A Look at the 13 Representing Canada in Dubai for the SVNS 3 Tournament: Updated with Rugby Canada Media Release
Apparently the squad announcement will be officially coming out tomorrow [update Rugby Canada media release included] but we understand these are the selections for the SVNS 3 tournament in Dubai which kicks off on Saturday (late Friday in BC). Kal Sager makes his return to the 7s program after winning Gold with the Guelph team at the University championships. Other big flanker/centre, go-forward types on the team include UVic’s Adam Doane, UBC’s Takoda McMullin, Lockie Kratz, Westshore’s Elias Hancock. There’s speed out wide with Josiah Morra, Jack Shaw, Morgan di Nardo, Johnny Franklin, Ian Jones. The play makers include Thomas Isherwood, Ethan Turner, Brenden Black. Captain Lockie Kratz brings both the play maker and physical go forward roles to the team.
The team needs a top two finish in their pool and then a win in the semi-final to advance to the SVNS 2 tournaments in Feb-March.
Schedule (time in PT)
Canada v Italy 23:30 (Friday)
Canada v Belgium 03:06 (Saturday)
Canada v Madagascar 06:22 (Saturday)
Kal Sager
Ethan Turner
Elias Hancock
Thomas Isherwood
Lockie Kratz
Morgan di Nardo
Jack Shaw
Johnny Franklin
Adam Doane
Josiah Morra
Brenden Black
Ian Jones
Takoda McMullin
We wish all the best to the team for a top two finish. We’ll post the official Rugby Canada media release when it’s available.
from Rugby Canada
Interim Head Coach of Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team, Christiaan Esterhuizen has selected Canada’s 13-player squad for the HSBC SVNS Division 3 challenger in Dubai, UAE.
In November, Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team won gold at the Rugby Americas North Sevens Tournament. With the win, Canada qualified for HSBC SVNS Division 3 as part of the newly formatted HSBC SVNS Series announced in 2025.
HSBC SVNS Division 3 is a standalone challenger event featuring eight teams per gender, each earning their place through regional competitions around the world. The top two teams from that event will move on to HSBC SVNS Division 2.
Qualified men’s teams include Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong China, Italy, Madagascar, Samoa, and Tonga.
Canada will open the tournament on Saturday, January 17 at 11:50pm PT (Jan. 16) / 2:50am ET when they face Italy at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai.
“Training camp has been highly productive,” said Interim Head Coach Christiaan Esterhuizen. “Despite a short preparation window and challenging pre-camp conditions, including snow and difficult weather, the group demonstrated strong commitment and resilience throughout. We’ve welcomed back several players who did not feature at RAN — including Kal Sager, Morgan Di Nardo, Jack Shaw, Josiah Morra and Brenden Black — adding valuable experience and depth to the squad. It’s also exciting to see Takoda McMullin earn his debut, while Lockie Kratz will lead the group as captain.”
“We retain a strong core from RAN — Ethan Turner, Elias Hancock, Thomas Isherwood, Lockie Kratz, Johnny Franklin, Adam Doane and Ian Jones — which provides important continuity. As we head into Dubai, we know we’ll be tested against quality opposition such as Italy, Belgium, and likely Tonga and Samoa. This is an experienced group, full of confidence, and ready to compete with energy and purpose.”
Canada’s squad includes seven players from the team that helped capture Gold at RAN Sevens in November.
Josiah Morra returns to Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team, marking his first appearance with the program since the 2024 RAN Sevens. Following that tournament, Morra transitioned to the XVs game, signing with the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby and contributing to Canada’s qualification for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027.
Takoda McMullin is in line to make his debut for Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team. McMullin has previously earned five caps with Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team in the XVs program.
Lockie Kratz will captain the squad in Dubai. Kratz returned to competition in November after an extended absence due to a knee injury sustained in January 2024. He made an immediate impact upon his return and will lead Canada as the program begins its 2026 campaign.
DUBAI POOL PLAY SCHEDULE
Saturday, January 17
Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team vs Italy
11:50pm PT (Jan. 16) / 2:50am ET
Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team vs Belgium
3:06am PT / 6:06am ET
Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team vs Madagascar
6:22am PT / 9:22am ET
Follow the up to date match schedule here.
WHERE TO WATCH
All of Canada’s HSBC SVNS 3 matches in Dubai will be available live on TSN+
MORE INFO
A top 2 finish would solidify Canada’s spot in HSBC SVNS Division 2 with competitions being held in Nairobi (Feb. 14-15), Montevideo (Mar. 21-22), and Sao Paulo (Mar. 28-29). The top four teams at the end of the Division 2 circuit will join all eight Division 1 teams for the HSBC SVNS World Championship Series at the end of the season.
CANADA’S MEN’S SEVENS TEAM DUBAI SQUAD
10. Adam Doane (Sutton, ON) – Aurora Barbarians
13. Brenden Black (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders
64. Elias Hancock (Ottawa, ON) – University of Ottawa / Bytown Blues
3. Ethan Turner (Maple Ridge, BC) – Burnaby Lake Rugby Club
37. Ian Jones (Bass River, NS) – Ajax Wanderers / Pictou County
55. Jack Shaw (Oakville, ON) – Castaway Wanderers / Oakville Crusaders
27. Johnny Franklin (Bowen Island, BC) – Capilano RFC
6. Josiah Morra (Toronto, ON) – Balmy Beach
33. Kal Sager (Peterborough, ON) – Peterborough Pagans
44. Lockie Kratz (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / NOLA Gold / UBCOB Ravens
18. Morgan Di Nardo (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Scottish / University of Victoria
39. Takoda McMullin (White Rock, BC) – University of British Columbia
23. Thomas Isherwood (Okotoks, AB) – Foothills Lions RFC / Westshore RFC
World Rugby Announces Pools and Fixtures for SVNS 3 Tournament in Dubai January 17-18
The Canada men’s 7s season for 2026 depends on them finishing top 2 in the upcoming tournament in Dubai. The top 2 teams move on to SVNS 2 tournaments in February and March. Canada has been drawn in a pool with Madagascar, Belgium and Italy. The other pool is Samoa, Tonga, Colombia and Hong Kong. The way the tournament is organized the top two in each pool move on to the semi-finals where #1 plays #2 in the other pool. The winners of those two matches earn their way to SVNS 2 and meet in the SVNS 3 final.
Canada will want to finish top of their pool which might set up a semi-final match with Hong Kong depending if Samoa are on their game or not. Samoa are a dangerous team to meet in a one-off match as they were a core team for many years and have some excellent 7s players.
Schedule (time in PT)
Canada v Italy 23:30 (Friday)
Canada v Belgium 03:06 (Saturday)
Canada v Madagascar 06:22 (Saturday)
from World Rugby
One month to go until HSBC SVNS 3 lands in Dubai
The next installment of international rugby sevens will unfold at Dubai’s iconic Sevens Stadium as HSBC SVNS 3 takes centre stage across two days between 17-18 January 2026.
The standalone event will feature eight men’s and eight women’s teams, all competing for promotion to HSBC SVNS 2. Qualification for HSBC SVNS 3 has been earned through regional tournaments, further extending the reach and profile of rugby sevens.
Teams will be split into two pools of four (Pools A and B) in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
Women’s pools
Pool A: Czechia, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand
Pool B: Argentina, Colombia, Poland, Samoa
Men’s pools
Pool A: Colombia, Hong Kong China, Samoa, Tonga
Pool B: Belgium, Canada, Italy, Madagascar
Opening fixtures
The action gets underway on Saturday 17 January, with the women’s tournament opening at 10:00 (GMT +4) as Colombia face Poland. The men’s competition follows at 11:28, with Madagascar taking on Belgium to kick off pool play.
View full match schedule here >>
Sunday’s programme will see teams progress to the play-offs, all aiming to be crowned HSBC SVNS 3 champions, with the top two men’s and women’s teams securing promotion to HSBC SVNS 2.
HSBC SVNS 2 will take place in February and March 2026, with events hosted in Nairobi, Montevideo and Sao Paulo, where promoted teams will face established sevens nations including China, Kenya, Uruguay and USA.
Across HSBC SVNS 2, the top four men’s and women’s teams will earn promotion to the elite HSBC SVNS World Championship Series. This winner-takes-all series will see 24 teams (12 men’s and 12 women’s) compete at prestigious stops in Hong Kong, Valladolid and Bordeaux.
A new era for HSBC SVNS
These fixtures form part of World Rugby’s newly evolved HSBC SVNS competition model, designed to deliver long-term financial sustainability and accelerate the global growth of rugby sevens in the lead-up to the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
The model provides a clearer and faster pathway from regional competition to the SVNS World Championship within a single season, supported by an expanded 13-tournament calendar from 2026.
World Rugby Sevens General Manager Sam Pinder said: “With one month to go, HSBC SVNS 3 represents an important milestone in the evolution of our global sevens pathway.
“Bringing this standalone event to Dubai provides teams with a clear, competitive route towards the SVNS World Championship, while reinforcing our commitment to growing the game sustainably and globally.”
How to Watch
The Sevens Stadium will host sevens action once more following on from the hugely successful HSBC SVNS Dubai which took place in November. Tickets for HSBC SVNS 3 are free with fans able to turn up each day.
Fans around the world will be able to watch every match live on RugbyPass TV, bringing the excitement of HSBC SVNS 3 directly to global