The Canadian men’s rugby sevens team achieved victory in a challenging HSBC SVNS Division 3 event held in Dubai. In a thrilling semifinal match against Hong Kong, Canada secured a spot in the HSBC SVNS 2 series with some impressive late-game plays. Elias Hancock’s try put Canada ahead 7-5 in the first half, and Lockie Kratz extended the lead to 14-5 early in the second half. Despite Hong Kong briefly taking the lead 19-14, Adam Doane’s try leveled the score at 19-19, leading to extra time. Thomas Isherwood’s decisive try secured a 24-19 golden-point victory for Canada.
Facing Belgium in the final, who had upset Samoa in the other semifinal, Canada emerged victorious with a 28-10 win. Kratz’s two tries in the first half, along with Jack Shaw and Ethan Turner’s second-half tries, ensured Canada’s dominance throughout the match. Earlier in the tournament, Canada had wins over Italy and Madagascar, with a loss to Belgium in between.
The tournament featured eight men’s and women’s teams, with the top two from each category earning promotion to the HSBC SVNS 2 series. The SVNS 2 series serves as a stepping stone to the elite HSBC SVNS circuit. The top teams from the SVNS 2 series will advance to the final events in various locations, with the top eight teams retaining their core status.
In November, the Canadian men qualified for the HSBC SVNS Division 3 by winning the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens tournament in Trinidad. Despite being relegated from the top tier in June 2024, Canada aimed to regain its place through promotion-relegation playoffs but faced a restructuring by World Rugby that altered the sevens series format.