Canadians bank on height and youth to win back IRB status

A basketball giant and a teenager will be at the centre of Canada's campaign to reach the Cup competition at the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens and convince officials they should regain core-team status on the IRB Sevens World Series.

Mitch Gudgeon, a 200cm basketballer who played for the University of Victoria, and 17-year-old Taylor Paris have been earmarked by new coach Morgan Williams as keys to Canada's bid for glory.

'Our aim is to get Canada back as a core team on the IRB Sevens Series and to do that we have to do well here in Hong Kong,' Williams said last night.

'We need to show the IRB we deserve a place and what better way than by reaching the Cup competition.'

Canada, the first overseas group to arrive for the 24-team showpiece, were a core team three seasons ago and played in all eight legs of the series. But they lost their place, with the IRB deciding to bring in other sides such as Scotland, the US and Wales.

Williams, a 15s scrumhalf who won 39 caps for Canada and played in three World Cups (1999, 2003 and 2007), was given the task of coaching the national sevens squad only in September, and half of his group will be playing in Hong Kong for the first time.