Labour dispute ends but challenges remain for Canadian men’s rugby sevens squad
The Canadian men’s rugby sevens team is back training after a labour dispute with Rugby Canada.
But challenges remain for coach Damian McGrath, whose squad takes the field in Dubai on Nov. 30 for the opening of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. The squad flies out in three weeks.
“I’m happy to have the players back but I also know that we’re going to go into this tournament desperately underdone,” McGrath, an English native, said in an interview Friday. “I’ve been following the other teams with envy on Twitter and social media, seeing all the videos of them training hard and preparing. We haven’t had that luxury.”
While the players have been working out on their own, it is not the same as preparing in the team environment. McGrath has to balance getting his players ready without pushing them too hard for fear of injury.