The Nanaimo Hornets women's team won their inaugural 7's tournament at May Bennett Pioneer Park. The men's side finished third at the event. (Nanaimo Hornets)

By Dan Marshall

Lucky Sevens

Hornets Rugby Clubs puts on inaugural 7’s tournament

Jul 31, 2024 | 11:59 AM

NANAIMO — The first annual Hornets 7’s rugby tournament was played at May Bennett Pioneer Park in Nanaimo on July 27.

There were five men’s teams and three women’s teams in the draw, with Nanaimo winning the women’s division while the side from Westshore took the men’s title.

The Hornets men’s team captured third place.

Club spokesperson Kyle Moses was pleased with how the event ran.

“The club had never hosted a 7’s tournament before. We were happy with the number of teams we were able to get. Everything was able to go off very well as far as the schedule and the games. We had men’s teams from Nanaimo, Westshore, Comox, Powell River and Burnaby Lake. On the women’s side we had a team from Nanaimo and two combined teams.”

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The women’s program has had a lot of success lately whether playing seven or 15 a-side.

“It was nice to see the home team winning on the women’s side,” Moses said. “Our women’s team has had a pretty impressive run the last two seasons. Two years ago they won the BC championship and last year they were in the playoffs and made it to the semifinals.”

The hope is to continue and expand the tournament in year two.

Because the event lands on the same weekend as the Great International World Championship Bathtub Race, the rugby club is looking at possible tie-ins with the annual Nanaimo Marine Festival.

“There’s a lot of lessons learned from the first year. We might lean into the social, fun tournament atmosphere a little bit more. Certainly, we would like to see it grow. We’d like to add in a youth division next year. Hopefully, we also see more teams and we might look at some sort of partnership with it being bathtub weekend, maybe even calling it the Bathtub 7’s.”

Throughout the month of August, the Hornets will continue to play touch rugby games every Thursday night.

The ramp-up for the fall season starts in mid to late August with preseason games for the senior teams in September.

Registration for the very popular minis program will be opening soon as well.

This fall the Hornets plan to get involved at the local high school level with the hope of building a larger junior-age rugby program.

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