[ed note: we will be posting rosters as they are submitted by teams]
VANCOUVER - The 2012 BC Sevens Series gets underway at Connaught Park in Kitsilano on Saturday when 17 senior teams contest for divisional titles at the Vancouver Rugby Sevens.
Hosted by Meraloma Rugby Club, the Vancouver event is the first of three official stops on this year's circuit where club teams will look to accrue points towards a provincial championship. Series tournaments also include the Burnaby Lake Lighthouse Sevens on July 7th and the Abbotsford Rugby Sevens on July 28th. BC Rugby senior club teams competing in the Men's Elite and Women's Elite Divisions will be eligible for series points.
The popularity of seven-a-side rugby is on the rise in North America - due in large part to the recent inclusion of the sport in the 2016 Olympics. British Columbia is looking to further the popularity of the abbreviated, high-tempo version of the sport by holding the annual series and increasing participation at the club level. This will be the third annual edition of the BC Sevens Series.
Tournament Information
Vancouver Rugby Sevens at Connaught Park (2390 West 10th Ave, Vancouver)
Saturday, June 16th, 2012
Men's Social: 9:00am start
Women's Elite: 10:30am start
Men's Elite: 1:30pm start
Full Schedule (pdf)
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Men's Elite - Spray Cup
The Elite Men's division sides will be battling for the historic Spray Cup on Saturday, a trophy first presented in 1953 to the Senior Sevens Champion. The trophy was competed for on a yearly basis until the 1978 season and was revived again from 1987 to 1996. The trophy was named after BCRU Hall of Fame inductee Robert Spray, an iconic member of the Canadian and British Columbian rugby communities.
Men's club sides competing for series points on Saturday include defending series champions Burnaby Lake Rugby Club as well as Meraloma Rugby Club, Abbotsford RFC, Seattle RFC and Bayside Athletic Association. Also contesting for the Vancouver Rugby Sevens title in the Men's Elite competition are USA Super League side Old Puget Sound Beach (OPSB) and representative side Youngbucks, neither of which will be eligible for series points. Burnaby appear to be in top form having won last week's Buccaneer Sevens in Esquimalt, going undefeated and eventually beating Victoria-based side South Seas Connection in the Cup Final.
Schedule:
1.50 OPSB vs Lomas
2.10 Bayside vs Abby
3.10 Burnaby vs Lomas
3.30 Youngbucks vs Seattle
3.50 Women's Final
4.10 OPSB vs Bayside
4.30 Burnaby vs Youngbucks
4.50 Lomas vs Abby
5.10 Youngbucks vs Seattle
5.40 OPSB vs Abby
6.00 Lomas vs Bayside
6.20 Burnaby vs Seattle
6.40 Men's Elite Semifinal 1 (A1 vs B2)
7.00 Men's Elite Semifinal 2 (B1 vs A2)
7.40 Men's Elite Final
Abbotsford Roster:
Graeme MacRury, Brian Chin, Trent Borke, Dave Prins, Chris Chalmers, Max Shears, Mike Wilson, Bryce Hewko, Darwin Guevara, Konrad Rybkowski, Jordan Tait-Comas, Ryan March
Bayside Roster:
Isimeli Sigarua, Josua Arei, Pita Bainivalu Rakaucoka, Lawrence Iklakh, Peter Clifford, Samuela Raiwalui, Jone Muloilagi, Manasa Lutumailagi, Josefa Bukarua, Isikeli Daunibau, Kelepi Gucake, Viliame Verebasaga
Burnaby Lake Roster:
Seveci Duruloka, Admir Cejvanovic, Rain De Guzman, Iokimi Vunijturaga, Joe Dolesau, Vilitati Galivia, Brendan Fairs, Paul Murphy, Scott Breadon, Barry Bonell, Esava Nakulanisa
Youngbucks Roster:
Jon Hill, Matt Law, Benz Henrikson, Kol Henrikson, Nick Waggott, James Macdonald, Will Douglas, Ben Thompson, Adam Timler, Cody Buchamer, Eric Hunter-James, Tom McKeen
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Women's Elite
Reigning BC Series champions Burnaby Lake will kick off their title defence in a four-team tournament competing against hosts Meraloma Rugby Club, Fraser Valley club Abbotsford RFC and Washington-based Emerald City Mudhens. Burnaby won last year's Vancouver Rugby Sevens event, defeating the Mudhens 27-10 in the Cup Final.
Schedule:
11.20 Burnaby - W vs Abby - W
11.40 Lomas - W vs Mudhens - W
12.50 Lomas - W vs Abby - W
1.10 Burnaby - W vs Mudhens- W
2.30 Lomas - W vs Burnaby - W
2.50 Abby - W vs Mudhens - W
3.50 Women's Final
Abbotsford Roster:
Jen Drenka., Elyssa Phillipson, Meghan Pauls, Yuka Kabota, Sonya Foulds, Annie Arrnott, Flow Feraru, Jerusha Dunsmore, Cat Ohler, Kehla Guimond, Katie Siemmens, Shannon Craig
Burnaby Lake Roster:
Brandon Mattin, Desiree Noger, Kathleen Grudzinski, Nancy Radman, Alya Govorchin, Angel Santos, Kevenza Murphy, Kyra Groll, Genevieve Gratton
Meraloma Roster:
Marie Boyer, Angela Dewerdt, Rebecca Haber, Sara Hernandez, Kim Hume, Ciara Malone, Janis McKell, Jess Neilson, Erika Sutherland, Erika Tuomi, Sophia Zubrycky
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Men's Social
The men's social event will feature teams from both the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island and include; Rowers, Youngbucks, Victoria-based Untouchables, Meralomas, Shockers and Chilliwack.
Schedule
9.00 Chilliwack vs Youngbucks
9.20 Lomas vs Shockers
9.40 Rowers vs Untouchables - Vic
10.00 Shockers vs Youngbucks
10.20 Rowers vs Chilliwack
10.40 Youngbucks vs Lomas
11.00 Shockers vs Untouchables - Vic
12.00 Untouchables - Vic vs Chilliwack
12.20 Lomas vs Rowers
1.30 Men's Social Final
Chilliwack Roster
Gord Byers, Loz Davies, Lance Davison, Beck Foreman, Jack Redmond-Fleming, Casey Hensrud, Johan Lebeau-Ford, Greg Palin Josh Poehlke, Kelsey Thiessen
"The Shockers" Roster:
Dimitri Bonnis, Matt Chan, Paul Chauvel, Peter Chauvel, Harjun Gill, Caleb Hansen, Alex Mascott, Buck Payne, James Pitblado, David Turner
Youngbucks Roster:
Garrett Garbe, Dimitri Gotsopoulos, Garner Lea, Spiro Gotsopoulos, Tristan Slade, Joey Pavone, James Greenfield, Andrew Hamilton, Jacob Ikeda, Josh Sendler, Ryan Mills , Simon Macdonald
Vancouver Sevens sponsors
The Vancouver Rugby Sevens organizing committee would like to thank tournament sponsors Lionheart Sports, Granville Island, Chronic Tacos, Ceili's and SponsorWell. Tournament partners include BC Rugby, Vancouver Rugby Union, Meraloma Rugby Club, UBC Old Boys RFC, and Vancouver Rowing Club. The Vancouver Rugby Sevens long term goal is to promote and develop sevens from age grade through to senior levels with an emphasis of international and grass roots involvement.
For more information on the BC Rugby Sevens Series visit www.bcrugby7s.com
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