Rugby took centre stage in British Columbia this week with the 2024 HSBC SVNS Vancouver and BC Rugby’s Vancouver Sevens Invitational back in town.
As fans flocked to BC Place for one of the biggest events of the year, Rugby was at the heart of the community once again as Sevens fever hit hard – catch up on the best of the action below!
Inspired by the HSBC SVNS Vancouver? Here’s how you can help support the next generation of young athletes.
CANADA TAKES TO HOME SOIL FOR HSBC SVNS VANCOUVER
Canada’s Men’s and Women’s National 7s Teams enjoyed a homecoming welcome at the 2024 HSBC SVNS Vancouver, with a packed out crowd turning out for a memorable weekend at BC Place. Canada’s Women’s 7s Team rallied to beat Australia to clinch a 3rd-place finish in front of a raucous crowd, while the Men’s 7s Team finished 12th.
You can read recaps from the weekend’s action on Rugby Canada’s website here.
Absolute SCENES on the full-time whistle from @RugbyCanada 🙌#HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSVAN https://t.co/ldJKqZKz1T pic.twitter.com/nPQcwPnKCt
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) February 26, 2024
Five BC players were selected across the two teams, while plenty of BC Clubs were also represented throughout the National rosters.
Sophie de Goede and Caroline Crossley (Victoria/Castaway Wanderers) reunited for Sevens Rugby for the first time since representing BC in their Age-Grade days – giving us the perfect opportunity to dig out the below photo courtesy of Darcy Patterson!
UBC Thunderbirds, Westshore RFC and UVIC Vikes also saw athletes selected to the side.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Men’s 7s Captain Phil Berna (Vancouver/Vancouver Rowing Club) made his 50th HSBC World Sevens Series appearance while BC natives Matt Percillier and Jack Carson (Victoria/UBC Thunderbirds) were also named on the Men’s roster.
BC fans enjoyed the festival atmosphere throughout the weekend, especially during a sold-out Saturday, while many supporters displayed their Club colours in the stands!
BC REPRESENTED IN RUGBY CANADA HALL OF FAME
There were plenty of familiar BC faces as Rugby Canada presented its 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees in front of the BC Place crowd.
BC Rugby Hall of Famer Rick Bourne (UBCOB Ravens) joined former National Team players Mark Cardinal (James Bay AA), Andrea Burk (Capilano RFC), Mike James (Burnaby Lake RFC, BC Rugby), Steven Gray (Vancouver Rugby Union, BC Bears), former BC Official Sherry Trumbull and current BC Official Julianne Zussman in the Class of 2023.
THUNDER RUGBY DELIVERS MATCH BALL
Thunder Rugby Director John Lyall and his nephew were also celebrated as they delivered the match ball to centre field during Saturday’s action!
Many of the official ball carriers hailed from BC Rugby Clubs as the tradition of carrying the match ball to the Referee continued in 2024.
BC OFFICIALS AT HEART OF ACTION
BC Rugby Officials Kristine Lovatt, Brad Schwalger, Cole Pedrick, Derek Horton and Ben Lambrick were at the heart of the action as part of the World Rugby Officials Team at BC Place!
ANTOINE DUPONT TO JAMES BAY AA?
Vancouver got Antoine Dupont fever this weekend and some of our young athletes managed to sneak a photo with the France scrum half. The Vancouver Island Tide boys were busy scouting him for James Bay AA.
Rumour has it Antoine will be swapping Toulouse for the BC Rugby Men’s Premier League next season!
BC RUGBY BOARD MEETS RUGBY CANADA BOARD
The BC Rugby Board and Rugby Canada Board of Directors met during Sunday’s action at the HSBC SVNS Canada, including BC Rugby President Bob Strachan and Rugby Canada’s Chair Sally Dennis, as well as Rugby Canada CEO Nathan Bombrys and BC Rugby CEO David Newson.
MINI RUGBY STARS ENJOY BC PLACE RUNOUT!
Finally, the on-field Rookie Rugby activation at BC Place during Sunday’s final day of HSBC SVNS Vancouver included over 150 Mini Rugby and Junior Members from Abbotsford RFC, Bayside RFC, Capilano RFC, Castaway Wanderers RFC, Comox Valley Rapids, Langley Rugby Club, Meraloma RFC, Scribes RFC, United RFC, Vancouver Rowing Club and Westshore RFC.
Members of last year’s BC Bears U16 and U18 Girls teams were also on the field with Rugby Nova Scotia athletes during a Let’s Play Rugby activation!
5050 RAISES VITAL FUNDS FOR BC RUGBY AND VGH & UBC FOUNDATION
The HSBC SVNS Vancouver 2024 50/50 Draw presented by Grosvenor in support of BC Rugby and the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation jackpot topped out at a MASSIVE $221,940 – with the winner taking home half of the pot!
The winning ticket number was 1462119 – click here for more information.
The other half of the prize pot will go towards making Rugby more accessible in BC, and support critical pancreatic centre research and care in British Columbia.
Thank you once again for your incredible support, and thank you to the team of Volunteers who gave up their time to sell tickets in-stadium!
A huge thanks to BP Media Inc who generously donated printing for all 5050 assets.
VANCOUVER SEVENS INVITATIONAL RETURNS
The 2024 Vancouver Sevens Invitational proved a big hit on its return to the BC Rugby calendar, with four champions crowned after two days of epic Rugby 7s action at UBC in Vancouver.
The event featured over 400 athletes and 30 teams from Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Northern BC and the Interior, Washington State, Edmonton and Nova Scotia battling it out across U15 Girls, U16 Boys, U18 Girls and U18 Boys Divisions in a festival of Rugby 7s!
Rugby Canada and BC Rugby legends Nathan Hirayama, Harry Jones and Connor Braid were on hand to present medals to our winners.
BC Rugby will be releasing a full photo gallery and match videos this week!
RUGBY SHINES IN THE COMMUNITY
Rugby was at the heart of the community this week with opportunities provided to over 10,000 junior fans and athletes ahead of the 2024 HSBC SVNS Vancouver.
Rugby Canada, the national sports organization for Rugby in Canada, teamed up with BC Rugby and Justice Rugby to provide an action-packed week of activities.
The festivities kicked off with a free Rookie Rugby Junior Coaches Program Course held at Langley Rugby Club on February 18. Over 60 attendees participated in the course and went on to assist Rugby Canada and BC Rugby staff at other activations during the week, before getting to enjoy world-class international Rugby 7s on the final day of the HSBC SVNS Vancouver.
The Rookie Rugby Family Day Festival gave over 250 children the chance to enjoy a morning of fun on the BC Place turf, with special appearances from Canada and France’s National Women’s 7s Teams. The event featured Mini Rugby Members from 14 BC-based Clubs (Abbotsford RFC, Bayside Sharks RFC, Brit Lions, Burnaby Lake, Capilano RFC, Cowichan RFC, Langley Rugby Club, Meraloma RFC, Richmond RFC, Scribes RFC, Squamish Axemen RFC, Surrey Beavers, UBC Thunderbirds and United RFC), as well as introducing new faces to the sport.
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Three further Rookie Rugby Festivals and two Let’s Play Rugby sessions were held throughout a busy week, introducing over 1000 elementary students from schools across the Metro Vancouver region to the sport. The sessions, some of which took place at BC Place, proved to be a big hit with kids and included appearances from Canada’s Men’s and Women’s National Sevens Programs, as well as other National Teams from Fiji, Ireland, Japan, Spain and the USA.
The Rugby Sevens Youth Super Session held in collaboration with the Vancouver School Board and in partnership with the BC Sports Hall of Fame, and Kids Up Front returned for the opening morning of the HSBC SVNS Vancouver February 23, giving over 6000 school children a chance to watch the action for FREE!
Are you as excited for HSBC SVNS Vancouver as these kids? 😁
6000 school kids get to cheer on Canada today at HSBC SVNS Vancouver for FREE.
Rugby Canada has provided more than 10000 rugby opportunities to youth from the Vancouver area this week🏉 #HSBCSVNSVAN | #VANSVNS pic.twitter.com/W6VwCdISAy— Rugby Canada (@RugbyCanada) February 23, 2024
What a fantastic week of Rugby in BC!
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.
