The HSBC World Series Canada Sevens women’s rugby tournament, hosted since its inception at Starlight Stadium in Langford, will be held concurrently with the Canada Sevens men’s tournament at B.C. Place beginning next year.
The B.C. Place event will expand to three days from two, but at the expense of Starlight Stadium.
“It’s a World Rugby decision and out of our control,” said Gareth Rees of Victoria, director of program relations for Rugby Canada.
“Langford was the last uncombined women’s event remaining on the schedule.”
The 2023 HSBC World Series schedule was released Tuesday with the combined men’s and women’s Canada Sevens to take place March 3-5 at B.C. Place.
“There are mixed reactions,” admitted Rees, about the loss of the Langford women’s tournament.
“The women’s national sides from around the world loved coming to the Island and this was a very popular stop. And it was greatly supported at Starlight Stadium, so it’s obviously disappointing. I loved that it was all about the women’s team for the week. But the bigger venue of B.C. Place will give an opportunity for more exposure.”
The men will have 11 HSBC World Series Sevens tournaments in 2023. The women will have seven, all in combination with the men’s tournaments Dec. 2-3 in Dubai, Dec. 9-11 in Cape Town, Jan. 21-22 in New Zealand, Jan. 27-29 in Sydney, March 3-5 at B.C. Place, March 31-April 2 in Hong Kong and May 12-14 in France.
The additional men’s-only tournaments are Nov. 4-6 in Hong Kong, Feb. 25-26 in Los Angeles, April 8-9 in Singapore and May 20-21 in London.
Olympic berths are on the line with the top-four men’s and top-four women’s teams in the 2023 World Series qualifying for Paris 2024.
“We have strived to provide an equal platform for the women’s and men’s games,” said Jamie Levchuk, Rugby Canada interim CEO, in a statement.
“We would like to acknowledge the City of Langford for being such an incredible host of our HSBC Canada women’s sevens since 2015.”
The Canadian women, 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallists, finished seventh in the completed 2022 HSBC World Series. The Canadian men, quarter-finalists in the Tokyo Olympics last summer, are 14th heading into their final World Series tournament of the season Aug. 27-28 in Los Angeles.
Both Canadian sevens teams, undergoing major rebuilds, will also play in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, from July 28 to Aug. 8 and the 2022 Sevens World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, from Sept. 9-11.
“Langford remains the home of Rugby Canada and we look forward to continuing hosting international events at Starlight Stadium in the future,” said Levchuk.
That includes world No. 3-ranked Canada, considered a podium threat for the women’s XVs World Cup this fall in New Zealand, playing a pre-World Cup Test match against No. 6 Italy on July 24 at Starlight Stadium.
