The Canadian men's road back to the elite HSBC SVNS series lies through South Africa and Poland.
World Rugby released the schedule for its second-tier HSBC Challenger Series on Thursday. Cape Town will host the opening two rounds of the rugby sevens competition on March 1-2 and 7-8 with 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams taking part.
The top eight-placed men’s and women’s sides will then progress to the third round in Krakow on April 11-12.
The top four men’s and women’s teams at end of the third round move on for the HSBC SVNS promotion/relegation playoff May 3-4 in Carson, Calif., where they will meet the bottom four countries from the HSBC SVNS circuit to determine the final four core teams for the 2026 season.
The Canadian men were relegated from the top tier in June in Madrid, beaten 22-14 by Spain in a win-or-bust match.
It was a 29th straight defeat for the Canadian men, who dropped into the relegation playoff after finishing last in the 12-country HSBC SVNS standings.
The Canada men, who finished eighth at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, had been a core team on the top sevens circuit since 2012-13 and lifted the trophy in Singapore in 2017. But a disastrous 3-26-0 season ended that stay,
The Kenya and Uruguay men and China women won promotion from the Challenger Series this year.
The Canadian men qualified for the Challenger Series last month by winning the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens, thumping host Trinidad and Tobago 38-0 in the final. The tournament-favourite Canadian men outscored their opposition 169-0 over five matches.
Canada joins Brazil, Chile, Georgia, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Madagascar, Portugal and Uganda in the men's Challenger Series.
On the women's side, Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Czechia, Hong Kong, Kenya, Mexico, Thailand, Poland, South Africa and Uganda have booked their place in the Challenger Series.
The remaining men’s and women’s teams will qualify through the Dec. 7-8 Oceania Rugby Sevens tournament.
Canadians Emma Gallagher and Kristine Lovatt have been appointed to the Challenger Series officiating panel, with Gallagher making her debut on the circuit.
The Canadian women retained their place on the HSBC SVNS series and compete in Cape Town this weekend after finishing eighth Sunday in the season opener in Dubai.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
