HONG KONG — The Canadian men lost their opening match at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens on Friday, being beaten 17-7 by Argentina.

Josiah Mora, playing in the 100th HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series game, scored the only try for Canada with Brennig Provost converting.

The Canadian men, who come into the tournament in 14th place after seven of 11 stops in the World Series, find themselves in a tough Pool A with No.2 Argentina, No.4 Fiji and No.6 Samoa. Argentina clinched victory in the Canada Sevens in Vancouver.

Canada found itself in a relegation battle at the business end of season seven.

The World Series reduces the number of men’s starting teams to 12 from 16 next season to align with women’s competition and the Olympic field.

The 15th-ranked core team after the May 12-14 round of 10 in Toulouse, France, will be relegated. Teams ranked 12th, 13th and 14th at the end of Toulouse will enter a four-team relegation playoff along with the 2023 Challenger Series winners in the final round May 20-21 in London.

The winner of the relegation playoffs will become the 12th starting team in the 2024 Series, while the other three teams will contest their respective Regional Sevens Championships to qualify for the 2024 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series.

The eighth-ranked Canadian women lost 5-0 to 7th-placed Britain in their opener in Hong Kong, which featured a women’s Series for the first time. Heather Cowell scored the game’s only try in the 10th minute as the England defense held off Canada in the dying minutes.

The Canadian women bounced back with a 22-5 win over hosts Hong Kong, with tries from Julia Greenshields, Breanne Nicholas, Krissy Scurfield and Taejah Thompson (her game in the World Series).

Canada closed Pool A game against No. 1 New Zealand.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 31, 2023