The Rugby Canada Annual Awards ceremony is normally a fun filled event where members of the rugby community gather to celebrate outstanding achievements from the past year. As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented gatherings like this. In light of the health situation, this year’s awards were presented virtually.
From August 4th to 8th, Rugby Canada acknowledged and recognized 13 outstanding individuals whose efforts have made a significant impact on the sport of rugby in Canada. Archived videos of the individual award presentations are available below.
Nathan Hirayama received the Men’s 7s Player of the Year award. From Richmond, BC, Hirayama was a key part of the Canadian 7s side during the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in 2019 as the leading point scorer on the team.
Will Percillier was named Men’s Young Player of the Year. In 2019, he cracked the senior men’s national team roster as a 20-year-old, and impressed in U20s and BC Premier League play, leading him to sign a contract with Stade Francais and Top 14.
Shanda Mosher-Gallant received Match Official of the Year honours. Mosher-Gallant officiated at the Hong Kong Sevens and Pan-American Games in Peru in 2019, and plans to continue working towards officiating more high-profile international events in the future.
Ian “Macca” Maclean received Volunteer of the Year the award for his work growing youth rugby on Vancouver Island and his numerous volunteering contributions to the continued success of Castaway Wanderers RFC, having been inducted into the BC Rugby Hall of Fame earlier this year.
- Player of the Year (Men’s & Women’s Fifteens) – Matt Heaton, QC; Olivia DeMarchant, NB
- Player of the Year (Men’s & Women’s Sevens) – Nathan Hirayama, BC; Britt Benn, ON
- Young Player of the Year (Men’s and Women’s) – Will Percillier, BC; Elizabeth Gibson, ON
- Coach of the Year (Men’s and Women’s) – Aaron McDonald, ON; Catherine Laing, AB
- Match Official of the Year – Shanda Mosher Gallant, BC
- Volunteer of the Year – Ian “Macca” Maclean, BC
- Provincial Union of the Year – Rugby Alberta
- Canadian Shield Award (Player’s Vote for Player of the Year – Men) – Patrick Parfrey, NFLD
- Gillian Florence Award (Player’s Vote for Player of the Year – Women) – Olivia DeMarchant, NB