B.C. Rugby
Monday's Musings
PRO RUGBY LEAVES US IN THE COLD The U.S. ProLeague is well into its schedule (Week 14), yet it is difficult to get game reports although scores can be obtained from Facebook but standings would be interesting. Took some time to scan last weekend’s games and noted only one Canadian in...
Saturday's Smorgasbord
Women’s Super Series: Hats off to the NSWT, winners of Super Series II after their victory over France, 29 – 10. Laura Russell and her team mates came up with a very inspirational victory for our Women’s Sevens who were presented to fans at Bullen Park, Esquimalt. CW’s Zussman and Waters...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
What a difference a year makes! This time last year in Red Deer, our women lost to England, 15 – 14 and to the U.S., 36 – 28. Yesterday, the women convincingly handed the U.S. a spanking, 33 – 5, bookended by tries from CW’s Britt Waters who opened affairs at seven minutes and Julianne...
Monday's Musings
ZUSSMAN BAGS A BRACE CW’s Julianne Zussman led the parade to the posts for Canada’s NSWT in their marvellous victory over world #2 ranked, England women on Canada Day, (rather fitting). The Nats chalked up 52 points, 39 in the first half which was pure money. Described by R.C. as; “one of the...
The True North Strong and FREE
A RECESS FOR THE RUGGERNUT....... A week off from scribing as ‘catch-up’ around the home has been on the agenda. Not a totally idle week for CW Ruggers, particularly our women. We brought you news about the Island’s Tide successes at last week’s PRC’s. CW had one sibling pair playing on...
Monday's Musings
Weekend InternationalsUpsets- Georgia d. Fiji, 14 – 3; France d. Argentina, 27 – 0To form; Samoa d. Tonga, 30 – 10; N.Z. d. Wales, 46 – 6; England d. Australia, 44 – 40; Scotland d. Japan, 21 – 16; South Africa d. Ireland, 19 – 13; U.S.A. d. Russia, 25 – 0 and Italy d. Canada, 20 – 18. To add a...
A Huge Dose of Crow!
Well, the prognostications did not go too well and that’s to put it mildly! Tonga managed to get within five of Fiji in Suva, 23 – 18. Samoa managed to eke out a tie with Georgia, 19 – 19 at home, rather an upset from this writer’s pov. Argentina won but it was close and not the spread...
Monday's Musings
Fun Facts: Giving Back – CW in the Community Tip of the Ruggernut’s cap to; Women’s Prem, Marlene Nedved who organized Chloe, Maelle, Adrienne, Amelia and the Knaggs party of four, to volunteer at the Oak Bay Tea Party this past weekend. This group worked with Ocean...
Unsung Hero - Off the Field
A great scorer always beats a great player! CWRFC would like to recognise a long-time volunteer and supporter, Hugh Creighton. Every rugby club needs specific volunteers, be it with field set-up, take-down, “gate” greeters/collectors, field liners etc., etc., if it is to present as a...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
B.C. BEARS Vs ENGLAND COUNTIES CW offers congratulations to two of our boys who have been selected to play for the Bears in this one, taking place this coming Friday evening at Klahanie Field, North Vancouver, 7:00 p.m. kickoff. Brendan Kelliher has been selected at #6 and...
Monday's Musings
Seven’s Heaven: The Sevens Show for both genders again proved it’s ‘never over ‘til it’s over'! What an epic finish for our Canadian Women. Where does one come up with enough superlatives for this magical 29 – 19 win over the Aussies? Canada, after dropping a pool game, 17 – 19 to N.Z....
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
CW Men on Tour Last weekend, CW Men T.O.T’s (Tricolours On Tour – TOT’s of brandy, single malt and Mount Gay), squad made their first timid venture forth for many a moon when they mustered some troops, supplemented from the West Shores (of all places), under the guidance of The Chaplain and...
Rugby Ramblings
Team mates at club; arch rivals at school; friends for life! Howard Russell Cup. Congratulations to SMUS on their comprehensive 25 – 0 victory over the Oak Bay Barbs on Thursday. In the early going, the teams tested each other with physicality and unfortunately, for Oak Bay, by game’s end they...
Wednesday's Ruck and Maul on Thursday!
CW SEARCHES FOR NEW PREMIERSHIP HEAD COACH & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Today’s news brings a huge note of thanks to Lee Lindwall and Ian Hyde-Lay, senior men’s premiership head coaches of the 2015-16 season. Neither is available at this stage to continue the task of coaching the club’s senior...
School Rugby Takes Over
It is the time of season when the rugby focus reverts to our youth. Friday 13th will see the 44TH Annual GVSD Mini Rugby Jamboree. Over the years, this tournament has produced players who have continued to the highest echelons, most notable being Gareth Rees and more recently, Caroline...
Cinderella Saga
The table was set at The Mac when the ghosts of Bateau, Mole, GG, Swinson, E-balls, Duke, Al Cave and Bubba carried The Crows to an upset victory over the favoured Westshore Velox, in the Men’s 3rd Div. B.C. Final. A toast to many a fine, Liftspan’s past! Well done, Kelowna. The women got...
BIG GAME Preview
Tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. @ Mac Donald Park the B.C. Women’s Premier Final takes place between Velox Westshore and CW. This will be the fourth encounter this season between the two top women’s teams. The results have all gone Velox-way. Betting with one’s head would see one wager this way...
The Story So Far.....
Competing in the BC Premiership finals for women’s rugby is new to Castaway Wanderers, but the tradition of quality rugby on Vancouver Island is not. “When we (re)started the senior women’s rugby program in 2015, we had to draw on all our strengths. We knew we had to have a feeder program,...
..........And then there were Two
Britt's Boot Does Damage! With 22 points, the day might have been expected to be called The Jess Neilson Show however, as with all CW women’s games witnessed by this critic, win or lose, it was all about TEAM. The game was only two minutes old when CW won a scrum, Waters observantly saw...
A Meteoric Rise
It has been a season far beyond the wildest imagination for the CW Women’s Premier team. In their inaugural season they have finished in second place on the ladder, behind B.C. Champs, Westshore and have thus earned home field advantage for their semi-final match against Seattle Saracens....
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
In response to a reader’s question. Here it is – all of the OBHS squad - B.C. Champs. CW Age grade players – Amelia Gordon, Immy White, Kelsey White, Aya Timmer, Adrienne Graham, Rae-Lyn Parkins, Sophie De Goede, Rachel Kinahan, Caroline Crossley. Other team members – Lindsay Simpson,...
Monday's Musings
Everything’s coming up Sevens! It has been seven days since the keyboard has been tapped and what a week it has been! Must start with Langford. Did the English women ever look the goods in that Final? England’s full-on professional approach is starting to pay dividends. Canada’s performance...
Monday's Musings
SEVENS TEAMS SPUTTER Canada Men’s and Women’s Sevens programs received a definite come-uppance over the weekend. The Women who started with great élan winning four in a row, all of a sudden came up against eventual winners, Australia. At the moment, the Aussies are a cut above the rest. The...
Boot Goes to Barbs
It was a veritable Who’s Who of CW mini and age grade “grads” on show at U.Vic’s Centennial Stadium last night. A tip of The Ruggernut’s cap to the winners, Oak Bay Barbs for their solid victory and overall lead in the series, over SMUS, 31 – 10. A very good partisan crowd was assembled to...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
A Plethora of Weekend Action This weekend offers a real smorgasbord of rugby, both locally and internationally. The local action starts at Windsor on Saturday, 11:30 a.m. when the Tricolours take on Westshore in a vitally important game. CW has not beaten Westshore this year, yet stands atop...