The Latest
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
CW Women Show the Way This past weekend, CW women created club history when they entered in the Abby Sevens, not only playing but taking top honors with convincing wins over Burnaby, Meralomas and Bobcats, a Velox amalgam, in the 1st/2nd place match! Wow! Heady stuff! Following this triumph,...
Game on! Castaway Wanderers launch Senior Women�s program for 2015-16 season
Oak Bay – Today, Castaway Wanderers Rugby Union Football Club (CW) President Don Swainson announced the storied club will field a senior women’s team for the upcoming 2015/2016 season. Interest in girl’s and women’s rugby has never been stronger. With last year’s unbelievable accomplishment...
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 Musings
Weekend Recap Canada’s DTH Van Der Merwe went seventy minutes with Glasgow Warriors (no bench-warming this week!) and pitched in with yet another tally in post-season, when they upset Munster 31 – 13 in the Final of the Pro12 League. DTH has scored two beauties in the playoffs and the...
Bits & Pieces
Best wishes to the VIRU Crimson Tide who take on a predominantly Burnaby Lake side, representing the Fraser Valley today @ 2:30 @ Windsor Park. There will be a strong smattering of Tricolors in the side – Braddock, Evans, Ilnicki, Allen, and both Hortons – a meteoric rise for young Teagan –...
Wednesday's Ruck & Maul
UNSUNG HERO – ON THE FIELD Nathan Oliver Plenty of rugby afoot but none on the CW front. The Ruggernut recently caught up with club MVP, Nate Oliver and got the skinny on his presence with CW rugby. This “Mighty Mite’s” yellow head gear can be spotted anywhere on the field where the hard...
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...
CW TENS
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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,...
Game Day
Gotta love Port Alberni Mayor, Mike Ruttan who has backed his Black Sheep with an offer to Seattle’s Mayor for today’s BCRU DIV 1 Semi-final – a cedar box of sockeye to “no reply”! ‘Onya, Mike. CW says; “go, you good things, Port!” Best of luck to Jas and his lambs today. Glasgow...