What a crazy two weeks of Rugby 7s!
With BC Rugby’s annual Vancouver Sevens Invitational (VSI) and the HSBC SVNS Vancouver back in town, Rugby 7s was once again at the heart of the community in BC.
Catch up on the best of the action below!
Inspired by the 2026 VSI/HSBC SVNS Vancouver? Here’s how you can help support the next generation of athletes.
2026 VSI A HUGE SUCCESS!
The 2026 VSI was a roaring success as over 100 games of Rugby 7s were played across two days at UBC, with the U18 Boys and Girls Finals taking centre stage at BC Place during the HSBC SVNS Vancouver.
Team BC Gold won the U18 Girls Gold medal in front of a loud home crowd, with Eagle Impact Rugby Academy taking the U18 Boys Gold Medals back across the border.
Fraser Valley won the U16 Girls Gold Medals while Rugby Ontario won gold in the U16 Boys Division.
Huge thank you to our partners, Harbour Air, and Rugby Canada Senior Men’s athlete Josiah Morra for supporting grassroots Rugby and handing out the hardware!
Thank you to the Rugby Canada Senior Men’s 7s Team for showing their support and posing for some photos with young fans and athletes!
Read the full 2026 VSI recap here.
RECORD SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BC RUGBY
BC Rugby enjoyed a record period for social media across VSI and HSBC SVNS – racking up a massive 2.6 MILLION+ impressions over 10 days.
This represented a huge 1,200% increase in impressions on the same period for 2025, and most notably saw a 38,000% increase in video views – from 675 views to 254,409! Highlights include:
- Total Impressions: 2,642,000 (1,200% increase on 2025)
- Reach: 630,000 (987% increase on 2025)
- Video views: 254,409 (32,000% increase on 2025)
- Shares: 2,300 (1,300% increase on 2025)
Check the best of our social media stuff below and follow us @bcrugbyunion!
PARTY TIME AT HSBC SVNS Vancouver
Over 40,000 fans packed in to BC Place for the March 6-7 weekend to enjoy the HSBC SVNS Vancouver in proper party fashion!
Canada’s Senior Women’s team finished fifth overall while the Men’s side were named Teck Tri-Nations Challenge Champions against Japan and Chile.
The HSBC Vancouver SVNS Cup Finals featured New Zealand and Australia on the women’s side, with the Black Ferns claiming the gold medal, their fourth in a row since 2023 and have yet to lose a single game during their dominant four-year run.
On the Men’s side, South Africa defeated Spain in the Final to make it back-to-back victories on the HSBC World Sevens Series.
As always, the BC fans turned on the style as Rugby 7s took over Downtown Vancouver!
RUGBY IN THE COMMUNITY
Alongside the HSBC SVNS, there were plenty of Community Activations throughout the week led by the Rugby Canada Community Team and supported by BC Rugby’s Aimee Harrison.
The community teams visited numerous schools over the week and ran several sessions with local BC Rugby Clubs, as well as the annual Blanketing Ceremony for Rugby Canada’s Senior Women’s 7s National Team hosted at Capilano RFC.
Check out the best of the week below:
THANK YOU REFS!
A huge thank you to the BC Rugby Referees and Officials (Rugby Match Officials of British Columbia) for a fantastic week of hard work across both Rugby 7s events.
18 Officials from BC were represented at the HSBC SVNS Vancouver from a variety of regions:
Justine Blatt-Janmaat (South Island) – Teck Tri-Nations Referee + Assistant Referee
Kristine Lovatt (Fraser Valley) – Teck Tri-Nations Referee + Assistant Referee
Doug Thorpe (Fraser Valley) – Assistant Referee
Benjamin Lambrick (Thompson-Okanagan) – Assistant Referee
Bradley Schwalger (Lower Mainland ) – Assistant Referee
Stefanie Sheard (Manitoba) – Assistant Referee
Ryan Lambrick (Thompson-Okanagan) – Subs/Score/Time
Rosco (Liv) Ross (South Island) – Subs/Score/Time
Darren Cho (Kootenays) – Subs/Score/Time
Sam Klein-Laufer (South Island) – Subs/Score/Time
Jakob Washington (Thompson-Okanagan) – Subs/Score/Time
Juan Rey (South Island) – Subs/Score/Time
Michael Blais (Lower Mainland) – Subs/Score/Time
Joel Van Meer (Fraser Valley) – Subs/Score/Time
Chad Falk (Fraser Valley) – Subs/Score/Time
Emily Krack (Lower Mainland ) – Subs/Score/Time
Trevor Honey (Lower Mainland) – TZM/Subs/Score/Time
Phil Webster (Lower Mainland) – TZM/Subs/Score/Time
BC Officials for U18 Boys Final at BC Place:
Referee: Shanda Assmus (Lower Mainland)
AR: Miriam Sobrino (Fraser Valley)
AR: Steph Sheard (Manitoba)
BC Officials for U18 Girls Final at BC Place:
Referee: Justine Blatt-Janmaat
AR: Nick Frank (Thompson-Okanagan)
AR: Michael Blais (Fraser Valley)
It was also wonderful welcoming World Rugby Officials to witness the 2026 VSI including Germany’s Maria Lotus (officiated Sunday’s Women’s Cup Final between Australia and New Zealand at BC Place), USA’s Kat Roche and New Zealand’s Nick Hogan.
ANNUAL 5050 RAISES $236,115
The annual HSBC SVNS Vancouver 50/50 Draw in support of BC Rugby and VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation raised a massive $236,115 total jackpot, with the winner taking home over $118,000!
The other half of the jackpot will be split between BC Rugby and VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation to help make Rugby more accessible and save lives in BC.
A massive shoutout to our army of volunteers and the team at BGH & UBC Hospital Foundation for all their hard work and efforts over the weekend, as well as McSweeney’s for keeping our volunteers well fed!
The winning ticket number is #13030921. Click here for more information.
Thank you for your support!
BC Rugby
A: 2015 Main Street, Vancouver, BC | V5T 0J8
T: 604.737.3065
E: info@bcrugby.com
BC Rugby gratefully acknowledges that its offices reside on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
