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Game on for Looker in 7s rugby at Paris

Josh Looker of the St. Albert is going to the Paris World Games with the Celtic Barbarians to play in the sevens rugby tournament
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BARBARIAN – Josh Looker, 16, of the St. Albert Rugby Football Club was selected to the Celtic Barbarians U16 team in sevens rugby for the Paris World Games starting July 6. The Grade 11 St. Albert Catholic HIgh School student is one of eight Canadians, and the only Albertan, on the 12-man roster. JEFF HANSEN/St. Albert Gazette

Josh Looker is going places in rugby and the latest destination is the fifth annual Paris World Games.

The St. Albert Rugby Football Club player is among 12 males on the U16 Celtic Barbarians at the sevens tournament July 6-7.

The Barbarians, a western-based North American touring rugby cub, are also represented by teams in the U15 female and U18 male and female sevens divisions.

Looker, 16, is the only Albertan on the U16 team, and the second from the province with the Barbarians, at the Paris World Games, a mulit-sport youth competition that includes badminton, basketball, soccer and handball.

Overall, eight Canadians are among the U16 male Barbarians in sevens.

“It’s a pretty amazing feeling to be recognized for this skill,” Looker said. “I have a lot of passion in my sevens’ rugby and to be able to experience this opportunity is just amazing. I feel a lot of pride being one of the Albertans going to Paris because not only do I get to represent my province, but also St. Albert and everyone who is sitting at home watching and supporting.”

It’s an opportunity of a lifetime Looker is anxious to take advantage of.

“I would love to be recognized by some coaches and have (them) say I like that kid's skill, I like how this kid plays and be able to get further opportunities off of this Paris tour. It would really be great for my future in rugby,” said the Grade 11 St. Albert Catholic High School student.

Looker has previous international experience with the Barbarians at the 2018 North American Invitational 7s in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Cam Wilton, who runs the Druids Rugby Club (and technical director for the Barbarians), saw me play sevens in Edmonton and he offered me the chance to go down to Utah,” said Looker, a winger on the first-place U16 team in Utah. “This Paris team is made up of Celtic Barbarians’ players that have won tournaments within America, or just around the world, so you have to win to get on to the Paris team. It’s a much higher level of skill going to Paris.”

The trip to Utah left a lasting impression on Looker.

“It definitely made me want to work a lot harder to be able to be a strong Canadian in the sevens game,” said the 2018 SARFC U15 player of the year. “Playing teams from America, and we had a team from New Zealand there as well, the level of skill is just amazing. It’s really enjoyable being able to play against these players that have been playing together for a long time and were strong opponents, and it feels even better to be able to beat them.”

Matches in sevens are lightning quick with seven-minute halves.

“I love the speed and intensity. Tackles are faster and you’re always sprinting so you get so much more opportunities to hit the open field and burn some players,” said the winger/fullback in 15-a-side rugby. “With seven on seven, it’s on the same pitch (as 15s), but you've got to work harder. You've got to make those tackles and you've got to make those runs. Every little thing counts and especially with it being a shorter game you've got to work your (butt) off for pretty much the full 14 minutes.

“It just seems to go a lot slower because I'm so focused on the little things in the game and half the time I don't really pay attention to the clock. I just play my game and work as hard as I can,” Looker added. “What I’ve noticed in sevens, playing and watching, is everything is down to the last second so you've got to use that time effectively and you've got to work no matter what. I’ve played some sevens’ games where we won right off the last play where it’s gone past seven minutes (in that half).”

As for areas of improvement in sevens for Looker, a five-foot-seven speeding bullet with the ball, “It’s speed on the tackle and the effectiveness of my tackling. In 15s you tackle and you still have time to set up a ruck, but in sevens you’re tackling and you’re up right away and you’re trying to get that ball.”

Looker is also keen on playing 15s as a member of the Edmonton Gold U16s and SARFC U17s this summer and is hopefull in making the U16 Prairie Wolf Pack again.

“I love the system of 15s in being able to work with forwards, like working with crash balls in the forwards and then getting it up to the backs and just have a smooth motion of play. The structure is really nice and you also have a larger team with more people being able to play with and get to know. It's a good playing environment I find,” said the high school rugby player with the Bellerose Bulldogs this season.

The highlight of Looker’s rugby career so far was winning the Edmonton Rugby Union and Rugby Alberta U15 championships last year with SARFC.

“It was really enjoyable because I’ve worked really hard throughout my years (at SARFC). I never played U13 because Derrek Seelinger took me straight from U13 and put me into U15 and I played three years in U15. First year got completely washed out, our team was struggling, and the second year we made it to the finals and lost and got second. This last year we were able to win cities and win provincials, and it felt so much better to be able to be part of that journey for three years,” said Looker, a certified level one rugby coach, who is assisting his dad, Paul, and Seelinger coach the U15 team this year.

The long-range game plan for Looker is to wear the Maple Leaf and the first step is to crack the U18 national sevens team

“I would love to represent my country, that's kind of my biggest goal, and ultimately the biggest goal I have in rugby is being able to represent Canada sevens in the Olympics.”

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