50 teams from across Canada and the USA will compete at UBC on March 5-6

The Vancouver Sevens Invitational (VSI) is set to host 50 teams from across Canada and the USA on March 5-6 at UBC’s Gerald McGavin Rugby Centre.  The two-day tournament, run by BC Rugby, will take place for the fifth year in a row as one of the highlights of the Vancouver Rugby Festival (VRF), a week-long celebration of rugby in the city running up to the HSBC Canada Sevens tournament.

The tournament will encompass six divisions, Senior, U18 and U16 for both female and male teams.  Once again, entries have come from as far afield as Portland, Washington, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario to join BC based teams in a high level Rugby Sevens competition.

“Registrations this year have proved to us that the VSI is starting to carve out a solid reputation for itself,” said Tanya Donaldson, Tournament Director for the VSI.  “We have more teams travelling from outside of the province than ever before, bringing talented teams looking for meaningful competition. Between the action on field and the opportunity to experience the HSBC Canada Sevens over the weekend, we feel like the VSI is a compelling option for serious rugby teams and programs.”

The tournament will bring together age-grade teams from Alberta, Ontario and Washington, along with teams from BC Rugby’s Elite Youth Sevens programs and the Rugby Canada Development Academy.  Along with this, the Senior Men’s and Women’s Divisions will see competition between a number of Universities and academies including UBC, University of Victoria, University of Saskatchewan and Lindenwood University, along with teams from Toronto, Washington and BC Rugby’s NextGen Program, supported by Marcon.  Along with the title of 2020 champions, Senior teams will be competing for a prize pot of $1500 in each division, guaranteed to add an extra level of intensity to the on-field action.

The Vancouver Sevens Invitational is an opportunity for talented young rugby stars to perform in a week when the whole city of Vancouver is gripped by Rugby Fever.  The HSBC Canada Sevens Tournament, held at BC Place on March 7-8, attracts crowds from across the globe and fills the city with a buzz unlike any other.

Based just 30 minutes travel from Downtown Vancouver, the Gerald McGavin Rugby Centre is an ideal venue for a tournament like the VSI.  Rugby fans from all over are encouraged to come and join the friends, families and supporters on the sidelines at UBC and watch future stars of the sport battle for titles, silverware and glory.