All 28 captains at the captain's photo prior to the HSBC Canada Sevens at Tsleil-Waututh Nation Administration Building on 1 March, 2023 in Vancouver, Canada.

Preview: Canada Sevens 2023 | HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

March 2, 2023
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HSBC SVNS

The HSBC Canada Sevens gets underway 3-5 March, marking the 200th men’s tournament in HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series storied history
For the first time ever, the top 12 women’s nations are set to join the men at BC Place for a thrilling three-day competition
New Zealand Black Ferns Sevens lead current women’s Series standings, can officially qualify for Paris 2024 this weekend
New Zealand All Blacks Sevens sit atop the men’s Series standings having won back-to-back stops in Sydney and Los Angeles
The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 is the most competitive in history with Paris 2024 Olympic qualification the prize for the top four teams
Play begins at 09:15 local time (GMT-8) on Friday, with the finals on Sunday

The HSBC Canada Sevens tournament marks the eighth consecutive year that the event has been held in Vancouver, and the competition promises to be intense as teams vie for crucial Olympic qualification points.

The tournament is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in history, with the top four teams in the men’s and women’s Series standings set to secure a spot at the Paris Games in 2024.

New Zealand is the team to beat

New Zealand men’s and women’s teams are the teams to beat, having won the last three women’s events and two men’s events, respectively. In the women’s Series, New Zealand leads the leaderboard with 78 points, followed by Australia and the USA, tied with 66 points each. The Americans have medalled at every event this season, along with New Zealand, while France won their first bronze medal in Sydney.

“I was living my dream. Everything changed.”@AbiLucyBurton was preparing for the Commonwealth Games when warning signs first appeared.
Autoimmune encephalitis would leave her in a coma.
This is her story.#Remarkables in partnership with @HSBC_Sport pic.twitter.com/wdnFqIALR0
— World Rugby 7s (@WorldRugby7s) March 2, 2023

In the men’s Series, on the other hand, has seen five different gold medal winners so far, with Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, and South Africa all coming out on top in the six rounds held to date. The New Zealand men’s team leads the standings with 96 points, followed by South Africa with 89 points and Fiji with 82 points.

All to play for at the bottom

Stakes are high at the bottom end of the men’s Series this season, with the 15th-ranked team set to be relegated to the 2024 Sevens Challenger Series. Meanwhile, the 12th through 14th ranked teams will face off against the Sevens Challenger Series 2023 winner for the 12th and final position on the 2024 Series. With so much on the line, every team will be fighting hard to secure their place in the Series.

The action kicks off at 09:15 local time (GMT-8) on Friday and runs for three days, culminating in the finals on Sunday evening. Rugby sevens fans around the world can watch the tournament via live stream on World Rugby digital platforms, including YouTube and Facebook in countries where there is no national broadcaster covering the event.

Overall, the HSBC Canada Sevens tournament promises to be a thrilling event, with world-class rugby sevens on display and the top teams competing for Olympic qualification points. Fans can look forward to an exciting few days of competition, with plenty of surprises and upsets along the way.