White Rock rugger set to cheer on Team Canada for HSBC Vancouver Sevens<\/p>\n
Published 2:30 pm Monday, March 2, 2026<\/p>\n
A White Rock rugby star won\u2019t be playing at the HSBC Vancouver Sevens this weekend, but he\u2019ll be there to cheer on both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s rugby squads at BC Place.<\/p>\n
Takoda McMullin, who often plays with his identical twin brother, Talon, said unfortunately, both of the Earl Marriott Secondary grads are currently out with injuries, but he\u2019s optimistic for more play time in the future, when both are healed and healthy.<\/p>\n
A recent University of British Columbia graduate with a bachelor\u2019s degree in sociology, McMullin hopes to focus on rugby for awhile before deciding what to do with his degree, or perhaps, return to school for more schooling or even a master\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m taking the next few months just to relax from school and all of that, and try to just focus on some rugby,\u201d McMullin said last week.<\/p>\n
McMullin has balanced rigorous academics with elite sport since graduating from EMS and attending UBC, playing rugby for UBC Athletics and Team Canada alongside his brother.<\/p>\n
He and his brother have both earned caps for Canada in both 15s and Sevens, along with another EMS alum, Kyle Tremblay.<\/p>\n
McMullin noted that within Rugby Canada, they have a \u201cOne Squad\u201d philosophy between the Sevens and 15s teams, where identified athletes compete on both teams, and said he and his brother as well as Tremblay are all involved in the One Squad mentality.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m definitely going to be there cheering on all my teammates,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
While rugby has enabled him to travel all over the world, McMullin\u2019s most recent international play took place in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, in January, where Team Canada beat Belgium in the men\u2019s Cup Final 28-10 at the Dubai 7s 2026 HSBC SVNS 3 tournament; both teams qualified to SVNS 2.<\/p>\n
This weekend, coming off their recent success as HSBC SVNS 3 Dubai Champions, Rugby Canada\u2019s men\u2019s Sevens team will compete in the Teck Tri-Nations Challenge against formidable opponents Japan and Chile. The competition will also serve as vital preparation for the team as they head into the final two events of the HSBC SVNS 2 Series later in March.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking ahead to Vancouver, the players are always incredibly excited to play in front of a home crowd,\u201d said men\u2019s head coach Christiaan Esterhuizen. \u201cIt\u2019s a world-class event, and there\u2019s no doubt the excitement is already building within the group.\u201d<\/p>\n
McMullin noted this summer, Team Canada will hopefully build steps towards next year\u2019s Rugby World Cup in Australia, followed by the 2028 Olympics in L.A.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it all goes according to plan, (Team Canada will play) in the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and then the 2028 Olympics,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
While the men\u2019s roster for the upcoming Sevens events had not been released at press time, the Team Canada women\u2019s Sevens roster had been released, with another White Rock rugger set to play at BC Place this weekend: No. 25, Shoshanah Seumanutafa, who was also on the roster for the women\u2019s 2025 Rugby World Cup team.<\/p>\n
McMullin said he will definitely be cheering on the Team Canada women\u2019s squad as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s really cool that our women have been so successful over the years \u2026 anytime they\u2019re in a tournament like this, it\u2019s hard not to watch them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Team Canada women\u2019s Sevens team start with pool play on Saturday, March 7 vs. Team USA at 1:09 p.m., followed by Team Australia at 5:19 p.m., and then Fiji at 8:46 p.m.<\/p>\n
The playoff round starts Sunday (March 8), with Cup semifinals starting at 12:33 p.m., third-place playoffs at 4:20 p.m., and the Cup Final set to start at 5:34 p.m.<\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s men\u2019s Sevens team will play Team Japan on Saturday (March 7) at 2:18 p.m., followed by Team Chile at 6:07 p.m.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, they\u2019ll play Chile again on Sunday (March 8) starting at 2:06 p.m., and Japan at 4:59 p.m.<\/p>\n
All games can also be watched on TSN1, TSN2, TSN4 and TSN+.<\/p>\n