Vancouver Rugby Sevens March 12 & 13th

**Blupiper** · 8th March 16, 11:10 AM

Anyone going to the HSBC Rugby Sevens Tournament at BC Place in Vancouver, BC, on the 12th and 13th? Scotland kicks off against South Africa in the first match at 9:30 AM on the 12th. Maybe the Tartan Army will be there--I will try to find them. As luck would have it, my hotel is about a kilometer from the stadium and has an Irish pub (Doolins's) downstairs. I'm thinking I will be at the pub about 9:00 PM on Saturday after the day's matches. Either celebrating or drowning my sorrows. I'll be the guy in the USA Eagles t-shirt and St. Andrews tartan kilt. So, anyone going to be at the Tournament? Looks like it's going to be good fun and lots of great rugby!

JMB

**OC Richard** · 16th March 16, 04:47 PM

I attend the USA Sevens in Las Vegas every year, kilted, with pipes in hand, playing Flower Of Scotland, Highland Cathedral, and so forth when Scotland is on the field.

They had a spectacular win over England in the USA Sevens... I was kept busy! (I was told by a guy who pipes at Murrayfield that the piper plays Scotland The Brave every time Scotland scores a try... I couldn't even get through a verse of Flower Of Scotland without having to break into Scotland The Brave.)

The Tartan Army made a decent show in Vegas. Unlike the supporters of many other nations, who will sit together in a block, Scotland supporters tend to be scattered all over the place.

I watched the Vancouver Sevens on TV with great interest. Looks like you have a great venue with great fans!

We look like this

**Blupiper** · 21st March 16, 11:48 AM

Richard:

I would so much like to get to the Las Vegas Sevens someday. It looks like a hoot each time I've seen it on the tube. We couldn't find the budget this year for Vegas when I found out about the Vancouver Sevens (new this year.) I had a great time and was in my seat for all the matches on the weekend. Twenty eight matches (internationals and a few of Canadian prep all-star matches) plus twenty one matches on Sunday. Whew! I was in a corner with great sightlines down to the entire pitch. We were seated in what was unofficially a South African section, adjacent to a bunch of Fijian supporters, with Canadians (or course) all through the crowd. The two gentlemen seated next to me spoke Afrikaans the entire day, except when they excused themselves to go for beer and bathroom breaks. Of course, there were costumes: a Dozen Waldos of 'Where's Waldo' fame, Mounties, twenty beavers (because Canada), sheep, cows, pigs, cowboys, The Village People, a small contingent of pipers and drummers, the Queen with a beard and four Beefeaters, etc., etc. I will post some pics when I get some time. Anyone gets a chance, go to see the HSBC Rugby Sevens series. You won't be bored or disappointed.

JMB

**OC Richard** · 22nd March 16, 04:19 AM

That's so much of the fun, the "fancy dress"!

The funniest thing this year was a group consisting of a guy dressed like Jesus (he had the hair and beard for it) with around ten people dressed as various animals. I have no idea what the concept was. These things usually being alcohol-fueled, there might not have been much of an "concept".

A couple years ago there was a half-dozen USA supporters dressed as bananas, but one guy was dressed as a jar of mustard. I asked him why, his response was "I'm mustard". (He had been drinking, what a surprise.)

USA Sevens in Las Vegas is a three-day event, four if you include the Parade Of Nations Thursday night on Fremont Street.

Pool play Friday and the first half of Saturday, the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday with the various Plate Cup etc matches.

**Blupiper** · 22nd March 16, 10:40 AM

Vancouver was a two-day event: Saturday for the pool play and Sunday for the qualifiers for the Plate, Shield, Cup and Bowl finals. The 'fancy dress' is a great deal of fun and helps to maintain the party atmosphere. The camera crew in BC Place did an excellent job of keeping their cameras on the crowd and finding interesting and amusing costumes to show on the Big Screen during dead time between games and kept the mood festive. Of course, there was the "Kiss Cam" and the "Fan Dance Cam" to keep us all entertained during breaks in the action.

JMB