Rugby Americas North – RAN 7s Announced for November 21-23 in Arima, Trinidad – Canadian Men Need Win to Advance to Division 3
The Rugby Americas North (RAN) 7s tournament returns to Trinidad for 2025. The tournament is part of the pathway the Canadian men must follow to get back on the World Rugby 7s Series. The tournament takes place November 21-23 in Arima, Trinidad. Canada is one of 8 countries vying to progress from the tournament to the next stage, Division 3. The winner of RAN 7s will progress to the 8 team Division 3 competition, and two teams from that tournament will progress to Division 2. The details of the Division 3 tournament haven’t been released yet.
Joining Canada in the RAN 7s tournament are Barbados, Bermuda,Cayman Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, México, Trinidad & Tobago. Canada will go in as favourites but in 7s nothing can be taken for granted. The Canadian men’s 7s team was basically disbanded after failing to qualify for Division 2 last season, the coach was dismissed and they’re starting from scratch. Rugby Canada haven’t announced yet who the new coaching team will be or the who, when and where around the selection camp. There’s only 36 days before the tournament kicks off so information should be released soon.
Rugby America North’s (RAN) annual senior sevens tournament will once again take place at Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, Trinidad. Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Union (TTRU) hosts and welcomes the regional association’s largest event of the year back to their shores in year two of of a three-year bid allocation.
The Men’s Tier 1 (MT1) landscape remains unchanged from 2024, but the Women’s (W) competition welcomes Bermuda and Guyana for 2025. Winners of these two brackets will qualify for the SVNS pathway, part of World Rugby’s evolved HSBC SVNS model. The top three MT1, excluding Canada, and top two Women’s teams will qualify for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games being held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Men’s Tier 2 (MT2) bracket boasts six teams this year, with MT1 promotion opportunity on the line for 2026 – pending the winner is a full Member Union of RAN.
Thanks to an increase in regional participation for the event, the 2025 tournament will span across three full days of play where Canada (MT1) and México (W) look to defend their titles while MT2 will crown a new champion. MT1 will compete as two pools of four, followed by quarter, semi, and finals, while W and MT2 will face off through round-robin play for standings to determine finals match ups.
Men’s Tier 1 (8)
Barbados
Bermuda
Canada
Cayman Islands
Guyana
Jamaica
México
Trinidad & Tobago
Women’s (6)
Barbados
Bermuda
Guyana
Jamaica
México
Trinidad & Tobago
Men’s Tier 2 (6)
Bahamas
British Virgin Islands
Curaçao
Saint Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Turks & Caicos Islands
All three days of the tournament will be streamed live on RugbyPass TV – the free, official streaming service from World Rugby. Tournament schedule will be announced shortly. Stay tuned for more details through RAN’s website and social media channels.