{ "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1.1", "user_comment": "This feed allows you to read the posts from this site in any feed reader that supports the JSON Feed format. To add this feed to your reader, copy the following URL -- https://www.asiarugby.com/tag/hsbc-canada-sevens/feed/json/ -- and add it your reader.", "home_page_url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/tag/hsbc-canada-sevens/", "feed_url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/tag/hsbc-canada-sevens/feed/json/", "language": "en-US", "title": "HSBC Canada Sevens Archives - Asia Rugby", "description": "Regional Association of the Governing Body for the Global Game", "items": [ { "id": "https://www.asiarugby.com/?p=9300", "url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/2023/03/03/hsbc-canada-sevens-set-for-historic-weekend/", "title": "HSBC Canada Sevens set for historic weekend", "content_html": "

The 28 captains gathered on Wednesday on the traditional territory of Tsleil-Waututh Nation ahead of the highly anticipated HSBC Canada Sevens on 3-5 March, which sees the women\u2019s Series join the men for the first time ever at BC Place as the race for Series glory and Olympic qualification heats up.

\n\n

The world\u2019s best men\u2019s and women\u2019s rugby sevens players will return to action in Vancouver this weekend with a three-day event from 3-5 March as the race for HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series glory and the all-important Olympic qualification heats up.

\n

The 28 captains who will do battle for the highly coveted HSBC Canada Sevens crowns gathered on Wednesday on the traditional territory of Tsleil-Waututh Nation as they fine tune their preparations ahead of kick off on Friday.

\n

With the popular event returning to the city for the eighth consecutive year, Canada\u2019s men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams will be looking to put on a show for their fans as they enter the field at the BC Place Stadium.

\n

Canada women’s co-captain Breanne Nicholas said: \u201cWe\u2019re very excited to be playing on our home turf alongside the men. We know what it\u2019s like in Langford, and we\u2019re ready for the hype of Vancouver. Playing alongside the men is not only positive for the growth of rugby in Canada but the growth of women\u2019s sport in Canada.\u201d

\n

However, New Zealand\u2019s Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens lead the current Series standings and arrive in confident mood having won the last three women\u2019s events and two men\u2019s events respectively.

\n

This weekend in Vancouver, if New Zealand’s women’s team reaches the cup finals, they will be the second nation to officially qualify for Paris 2024 after France, who have a spot secured as hosts.

\n

Black Ferns women\u2019s captain Sarah Goss said: \u201cIt\u2019s been amazing being in a new city in Canada, we love coming here and to be able to play at BC Place \u2013 we went to the stadium yesterday and had a run around against Canada \u2013 it\u2019s an amazing stadium and we\u2019re looking forward to the weekend.

\n

\u201cI have only seen that [New Zealand can qualify for Paris 2024] in the media and we haven\u2019t actually talked about that as a team. We\u2019re just trying to get better and better as the tournament goes along and we\u2019re very happy with how we\u2019re sitting but we probably won\u2019t be too happy unless we continue that momentum we\u2019ve already built.\u201d

\n

The 2023 Series is shaping up to be the most competitive in history with the prize of Olympic Games Paris 2024 qualification on offer for the top four women\u2019s and men\u2019s teams in the 2023 Series standings, while hosts France have pre-qualified for next year’s pinnacle event in the nation\u2019s capital.

\n

The men\u2019s Series has seen five different gold medal winners (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and South Africa) in the six rounds to date.

\n

New Zealand sit firmly on top of the women’s leader board with 78 points, having won the last three tournaments in Sydney, Hamilton and Cape Town. Australia, the only other nation to have won a tournament in Dubai, are tied with USA at 66 points each. The Americans join New Zealand as the only nation to have medalled at every event this season, while France picked up their first bronze medal in Sydney.

\n

VIEW MEN\u2019S SERIES STANDINGS >>

\n

VIEW WOMEN\u2019S SERIES STANDINGS >>

\n

The stakes couldn\u2019t be higher at the bottom end of the men\u2019s Series this season as well. Following the penultimate event in Toulouse, the 15th ranked team will be relegated to the 2024 Sevens Challenger Series while the 12th through 14th ranked teams will face off against the Sevens Challenger Series 2023 winner for the 12th and final position on the 2024 Series.

\n

Ireland captain Harry McNulty said: \u201cBack-to-back tournaments are always tough, and with the three-day tournament it means one less training day, but we love coming to Vancouver \u2013 it\u2019s always a great crowd so we\u2019re excited to push on from last week. For us it was great to get three wins in the pool but disappointing to not win anything on day two, so we\u2019re really looking forward to putting in another good performance this weekend.

\n

\u201cEvery tournament you have to take into consideration how hard the pools are because it\u2019s been crazy at the moment when there\u2019s nine teams who can qualify for the four Olympic spots at the end of the season. So we\u2019re going tournament-to-tournament in terms of getting our preparation right but also every tournament means you\u2019re one step closer to the end of the season so we need to make sure we get the most amount of points as we can.\u201d

\n

The men\u2019s pools for Vancouver have HSBC Los Angeles winners New Zealand in Pool A alongside Cape Town champions Samoa, Spain and the United States. Pool B includes silver medal winners Argentina with South Africa France and Japan. Bronze medal winners Fiji will meet Great Britain, Uruguay and Kenya in Pool C, while Australia lead Pool D alongside Ireland, Canada and Chile.

\n

VIEW MEN\u2019S MATCH SCHEDULE >>

\n

The women\u2019s pools for Vancouver have New Zealand, Fiji, Great Britain and Colombia in Pool A. Reigning Series champions Australia will be looking to bounce back in Pool B against France, Japan and Spain. Pool C sees the USA together with Ireland, hosts Canada and Brazil.

\n

VIEW WOMEN\u2019S MATCH SCHEDULE >>

\n

The action begins at 09:15 local time (GMT-8) on Friday, beginning three days of action-packed world-class rugby sevens, which concludes with the finals on Sunday evening.

\n

Tickets for the HSBC Canada Sevens are available from\u00a0Home – Canada Sevens

\n

Rugby sevens fans around the world can watch the action via live stream on World Rugby digital platforms including\u00a0www.world.rugby, YouTube and Facebook in countries where there is no national broadcaster covering the event.

\n

WHERE TO WATCH >>

\n

The post HSBC Canada Sevens set for historic weekend appeared first on Asia Rugby.

\n", "content_text": "The 28 captains gathered on Wednesday on the traditional territory of Tsleil-Waututh Nation ahead of the highly anticipated HSBC Canada Sevens on 3-5 March, which sees the women\u2019s Series join the men for the first time ever at BC Place as the race for Series glory and Olympic qualification heats up.\n\nThe HSBC Canada Sevens gets underway 3-5 March, marking the 200th men’s tournament in HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series storied history\nFor the first time ever, the top 12 women\u2019s nations are set to join the men at BC Place for a thrilling three-day competition\nNew Zealand Black Ferns Sevens lead current women\u2019s Series standings, can officially qualify for Paris 2024 this weekend\nNew Zealand All Blacks Sevens sit atop the men\u2019s Series standings having won back-to-back stops in Sydney and Los Angeles\nThe HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 is the most competitive in history with Paris 2024 Olympic qualification the prize for the top four teams\nPlay begins at 09:15 local time (GMT-8) on Friday, with the finals on Sunday\n\nThe world\u2019s best men\u2019s and women\u2019s rugby sevens players will return to action in Vancouver this weekend with a three-day event from 3-5 March as the race for HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series glory and the all-important Olympic qualification heats up.\nThe 28 captains who will do battle for the highly coveted HSBC Canada Sevens crowns gathered on Wednesday on the traditional territory of Tsleil-Waututh Nation as they fine tune their preparations ahead of kick off on Friday.\nWith the popular event returning to the city for the eighth consecutive year, Canada\u2019s men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams will be looking to put on a show for their fans as they enter the field at the BC Place Stadium.\nCanada women’s co-captain Breanne Nicholas said: \u201cWe\u2019re very excited to be playing on our home turf alongside the men. We know what it\u2019s like in Langford, and we\u2019re ready for the hype of Vancouver. Playing alongside the men is not only positive for the growth of rugby in Canada but the growth of women\u2019s sport in Canada.\u201d\nHowever, New Zealand\u2019s Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens lead the current Series standings and arrive in confident mood having won the last three women\u2019s events and two men\u2019s events respectively.\nThis weekend in Vancouver, if New Zealand’s women’s team reaches the cup finals, they will be the second nation to officially qualify for Paris 2024 after France, who have a spot secured as hosts.\nBlack Ferns women\u2019s captain Sarah Goss said: \u201cIt\u2019s been amazing being in a new city in Canada, we love coming here and to be able to play at BC Place \u2013 we went to the stadium yesterday and had a run around against Canada \u2013 it\u2019s an amazing stadium and we\u2019re looking forward to the weekend.\n\u201cI have only seen that [New Zealand can qualify for Paris 2024] in the media and we haven\u2019t actually talked about that as a team. We\u2019re just trying to get better and better as the tournament goes along and we\u2019re very happy with how we\u2019re sitting but we probably won\u2019t be too happy unless we continue that momentum we\u2019ve already built.\u201d\nThe 2023 Series is shaping up to be the most competitive in history with the prize of Olympic Games Paris 2024 qualification on offer for the top four women\u2019s and men\u2019s teams in the 2023 Series standings, while hosts France have pre-qualified for next year’s pinnacle event in the nation\u2019s capital.\nThe men\u2019s Series has seen five different gold medal winners (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and South Africa) in the six rounds to date.\nNew Zealand sit firmly on top of the women’s leader board with 78 points, having won the last three tournaments in Sydney, Hamilton and Cape Town. Australia, the only other nation to have won a tournament in Dubai, are tied with USA at 66 points each. The Americans join New Zealand as the only nation to have medalled at every event this season, while France picked up their first bronze medal in Sydney.\nVIEW MEN\u2019S SERIES STANDINGS >>\nVIEW WOMEN\u2019S SERIES STANDINGS >>\nThe stakes couldn\u2019t be higher at the bottom end of the men\u2019s Series this season as well. Following the penultimate event in Toulouse, the 15th ranked team will be relegated to the 2024 Sevens Challenger Series while the 12th through 14th ranked teams will face off against the Sevens Challenger Series 2023 winner for the 12th and final position on the 2024 Series.\nIreland captain Harry McNulty said: \u201cBack-to-back tournaments are always tough, and with the three-day tournament it means one less training day, but we love coming to Vancouver \u2013 it\u2019s always a great crowd so we\u2019re excited to push on from last week. For us it was great to get three wins in the pool but disappointing to not win anything on day two, so we\u2019re really looking forward to putting in another good performance this weekend.\n\u201cEvery tournament you have to take into consideration how hard the pools are because it\u2019s been crazy at the moment when there\u2019s nine teams who can qualify for the four Olympic spots at the end of the season. So we\u2019re going tournament-to-tournament in terms of getting our preparation right but also every tournament means you\u2019re one step closer to the end of the season so we need to make sure we get the most amount of points as we can.\u201d\nThe men\u2019s pools for Vancouver have HSBC Los Angeles winners New Zealand in Pool A alongside Cape Town champions Samoa, Spain and the United States. Pool B includes silver medal winners Argentina with South Africa France and Japan. Bronze medal winners Fiji will meet Great Britain, Uruguay and Kenya in Pool C, while Australia lead Pool D alongside Ireland, Canada and Chile.\nVIEW MEN\u2019S MATCH SCHEDULE >>\nThe women\u2019s pools for Vancouver have New Zealand, Fiji, Great Britain and Colombia in Pool A. Reigning Series champions Australia will be looking to bounce back in Pool B against France, Japan and Spain. Pool C sees the USA together with Ireland, hosts Canada and Brazil.\nVIEW WOMEN\u2019S MATCH SCHEDULE >>\nThe action begins at 09:15 local time (GMT-8) on Friday, beginning three days of action-packed world-class rugby sevens, which concludes with the finals on Sunday evening.\nTickets for the HSBC Canada Sevens are available from\u00a0Home – Canada Sevens\nRugby sevens fans around the world can watch the action via live stream on World Rugby digital platforms including\u00a0www.world.rugby, YouTube and Facebook in countries where there is no national broadcaster covering the event.\nWHERE TO WATCH >>\nThe post HSBC Canada Sevens set for historic weekend appeared first on Asia Rugby.", "date_published": "2023-03-03T17:58:34+08:00", "date_modified": "2023-03-03T17:58:34+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Asia Rugby", "url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/author/k-haroon/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea791d807df550e52d2e6508886912b7?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Asia Rugby", "url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/author/k-haroon/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea791d807df550e52d2e6508886912b7?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.asiarugby.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Fiji.jpg", "tags": [ "HSBC Canada Sevens", "HSBC", "New Zealand Rugby", "Fiji Rugby", "Tsleil-Waututh", "Featured", "News" ] }, { "id": "https://www.asiarugby.com/?p=9298", "url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/2023/03/03/hsbc-world-rugby-sevens-series-hits-major-milestone/", "title": "HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series hits major milestone", "content_html": "

The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series will celebrate a special milestone this weekend with the HSBC Canada Sevens in Vancouver being the 200th men\u2019s tournament in the competition\u2019s storied history. We take a look at how the competition has evolved.

\n

On 2 December, 1999 the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series was born in Dubai.

\n

Fittingly, current men\u2019s Series leaders New Zealand had the honour of competing in the very first match and former sevens star turned World Rugby commentator Karl Te Nana scored in a 14-0 win against Tonga.

\n

To this day, Te Nana remembers the thrill of being involved from the very first blast of Australian referee George Ayoub\u2019s whistle.

\n

\u201cWhen the Series first launched, there was so much excitement amongst all the countries to have an organised series created,\u201d he said.

\n

\u201cThe chance to continuously match yourself against the best in the world in 10 tournaments was a real new and fresh concept that both players and fans gravitated to.\u201d

\n

Dubai is one of the two original venues still used to this day (Hong Kong is the other) and was also the location for the opening tournament when the women\u2019s Series was launched in 2012-13.

\n
\n

We go again in Vancouver! \"\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\"

\n

\"\ud83d\udcc6\" 3-5 March

\n

\"\ud83c\udf9f\" Get your tickets to #Canada7s: https://t.co/deBxy6tqyi#HSBC7s pic.twitter.com/CjDVjTF5nh

\n

\u2014 World Rugby 7s (@WorldRugby7s) February 28, 2023

\n

\n

For Te Nana, it was a natural choice as the launchpad for the Series because it was already a renowned sevens destination.

\n

\u201cThe first tournament in Dubai was always a vibe because of its already established history. It was like playing in a major at golf,\u201d he said.

\n

\u201cSo when New Zealand had the honour to play the first game of the Series against Tonga, we as a team knew the significance of that, and for me to score the first try ever on the World Sevens Series, at the time I didn’t take much notice but now as I look back, I’m very proud of that moment.\u201d

\n

New Zealand went on to be crowned champions in that first tournament in Dubai following a 38-14 win over Fiji, another of the sport\u2019s powerhouses long before the Series was initiated.

\n

SOUTHERN DOMINANCE

\n

A fierce rivalry had already developed between the countries from the first two editions of Rugby World Cup Sevens in 1993 and 1997 and that was translated into the Series.

\n

Those two countries claimed all the titles on offer between them throughout the inaugural Series and, by the end of it all, the All Blacks Sevens came out on top in the final standings by just six points.

\n

It was the first of six consecutive overall Series titles for New Zealand, who won just over half (26) of the first 50 tournaments played.

\n

Of the 30 different nations that have played and scored in the Series, New Zealand and Fiji are to date the only ones to reach 3,000 points.

\n

Fiji became Series champions for the first time in 2005-06 but it was still New Zealand who largely held the upper hand as the Series continued to grow, their run of seven consecutive tournament wins between London in 2007 to Hong Kong the following year being a record that still exists today.

\n

BLITZBOKS\u2019 BREAKTHROUGH

\n

2009 was not only a significant year for sevens in terms of it winning the vote to become an Olympic sport but it also marked the emergence of South Africa as a threat to New Zealand and Fiji, the Blitzboks claiming the first of their four Series titles that year.

\n

Samoa threw their hat into the ring by taking the next title in 2010 and England were always a threat with record Series points scorer Ben Gollings dictating play. But for the most part, it was New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa who continued to fight it out for top honours.

\n

The next 11 Series titles, from 2011 to 2021, were shared by the southern hemisphere trio with New Zealand claiming five, and Fiji and South Africa three apiece, the latter benefitting from the absence of their main rivals due to COVID-19 in their 2021 Series win.

\n

For a 10-year period between 2004 and 2014, that trio and England, Samoa, Argentina, Australia and France were the only teams to win a tournament in the Series.

\n

But as sevens\u2019 Olympics debut in Rio in 2016 drew ever closer new teams came to the fore with the USA enjoying the first of their three tournament successes in London in the 2014-15 Series. Over the next two years, they were joined by Scotland and Canada in adding their names to the roll of honour.

\n

In total, 12 different teams have now won a tournament in the Series.

\n

With the general competitiveness of sevens going up several notches following the sport\u2019s inclusion in the Olympic Games, New Zealand\u2019s almost total dominance from those early years will be very hard to replicate.

\n

But while Australia became the first new overall Series winner in 12 years in 2022, the All Blacks Sevens remain the team to beat in most people\u2019s eyes.

\n

Their overall tally of 64 tournament wins, and 100-plus \u00a0final appearances, from the 199 men\u2019s tournaments played to date easily eclipses what any of the other teams can muster.

\n

Fiji are next best with 44 tournament wins and South Africa are third on 40.

\n

A SHOWCASE FOR SKILLS

\n

Once considered a means of improving fitness for 15s or for an end-of-season jamboree, sevens has become huge in its own right and the Series has played a big part in its evolution into an Olympic sport that helps spread the rugby gospel far and wide.

\n

Ever-evolving, the Series will be remodelled next year and will include seven festival-style events, in seven iconic global destinations, across seven months, featuring the 12 best men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams in the world.

\n

Te Nana was one of the first to leave his mark on the Series and is still taken aback by how big and far-reaching it has become.

\n

\u201cIt’s amazing how from the inception to what the beast of a product and spectacle the sevens has become. It is just amazing,\u201d he said.

\n

\u201cWorld Rugby have done a fantastic job creating a platform for men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams and athletes to thrive and showcase their abilities to help connect, inspire and bring joy to audiences across the globe.\u201d

\n

The post HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series hits major milestone appeared first on Asia Rugby.

\n", "content_text": "The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series will celebrate a special milestone this weekend with the HSBC Canada Sevens in Vancouver being the 200th men\u2019s tournament in the competition\u2019s storied history. We take a look at how the competition has evolved.\nOn 2 December, 1999 the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series was born in Dubai.\nFittingly, current men\u2019s Series leaders New Zealand had the honour of competing in the very first match and former sevens star turned World Rugby commentator Karl Te Nana scored in a 14-0 win against Tonga.\nTo this day, Te Nana remembers the thrill of being involved from the very first blast of Australian referee George Ayoub\u2019s whistle.\n\u201cWhen the Series first launched, there was so much excitement amongst all the countries to have an organised series created,\u201d he said.\n\u201cThe chance to continuously match yourself against the best in the world in 10 tournaments was a real new and fresh concept that both players and fans gravitated to.\u201d\nDubai is one of the two original venues still used to this day (Hong Kong is the other) and was also the location for the opening tournament when the women\u2019s Series was launched in 2012-13.\n\nWe go again in Vancouver! \n 3-5 March\n Get your tickets to #Canada7s: https://t.co/deBxy6tqyi#HSBC7s pic.twitter.com/CjDVjTF5nh\n\u2014 World Rugby 7s (@WorldRugby7s) February 28, 2023\n\nFor Te Nana, it was a natural choice as the launchpad for the Series because it was already a renowned sevens destination.\n\u201cThe first tournament in Dubai was always a vibe because of its already established history. It was like playing in a major at golf,\u201d he said.\n\u201cSo when New Zealand had the honour to play the first game of the Series against Tonga, we as a team knew the significance of that, and for me to score the first try ever on the World Sevens Series, at the time I didn’t take much notice but now as I look back, I’m very proud of that moment.\u201d\nNew Zealand went on to be crowned champions in that first tournament in Dubai following a 38-14 win over Fiji, another of the sport\u2019s powerhouses long before the Series was initiated.\nSOUTHERN DOMINANCE\nA fierce rivalry had already developed between the countries from the first two editions of Rugby World Cup Sevens in 1993 and 1997 and that was translated into the Series.\nThose two countries claimed all the titles on offer between them throughout the inaugural Series and, by the end of it all, the All Blacks Sevens came out on top in the final standings by just six points.\nIt was the first of six consecutive overall Series titles for New Zealand, who won just over half (26) of the first 50 tournaments played.\nOf the 30 different nations that have played and scored in the Series, New Zealand and Fiji are to date the only ones to reach 3,000 points.\nFiji became Series champions for the first time in 2005-06 but it was still New Zealand who largely held the upper hand as the Series continued to grow, their run of seven consecutive tournament wins between London in 2007 to Hong Kong the following year being a record that still exists today.\nBLITZBOKS\u2019 BREAKTHROUGH\n2009 was not only a significant year for sevens in terms of it winning the vote to become an Olympic sport but it also marked the emergence of South Africa as a threat to New Zealand and Fiji, the Blitzboks claiming the first of their four Series titles that year.\nSamoa threw their hat into the ring by taking the next title in 2010 and England were always a threat with record Series points scorer Ben Gollings dictating play. But for the most part, it was New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa who continued to fight it out for top honours.\nThe next 11 Series titles, from 2011 to 2021, were shared by the southern hemisphere trio with New Zealand claiming five, and Fiji and South Africa three apiece, the latter benefitting from the absence of their main rivals due to COVID-19 in their 2021 Series win.\nFor a 10-year period between 2004 and 2014, that trio and England, Samoa, Argentina, Australia and France were the only teams to win a tournament in the Series.\nBut as sevens\u2019 Olympics debut in Rio in 2016 drew ever closer new teams came to the fore with the USA enjoying the first of their three tournament successes in London in the 2014-15 Series. Over the next two years, they were joined by Scotland and Canada in adding their names to the roll of honour.\nIn total, 12 different teams have now won a tournament in the Series.\nWith the general competitiveness of sevens going up several notches following the sport\u2019s inclusion in the Olympic Games, New Zealand\u2019s almost total dominance from those early years will be very hard to replicate.\nBut while Australia became the first new overall Series winner in 12 years in 2022, the All Blacks Sevens remain the team to beat in most people\u2019s eyes.\nTheir overall tally of 64 tournament wins, and 100-plus \u00a0final appearances, from the 199 men\u2019s tournaments played to date easily eclipses what any of the other teams can muster.\nFiji are next best with 44 tournament wins and South Africa are third on 40.\nA SHOWCASE FOR SKILLS\nOnce considered a means of improving fitness for 15s or for an end-of-season jamboree, sevens has become huge in its own right and the Series has played a big part in its evolution into an Olympic sport that helps spread the rugby gospel far and wide.\nEver-evolving, the Series will be remodelled next year and will include seven festival-style events, in seven iconic global destinations, across seven months, featuring the 12 best men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams in the world.\nTe Nana was one of the first to leave his mark on the Series and is still taken aback by how big and far-reaching it has become.\n\u201cIt’s amazing how from the inception to what the beast of a product and spectacle the sevens has become. It is just amazing,\u201d he said.\n\u201cWorld Rugby have done a fantastic job creating a platform for men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams and athletes to thrive and showcase their abilities to help connect, inspire and bring joy to audiences across the globe.\u201d\nThe post HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series hits major milestone appeared first on Asia Rugby.", "date_published": "2023-03-03T17:46:32+08:00", "date_modified": "2023-03-03T17:46:32+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Asia Rugby", "url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/author/k-haroon/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea791d807df550e52d2e6508886912b7?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Asia Rugby", "url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/author/k-haroon/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea791d807df550e52d2e6508886912b7?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.asiarugby.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/HSBC-World-Rugby-Sevens.jpg", "tags": [ "HSBC Canada Sevens", "HSBC", "World Rugby Sevens", "HSBC World Rugby Sevens", "Featured", "News" ] }, { "id": "https://www.asiarugby.com/?p=6887", "url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/2020/03/05/captains-bring-hope-ahead-of-hsbc-canada-sevens/", "title": "Captains bring hope and inspiration ahead of HSBC Canada Sevens", "content_html": "

The unique spirit and character building values of rugby were on show today as 16 international captain\u2019s attended the Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver ahead of the HSBC Canada Sevens on 7-8 March.

\n
\"Japan
invitational team Japan
\n

While preparing for the sixth round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, which will be played in front of a near full house at the 40,000 capacity BC Place stadium, the captains took time out to visit the home for children who are undergoing treatment for serious medical conditions and bring a sense of joy and inspiration to the children and their families.

\n

Canada Captain Nate Hirayama said: \u201cRonald McDonald House is a really special place where seriously sick children can come with their families and stay while they\u2019re getting treatment at the hospital. It\u2019s a fantastic place, they need our support and we are happy to do anything we can to help out so to have all the captain\u2019s here and see the guys playing instruments and getting into the spirit is fantastic.\u201d

\n

Looking ahead to playing in front of a home crowd this weekend he added: \u201cWe are extremely excited, obviously this is always a big week for us and for Canadian rugby so the vibes and the nerves are already kicking in. We\u2019re looking forward to it and it\u2019s going to be another fantastic year for the Canada Sevens. It is amazing to play in front of the BC Place crowd with its incredible energy. Growing up we never thought anything like this could happen.\u201d

\n

The captain\u2019s activity is part of a community engagement programme of \u2018Impact Beyond\u2019 legacy activities that is being run in the lead up to the HSBC Canada Sevens to connect with different sections of Vancouver society.

\n

South Africa captain Stedman Gans was delighted to participate: \u201cWe have our Blitzboks mission statement \u2018to inspire hope\u2019 written on our jerseys and it is a privilege for me to be here representing our team, inspiring hope and giving a little bit of joy to these kids who have had bad experiences. I see it as a responsibility and an honour and I\u2019ve enjoyed every single moment here.\u201d

\n

Turning to matters on the pitch he added: \u201cWe are looking forward to the Vancouver atmosphere, it\u2019s a great stadium, I love playing here, it\u2019s going to be electric under the roof and I can\u2019t wait.\u201d

\n

Play will be split across two days with all pool games taking place on Saturday before the knock-out competition begins on Sunday.

\n

The action gets under way at BC Place at 09:00 local time (GMT-8) on Saturday when USA and Samoa take to the field in a Pool D encounter.

\n

VIEW FIXTURES >>

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South Africa arrive in Vancouver in confident mood following their stunning extra-time final victory over Fiji in Los Angeles last weekend and the Blitzboks line up in Pool A alongside England, Argentina and the invitational team Japan.

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Pool B sees reigning Olympic Champions Fiji drawn with France, hosts Canada and Wales, who are currently occupying the relegation position and will be looking to pick up more points in the second half of the series.

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Current Series leaders New Zealand are drawn in Pool C and will face Ireland, Span and Kenya, while Pool D consists of Australia, USA, Samoa and Scotland.

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VIEW POOLS >>

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A limited number of tournament passes for both days and single day general admission tickets for Sunday remain available for purchase, visit\u00a0www.canadasevens.com\u00a0for more details.

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Stay connected for the most up-to-date event information for the HSBC Canada Sevens by following\u00a0@CanadaSevens\u00a0on social media platforms, and\u00a0@worldrugby7s\u00a0for HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series news.

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WHERE TO WATCH HSBC CANADA SEVENS >>

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The post Captains bring hope and inspiration ahead of HSBC Canada Sevens appeared first on Asia Rugby.

\n", "content_text": "The unique spirit and character building values of rugby were on show today as 16 international captain\u2019s attended the Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver ahead of the HSBC Canada Sevens on 7-8 March.\ninvitational team Japan\nWhile preparing for the sixth round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, which will be played in front of a near full house at the 40,000 capacity BC Place stadium, the captains took time out to visit the home for children who are undergoing treatment for serious medical conditions and bring a sense of joy and inspiration to the children and their families.\nCanada Captain Nate Hirayama said: \u201cRonald McDonald House is a really special place where seriously sick children can come with their families and stay while they\u2019re getting treatment at the hospital. It\u2019s a fantastic place, they need our support and we are happy to do anything we can to help out so to have all the captain\u2019s here and see the guys playing instruments and getting into the spirit is fantastic.\u201d\nLooking ahead to playing in front of a home crowd this weekend he added: \u201cWe are extremely excited, obviously this is always a big week for us and for Canadian rugby so the vibes and the nerves are already kicking in. We\u2019re looking forward to it and it\u2019s going to be another fantastic year for the Canada Sevens. It is amazing to play in front of the BC Place crowd with its incredible energy. Growing up we never thought anything like this could happen.\u201d\nThe captain\u2019s activity is part of a community engagement programme of \u2018Impact Beyond\u2019 legacy activities that is being run in the lead up to the HSBC Canada Sevens to connect with different sections of Vancouver society.\nSouth Africa captain Stedman Gans was delighted to participate: \u201cWe have our Blitzboks mission statement \u2018to inspire hope\u2019 written on our jerseys and it is a privilege for me to be here representing our team, inspiring hope and giving a little bit of joy to these kids who have had bad experiences. I see it as a responsibility and an honour and I\u2019ve enjoyed every single moment here.\u201d\nTurning to matters on the pitch he added: \u201cWe are looking forward to the Vancouver atmosphere, it\u2019s a great stadium, I love playing here, it\u2019s going to be electric under the roof and I can\u2019t wait.\u201d\nPlay will be split across two days with all pool games taking place on Saturday before the knock-out competition begins on Sunday.\nThe action gets under way at BC Place at 09:00 local time (GMT-8) on Saturday when USA and Samoa take to the field in a Pool D encounter.\nVIEW FIXTURES >>\nSouth Africa arrive in Vancouver in confident mood following their stunning extra-time final victory over Fiji in Los Angeles last weekend and the Blitzboks line up in Pool A alongside England, Argentina and the invitational team Japan.\nPool B sees reigning Olympic Champions Fiji drawn with France, hosts Canada and Wales, who are currently occupying the relegation position and will be looking to pick up more points in the second half of the series.\nCurrent Series leaders New Zealand are drawn in Pool C and will face Ireland, Span and Kenya, while Pool D consists of Australia, USA, Samoa and Scotland.\nVIEW POOLS >>\nA limited number of tournament passes for both days and single day general admission tickets for Sunday remain available for purchase, visit\u00a0www.canadasevens.com\u00a0for more details.\nStay connected for the most up-to-date event information for the HSBC Canada Sevens by following\u00a0@CanadaSevens\u00a0on social media platforms, and\u00a0@worldrugby7s\u00a0for HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series news.\nWHERE TO WATCH HSBC CANADA SEVENS >>\nThe post Captains bring hope and inspiration ahead of HSBC Canada Sevens appeared first on Asia Rugby.", "date_published": "2020-03-05T11:59:17+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-06-17T09:54:29+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Asia Rugby", "url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/author/k-haroon/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea791d807df550e52d2e6508886912b7?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Asia Rugby", "url": "https://www.asiarugby.com/author/k-haroon/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea791d807df550e52d2e6508886912b7?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.asiarugby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/heads-canada-7s.jpg", "tags": [ "HSBC Canada Sevens", "News" ] } ] }