'We need to be at our best': Canada not underestimating SVNS 2 challenge

Canada Men’s Sevens have named their 12-player squad for the opening HSBC SVNS 2 stop of the campaign.

The squad for Nairobi named by head coach Christiaan Esterhuizen has two debutants in its ranks.

Reece Thompson is a Canada Under-20 international and Demetri Patterson has starred for the University of British Columbia Thunderbid,  winning bronze at the 2025 Canadian University Rugby Championships.

There is also a return to the squad for Harry Corkum, who made his international sevens debut in November at the Rugby Americas North Sevens, while D’Shawn Bowen makes his first appearance for the side since 2024. For the third tournament in a row Lockie Kratz will captain the team.

The team will play in round robin fixtures with Kenya, USA, Germany, Uruguay and Belgium across three legs in Nairobi, Montevideo and São Paulo. The top four teams will graduate to the HSBC SVNS World Championship.

Christiaan Esterhuizen, Canada Men’s Sevens head coach, said: “I was really happy with our consistency throughout the (HSBC SVNS 3) tournament (in Dubai), and particularly the character the group showed in key moments. The defensive stand against Hong Kong China in the semifinal was special and a real reflection of the belief and work ethic within the squad.

“At the same time, we know there are some technical work-ons – adding a few more dimensions to our attack and improving our accuracy in defence will be important as we move forward.

“Heading into Nairobi, we have some new faces coming in. Reece Thompson and Demetri Patterson are in line to make their debuts, and Harry Corkum joins the squad after missing Dubai.

“We’re also excited to have D’Shawn Bowen back in the mix. On the downside, it’s a big loss for us with Dubai tournament MVP Thomas Isherwood sidelined through injury.

“The recent camp has been good. The squad feels more settled, and there’s greater clarity among the players around roles and expectations, which always helps lift standards.

“Nairobi will be very competitive – Kenya are probably the top side on current form, and teams like Uruguay, USA, and Germany are all looking strong, so we know we’ll need to be at our best.”

After this tournament the Canada Men’s Sevens team will play in the Teck Tri-Nations Challenge against Japan and Chile as part of the Vancouver SVNS at BC Place Stadium on 7-8 March.

Canada Men’s Sevens squad for Nairobi

3. Ethan Turner
7. Johnny Franklin
9. Harry Corkum
10. Adam Doane
11. Demetri Patterson
14. D’Shawn Bowen
18. Morgan Di Nardo
33. Kal Sager
44. Lockie Kratz (c)
55. Jack Shaw
64. Elias Hancock
97. Reece Thompson