It was breakthrough performance in more ways than one for a former Okotoks high school rugby standout and his new teammates last weekend.
Holy Trinity Academy alumnus Jeff Hassler used to terrorize opposition on the rugby pitch for the Knights, now he could have the opportunity to do so with the Canadian Rugby Sevens team at the 2013 World Cup in Moscow.
Canada won the North America Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Championships held Aug. 25 to 26 in Ottawa, by defeating Team U.S.A. 26-19 in the final, earning a qualification for the World Cup next June in Russia.
“It was by far the most competitive game we had that weekend,” Hassler said. “The other teams haven’t been on the circuit as much and their standards were a little bit lower so it was kind of a dog fight between the two of us.”
The Americans built a 19-7 lead at half, but Canada responded with a 19-0 second half to rescue the victory in front of the hometown fans at the Twin Elm Rugby Park.
“There was long extended periods of play so a lot of guys were getting pretty tired pretty quick,” Hassler said. “Late in the game with a minute and a half left Sean Duke ran the length of the field and scored under the posts to win the game.”
Both the U.S. and Canada qualified for the World Cup as NACRA finalists, but that didn’t take away from the intensity of the gold medal game. Canada and the U.S. were undefeated heading into the much-anticipated final, only building on a continental rivalry that’s been simmering for a few years.
“No matter what they always give us a good game,” said Hassler, who has been a lucky charm versus the Americans. “I haven’t lost to them yet and some of the guys that have been around longer haven’t loss to them either, but it’s always within a couple points.
“Neither team likes losing to each other that’s for sure.”
The NACRA championships, the first international rugby sevens tournament held on Canadian soil, also saw Hassler reach a few early milestones in his burgeoning national rugby career.
“There were a couple things in that tournament for me that were pretty neat new experiences.
“I got my first start against Bahamas and then I played my first full game, the full 14 minutes,” Hassler said. “It was the first final I’ve been in as well with 10 minute halves.”
Qualification for the World Cup was expected for the Canadians who need to have a strong showing to ensure continued funding towards the march for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, where rugby sevens makes its Olympic debut. Canada was knocked out of the quarterfinals of the 2009 World Cup in Dubai.
“The World Cup is just another stepping stone right now for the Olympics and it will be pretty key to place ourselves in that upper-echelon of teams,” Hassler said.
Hassler, a former tailback on the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team, does not have a spot on the World Cup roster guaranteed as Canadian coach Geraint John continues to make evaluations through a busy year ahead.
“With 10 tournaments this year there’s going to be a whole new whack of players coming out,” said Hassler, who would like nothing more than a spot on the roster.
“That would be great, this year’s going to be crazy with all the tournaments and it’s just one more thing that I can say I’ve accomplished in my rugby career and a pretty great feeling,” he said.
The International Rugby Board Sevens World Series’ kicks-off in Australia, followed by stops in Dubai in late November and South Africa in early December.
Hassler is also a member of the Canadian men’s rugby team, in traditional fifteens rugby, who host an international series on Vancouver Island before traveling to the United Kingdom in November.
