Canadian rugby sevens set to shine at B.C. Place

Haul out the horns and Helga braids.

Five University of Victoria Vikes players or alumni will be on the B.C. Place pitch today for the host nation in the Canada Sevens.

It is the showcase event for Langford-based Rugby Canada, which has taken some hits recently on the men’s side by going 1-4 in the XVs Americas Championship. And while the Canadian women’s sevens team came out of Langford to win bronze at the Rio Olympics, the men failed to qualify for the 2016 Summer Games and lost its $850,000 annual funding from the federal Own the Podium program.

With the lower bowl sold out, and parts of the upper bowl to be opened, 33,000 will be in attendance today and Sunday at B.C. Place to help fill those depleted coffers.

“We will try to channel that emotion the right way,” said Canadian head coach Damian McGrath.

“The players are keen to show the public what we can do.”

Current Vikes or UVic alumni named to the Canadian roster for this weekend are Luke Bradley of Port Alberni, Pat Kay of Duncan, Lucas Hammond, Nathan Hirayama and Isaac Kay. Also named from the Island are St. Michaels University School grads and Castaway Wanderers Mike Fuailefau and Luke McCloskey.

Canada is ranked No. 12 in the world and has had some decent results of late by making the semifinals of the Wellington Sevens and quarter-finals of the USA Sevens in Las Vegas.

Canada’s pool games today are against Scotland, Russia and New Zealand.

“We had a lot of excitement in Vegas, thinking we need a good pool [better results lead to better seeding in the following tournament],” said SMUS grad Fuailefau, in a statement.

“We needed to play well, and we got that. It’s a good pool to be in [today] and we’re excited to play in these games.”

Hirayama needs just 21 more points to surpass Phil Mack of Victoria and his career record of 973 points for the most by a Canadian player in the HSBC World Series.

Meanwhile, the equivalent women’s Canada Sevens is May 27-28 at Westhills Stadium in Langford.