The 2013 BC Rugby High School Provincial Sevens Championships will kick off this Friday at UBC's Wolfson Fields. For the first time ever, BC Rugby has partnered with the BC Secondary School's Rugby Union (BCSSRU) and BC High School Girls Rugby Association (BCHSGRA) to stage the three-day event.
WIth each division featuring 16 teams from across the province, the Girls Sevens will run Friday through Saturday (April 26-27) and the Boy's competition will run Saturday through Sunday (April 27-28). The G.P. Vanier Towhees have both a girls and boys team in the competition.
A total of 380 athletes will be competing for the provincial titles as B.C.'s next generation of aspiring Olympians will try their hand at the abbreviated, high-octane version of the game. Canadian national team selectors have also taken notice and will be scouting for talent at the Rugby Canada Speed Zone - recording sprint trials and broad jump stats to take back to sevens coaches Geraint John and John Tait. The stations will be set up next to the rugby pitches at Wolfson Fields and will be run on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. for the girls, with the 12 to 2 p.m. time slots open to all contestants.
Girls Division (April 26-27)
Abbotsford Collegiate were the undisputed champions in 2012, with the Double-A school going undefeated in round-robin play and eventually defeating powerhouse program Carson Graham 37-0 in the final. The tournament champs racked up 218 points in offence and conceded just one try during the two days of competition.
Abbotsford opens the 2013 event at 12 p.m. Friday against Heritage Park in pool play. Also set to face the defending champs in the round robin are Pool A opponents G.P. Vanier of Courtenay and NorthWest Zone representatives Houston Secondary.
The opening day of competition will run from approximately noon until 5:30 on Friday. Day two will feature qualifying and finals rounds with the Shield Final (3 p.m.), Bowl Final (3:20 p.m.), Plate Final (3:40 p.m.) and Cup Final (4:45 p.m.) to be held on the Showcase Field in front of the new Gerald McGavin Pavilion stands.
Pool A: Abbotsford Collegiate, G.P. Vanier, Houston, Heritage
Pool B: Brentwood, Lord Tweedsmuir, Robert Bateman, Kelowna
Pool C: Walnut Grove, Cowichan, Seaquam, Lord Byng
Pool D: Carson Graham, Shawnigan Lake, Rick Hansen, Elgin Park
Boys Division (April 27-28)
Two-time defending provincial sevens champions Shawnigan Lake School open the boys event on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Vancouver's Lord Byng. Pool A opponents also include North Vancouver's Argyle Secondary and Surrey's Elgin Park. Lionheart Vancouver Sevens champions St. George's will be looking to knock Shawnigan off their perch, as will Okanagan reps Kelowna and Fraser Valley champs Yale Secondary of Abbotsford.
The boys competition will run from 1 p.m. Saturday to 6:30 p.m. Sunday's qualifying schedule is underway at 10 a.m. with the finals set for Sunday afternoon; Shield Final (2:40 p.m.), Bowl Final (3:05 p.m.); Plate Final (3:30 p.m.) and the Cup Final at 4:30 p.m.
Pool A: Shawnigan Lake, Elgin Park, Argyle, Lord Byng
Pool B: St. George's, Clarence Fulton, Oak Bay, Clayton Heights
Pool C: Kelowna, SMUS, Robert Bateman, Magee
Pool D: Yale, West Van, G.P. Vanier, Brentwood
For tournament updates check back to www.bcrugby.com and follow us on twitter @bcrugbyunion.
– British Columbia Rugby Union