is to establish a stronger identity for rugby in Ontario by promoting the sport’s core values and by fostering a culture of inclusiveness and excellence on and off the field of play.

To learn more, visit https://www.rugbyontario.com/.