NSWT
Monday's Musings
Photo credit - Dimitardilkoff, Getty Images. ALLEZ, LES BLEUS! On the BIG stages at the Rugby World Cup, it was France, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Japan and Wales, all looking pretty sharp in their opening victories at RWC. One must give honorable mention to Fiji, playing “their brand”...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
SEVENS HEAVEN Also from last weekend…. Last weekend BCRU hosted two PRC 7’s Tournaments in conjunction with the RAN 7’s – Girl’s U15 & Boy’s U17. We have some news form the boy’s manager. VIRU TIDE lost one match in the Round Robin to Vancouver South and faced them again, later in the...
Monday's Musings
In His Dreams! Johno With Bill. Plenty of rugby news today, following the weekend’s Paris Olympics Qualifiers at Starlight Stadium. Let’s start with some old news. Canada’s Men were unsuccessful in their second match against Tonga, losing 36 – 12. Not sure that Rugby Canada can put any...
CANADA U23 WOMEN TAKE BRACE
CW's/UVic's, Maelle Reed, try-scorer in game #2. Today we give congratulations to our National U23 Women's team who took a pair from their U.S. counterparts this past week. The opening game saw a 24 - 5 scoreline and yesterday's game, a very convincing, 55 - 14 differential. These results...
Monday's Musings
Senior Coaching Changes for 2023-24 Season. With the proclamation of the activation of registration, the time is ripe for today’s release from the Director of Rugby, Ken Goodland. “Castaway Wanderers rugby would like to thank and congratulate Ollie Winser as he takes the next step in...
Canada Women Crush Wallaroos
(Credit WORLD RUGBY twitter feed.) The screenshot depicts Canadian scrum dominance on their way to a try late in the first half by winger, Sarah Lachance. There has been plenty of rugby news pertaining to Canadian teams during this past week, although, there is none that compares with...
Monday's Musings
(Photo - Credit, New England Freejacks)As predicted, Saturday’s brace of games was well worth the watch. The first of the two, the MRL Final between San Diego and New England, saw a large collection of overseas players battle to an enthralling...
BIG NAMES
MLR FINAL, credit - The Rugby Network Wednesday’s Ruck & Maul mentioned big named players contracted to the San Diego Legion (MLR). A local site follower reminded this writer of Michael Smith being high on the list of BIG-NAME players for the San Diego Legion in Saturday’s Final of the...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
Last night’s Clogher, Castaways game started with much promise. In fact, the locals had a 14 – 12 lead when an early interval was called by referee Pedrick, after CW’s Steve Pyke went down with a neck injury and concussion. Irish himself, Pyke had been quite a factor for the locals in the...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
To Be Envious Of It has always been an interesting issue to discuss, that being Seattle RFC’s inclusion in the BC Premier league! Coming up is the Annual Can Am 7’s Tournament on July 8th. This year’s host is Chuckanut Bay RFC on their amazing facility – the 17.5 acre, deWilde Fields, the...
Saturday's Bits & Pieces
It is with interest this writer has noted that the club’s, Caroline Crossley, is in the mix with the NSWT’s XV’s group of athletes, gathered for training and games. Coach Rouet will select a final squad from these forty athletes to play in upcoming matches against New Zealand (#1), USA (#4),...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
A Web Hiatus The Ruggernut, party of two, has just returned from completing a three-week trip across our marvellous country by train – a true bucket-list epic. During that time rugby, from a Canadian and local perspective has been far from dull! Firstly, our Men’s VII’s have qualified for...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
Jossiah 'Mercury' Morra in Tricolours. Jossiah lit it up in Toulouse last weekend when Canada's NSMT 7's had one of their better performances in some time. After defeating current Champions of the circuit, Australia, hopes were high, only for the air to be let out of the balloon on day...
Monday's Musings
A recent Sixty Minute story about 7’ American Aussie Rules star, Texan, Mason Cox brought to mind Canada and CW’s, Mike Pyke. Cox is not the first North American athlete to star in the AFL. Today we reflect on Mike’s rise to stardom in the strange game, often referred to by Aussies as...
Mission/s Accomplished - No April Foolin'
CW Premier Women were up bright and early to catch the 7:00 a.m. ferry for their playoff match against Capilanos on Saturday. The early rise was to avoid any potential ferry cancellation! A rather good reason to ensure the values of home-field advantage. Some players remained at home to suit...
WEEKEND ROAD WARRIORS
The CW women are back on the road this weekend, with the Premier Women taking on Capilano RFC, and the Div. 1 Women meeting Kamloops RFC halfway, at Abbotsford's Exhibition Park. For the Div 1 women, this will be their first game against Kamloops. In the current standings, CW sits at 7th...
BAD WEEK FOR BLOGS!
One Club; Four Teams to Point Grey After composing and uploading a titillating blog about CW men taking on UBCOB Ravens, I received a text almost immediately informing "that was a great write up, only difference is we are playing UBC!" This is a hurried rewrite Vs arguably, an even...
Monday's Musings
Fun Day at The House. CW wishes to thank Nanaimo Hornets for coming down for an exhibition stint on Saturday last. Our boys were able to give a group of Islanders a run and the Visitors managed a thirty something to twenty something win. Players then retired to The Penny for post...
OFF & ON AGAIN - MIDWEEK RUGBY
TUESDAY, 7TH. 7:00p.m. KICKOFF. Juan de Fuca Park. WOMEN'S PREMIER RUGBY. CW Vs WRFC CWRFC's selection remains similar to that mentioned in last week's blog with Eriksson and Samek leading the side. It will be a rare "under the lites" for the ladies and no doubt both teams will...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
Vancouver, Sevens – Vancouver Island, fun rugby. With the HSBC Sevens on show for men and women this weekend, there will be no competition rugby taking place in the BCRU Leagues. Not everyone can get there and The Don in his wisdom, has organised an exhibition game with the Hornets on...
Monday's Musings
A FUN(D)RAISER KINDA NIGHT And so, another successful Fundraiser has been put to bed! Attendance, fun, new relationships built, a few tall tales shared, and $ raised via the generosity of those in attendance. Several of our sponsors were in attendance. Today, we give a few shout-outs...
Monday's Musings
Riley snags one at The Mac MEN BREAK BAGEL It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day………… The “second half” of the season opened last Saturday with three CW teams in action. The men’s 3rd Div. Islanders visited the Brit Lions in Vancouver. A club that merged from Ex Brits and Red Lions, some...
Musing on a rugby future..... A Christmas Read
“Q & A” WITH CAPTAIN CANADA – SOPHIE DE GOEDE. We had hoped to catch up with Sophie prior to RWC however, we could not have conceived the obligations that were on her shoulders at that time. We have reached out again, for some reflections. We need to preface our questions with the fact...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
Captain Canada, Sophie de Goede, presents Winners medals to CW U14’s. JUNIORS PROVIDE A MIXED BAG Last Sunday there were fireworks aplenty at The House. The U14 Boys had a one-sided win over Comox Rapids. A good effort on the Rapids part, punching in a couple against this very strong...
Monday's Musings
WOMEN SPLIT SEMIS - MEN DROP DUO It was a mixed bag of results for CW Women on Saturday. CW I faced a determined James Bay squad at Windsor. Led by captain Emily Samek, this CW squad had their work cut out for them. Applying early pressure, James Bay found gaps in the CW defense and notched...