Rugby Canada's Men's Fifteens Team to Face Maori All Blacks at BC Place - November 3rd
August 10th, 2017
Tickets on sale tomorrow, Friday August 11th, at 10:00 AM through Ticketmaster
Rugby Canada and the New Zealand Rugby Union announced this morning that they will host the second ever Senior Men’s Fifteens match at BC Place in Vancouver, on Friday November 3rd, 2017, with Canada taking on the world-famous Maori All Blacks, presented by AIG, as both teams prepare for their respective November Internationals in Europe.
Tickets go on sale for the match tomorrow morning, Friday August 11th, at 10:00 AM through Ticketmaster, starting at only $20. Kick-off for the event is 7:00 PM on November 3rd, and doors open at BC Place Stadium at 6:00 PM.
The match is expected to bring thousands of rugby fans from across the country and around the world into BC Place Stadium to watch Canada take on one of the most beloved and feared teams in sport today. Attendees will also be treated with the opportunity to witness the Maori All Blacks perform their world famous “Haka”, a traditional war cry and challenge from the Maori people of New Zealand that has become iconic at New Zealand’s international Rugby matches. In addition to the match, Rugby Canada will be hosting a pre-match Rugby ‘long lunch’ on Friday, November 3rd, with final details to be released in the coming weeks. Be sure to plan your day of rugby celebration accordingly!
Quotes:
Allen Vansen, CEO of Rugby Canada says: “We are thrilled to be bringing back Fifteens rugby to BC Place stadium, where we’ve held three successful events in recent history and are set to host another HSBC Canada Sevens series in March. The Maori All Blacks are one of the most iconic and recognizable franchises in the world and we can’t wait to play them in front of some of Canada’s most passionate rugby fans. This event wouldn’t be possible without the support of our title sponsor, AIG, the provincial and municipal governments, our Union partners, the Musqueam First Nations and Sport Hosting Vancouver, who came together to bring this event to the west coast.”
New Zealand Rugby’s Maori Rugby Board Chair and former Black Ferns Captain, Dr. Farah Palmer says: “Having played in Toronto in 2013 and Calgary in 2003, we are excited to be returning to Canada with the Maori All Blacks, in what will be our first visit to Vancouver. This match is a great addition to the Maori All Blacks programme in 2017 – providing a wonderful opportunity to bring our special style of rugby, and Maori culture, to this amazing part of the world.”
Lynn Oldfield, Resident President, Commercial, AIG Canada says: “We are looking forward to presenting another historic match when the Maori All Blacks return to Canada. Since their last match in Toronto in 2013, the growth of rugby has accelerated rapidly and we expect BC Place to be positively electric for fans of both teams.”
Ravi Kahlon, Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and Multiculturalism with the Government of British Columbia says: “The Canada Men’s XV rugby team and the world-renowned Maori All Blacks game will be an inspiration that will fuel the next generation of athletes and generate excitement throughout B.C. and across Canada. These type of events support sport in the province while maintaining B.C.’s exceptional reputation as a sport event destination of choice”
Canada will be securing its top professionals for the match in order to field the strongest team possible at BC Place. Having recently lost to the USA in a home-and-home series for the North America 1 seed at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, Canada will use the November 3rd fixture to prepare for the next chance to qualify for the third largest sporting event in the world in January and February in a two-game series against Uruguay. Additionally, the contest against the Maori All Blacks in Vancouver will be one of four international matches for Canada in November (details TBA).
The Maori All Blacks are a historic team representing the proud culture of New Zealand. In 1888, the New Zealand Natives was one of the country’s maiden national rugby sides. The first to wear the famous black jersey, the side was originally conceived as an all-Maori selection and ultimately included just five non-Maori players in its ranks. The team has conquered many international sides, including the British and Irish Lions. Originally, team selection was ‘loosely’ governed in terms of heritage, but now all players must have Maori whakapapa or genealogy confirmed in order to represent the side.
To purchase tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.ca and for more information on suites to the match, visit events.rugbycanada.ca
For more information about the Rugby long lunch scheduled for November 3rd, and to purchase tickets, visit events.rugbycanada.ca
About Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada is the national governing body of the sport of rugby union in Canada. Rugby Football has a long history in Canada dating back to its initial appearance in the 1860s. Since 1974, Rugby Canada has been a permanent fixture on the global rugby scene, including trips to each of the eight Men's Rugby World Cups and seven Women’s Rugby World Cups. As a regular on the Men’s and Women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, Canada continues to climb the world rankings and challenge the dominant rugby nations in both versions of the game. Canada’s Women’s Rugby Sevens Team also made history in 2016, capturing the first-ever Bronze Medal at the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
To support the growth of rugby at the grass-roots level and to ensure there are elite programs for prospering young rugby players to become involved with, Rugby Canada has put an emphasis on developing its junior programs. Our goal is to develop and train competitive teams for the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland, the 2018 Sevens World Cup in San Francisco, the 2019 Men’s Rugby World Cup in Japan and 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Media Contact
Eddie Tabakman
604-306-0875