Five things to know about the Vancouver Rugby Sevens

by Kristi Alexandra on February 21st, 2024 at 2:31 AM

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The Rugby Sevens are coming back to Vancouver this year, marking the tournament’s ninth visit to the city.

Taking place at BC Place from February 23 to 25, the three-day tournament boasts a total of 64 matches between 12 teams, in a series of men’s and women’s competitions. The weekend-long event will end with two crowned champion teams on the final day.

Five things to know about this year’s Rugby Sevens in Vancouver

The gold medal was designed by local Musqueam artist Aleen Sparrow. Sparrow’s design for the Vancouver medal is meant to convey the resilience of the Musqueam people and their connection to nature. The design draws inspiration from Salish weavings (notably from Musqueam weaver Debra Sparrow) and features a mountain motif, symbolizing strength and endurance.
Rugby sevens is a unique rendition of the classic English game—it employs just seven players per side in a faster-paced version of the sport, where normally 13 or 15 players would be.
This year, the centreboard will display the host city name in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (Halkomelem), sqʷχʷoʔməʃ snit͡ʃim (Squamish), and English. It’s the first time that it will be read in all three languages in a historic collaboration with all three host nations.
Costumes are encouraged. Like many sports events, spirited attendance is appreciated—whether that’s face paint and jerseys, or even cowboy boots and full-on beaver costumes.
This year, there are three full days of events. Normally the tournament is a two-day-long fete, but this time, an extra day has been tacked on to allow for even more celebrations. The schedule starts mid-morning on February 23 and keeps rolling until Sunday evening.