Canada Rugby
A Kiwi-kinda' Day
In the world of rugby (aka known as football), there are few countries that do it better than the small Island nation of New Zealand. Yesterday bore witness to that success once again with the Highlanders beating N.S.W.’s Waratahs, 35 – 17; the Hurricanes beating Canberra’s Brumbies, 29 – 9;...
Friday Fun Facts
Where in the world is Jake? A noted absence from the B.C. Bears announced squad for CRC’s was the name of Jake Ilnicki. Transpires, that with a little bit of sleuthing via Riley, we found him turning up as a regular front row starter with Sydney’s oldest established First Grade club,...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
Growing the Game Photo, CW’s, 'Yak' (Nanyak Dala) and 'Puck' (Derek Daypuck) pictured, “giving back”. Rugby Canada recently posted the fact that the game of rugby is growing in leaps and bounds, although this may be hard to fathom when clubs are having trouble (CW included) finding numbers...
Monday's Musings
BCRU AGM: The AGM has been and gone. We did a little digging and found it was rather poorly attended, e.g. only three VIRU clubs being represented in person; Fraser Valley having only one club represented in person and proxy votes being the order of the day. Not a great idea to have this...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
Mack Makes Miraculous Return Rugby Canada has announced its fourteen for Charlotte this weekend at the NACRA Sevens Olympics Qualifying Tourney. The return of Phil Mack is ever so heartening and we all hope that his rehabilitation is permanent and secure. What an athlete this man is, despite...
Moonlight's Men
Captain, John Moonlight will lead the following team in the NACRA Sevens Tournament, Saturday and Sunday upcoming. Tyler Ardron, Connor Braid, Justin Douglas, Sean Duke, Mike Fuailefau, Jeff Hassler, Ciaran Hearn, Nathan Hirayama, Harry Jones, Phil Mack, Taylor Paris, Conor Trainor and...
Monday's Musings
Pyke Tops the Ton in Aussie Rules The former Canadian rugby international played his 100th game on Saturday when Sydney faced Gold Coast. The Swans, in second place, swamped their NSW neighbours by some fifty points. Steve Taubert, a former Swans ruckman and current coach, admits when he...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
Oh to be…… ……………a fly on the wall. The upcoming BCRU AGM, June 21st will see as its central issue debate and voting on the following, very cleverly, word-smithed motion, relating to the inclusion of Seattle Saracens in the CDI Premier League for the 2015/16 season. The gist of the motion...
Monday's Omission and Apology
We mentioned Parish's game winner yesterday but failed to mention a terrific winger's finish, following a two-man "miss" pass and eight hard yards to pull a massive upset for Glasgow Warriors over a heavily favored Ulster. DTH was the culprit, coming off the bench and adding to a very...
Monday's Musings
Can't get enough! The euphoria continues…. heady stuff for Canadian women with Paquin and Landry being voted on the Dream Team from Amsterdam. The Women’s Series season All Star Team has Paquin and Steacy on it as well. Congratulations to these three ladies, specifically and their team...
Done Deal - Women Qualify!
Superlatives by the sackful for Canada Women’s Sevens! Tournament win over the Aussies to be unbeaten in this event, #2 overall finish to Series, Rio bound, Landry points leader, solidifying her place at top of points overall….. What a finish to Amsterdam. A great, PACKED stadium, full...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
A note of "good luck" to Canada's U20 men who play an explosive Tongan side in semi final action today in Portugal. Winner will go for "promotion" to the Tier One Tourney. Go, Canada! Tip of the cap to the Junior Barbs who won the South Island comp yesterday with a 50 - 43 fest of points...
Did the Dough on Day Two!
Backed the boys but the U.S. was simply too good, winning 29 – 10 on a day that simply turned out to be ALL U.S., posting 43 points on England and 45 on the Aussies in the final. Well done! This final tourney saw the U.S. as winners, Fiji, win the overall series and Fiji, RSA, N.Z. and England,...
Road to Rio Narrows
In what has been a heady twelve hour period of Canadian rugby, we salute our NSWT Sevens. For this pundit, no surprises with their second place finish at London, retaining second overall but now, being tied with the Aussies. Our women are flat out, very good! Day One they pounded their...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
WOMEN'S SEVENS The NSWT will be playing in London this weekend, the same time as the guys. Their parade will then move on to Amsterdam ( May22, 23), when a Tier II event will take place, in conjunction, featuring Canada's Womens Maple Leafs. Coach, 'Captain Canada' Morgan Williams will have...
Sevens Summary
It's All Ever so Close! This was a gut-wrenching day for a Canadian side that played good sevens, gave of their best but were not rewarded. It started with a close, one try to loss to an English side that went on to finish in third place. England were edged, 5 – 0 by N.Z. in their semi and went...
Canada Men Qualify for Cup Action
Fuli, "out the back door"! Playing as complete a game as possible, in recent memory, Canada’s Men schooled their U.S. counterparts in the Glasgow opener, 40 – 0. Unfortunately, the euphoria overtook the matter at hand and their second outing against Argentina lacked a similar quality. However,...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
Another Kiwi has flown the coop! RC’s Mike Chu has been rewarded with his service “in the field”, returning to N.Z. with the title of National Coach Development Manager, Mike was a dedicated hard working bloke who was true blue Canuck with his work and decisions. He has been replaced at RC...
Wednesday's, "Ruck & Maul" on Thursday!
Just a windup on the Women’s IRB Tourney. It was alluded to that there was a heavy CW volunteer involvement in an earlier blog on this site. Today, we would like to name names, starting with Dave Crossley, Chair of Local Organization – logistics, team liaison, volunteer management,...
Monday's Musings
Back a sure thing? Death, taxes and N.Z. Silver Ferns Sevens! They did it again, showing their superior skill, speed, athleticism and teamwork, N.Z.’s women are just a cut above the rest. Kudos to Russia who did not go easily in their first ever Final (10 – 29) and if it was the...
DAY ONE - ALL ACCORDING TO HOYLE!
CW congratulates Canada’s NSWT on their 3 – 0. Opening Day performance at the IRB Sevens. Early, one-sided wins over Russia and RSA were immediately forgotten when the U.S. laid down the wood to go ahead 15 – 12 with mere minutes remaining. It was up to Landry to save the day with her fifth try...
Teams Announced for BCRU 'Match of the Day'
(This game will be televised “live” at http://www.bcrugby.com/live/ ) It appears that Burnaby are coming to Windsor, loaded for bear with a selection that probably represents as good as they can muster. Cejvanovic has joined in from the NSMT’s 7’s; both Gotegote and Dolesau added in the...
Women's Rugby
As the weekend nears, the question of the day is; can a “Kish-less” Canadian 7’s team conjure up some magic in this weekend’s IRB Tournament? It is tough for the ladies to still have Kish and Marchak out with injury, at their first “home-front” Sevens appearance however, Coach Tate has made...
Blue Collar Performance
Eighty minute story, short. Fifteen blue collar guys fronted for the full eighty against the (new) league leaders, UBC, on Saturday. Hats off to The Ones, who, despite a lop-sided score produced a gutsy effort in the curtain-raiser. Our man at the park reports; “…despite many tries chalked up,...
Game Day
REES BOOT Did a little delving after the fact and reckon this postscript blog is a credit to players who have learned how to play together as a club team but wear their loyalty to their schools in their hearts – the epitome that is the very essence of this great game of ours. SMUS fielded –...