Beware of the Wounded Bear!

                                    Credit - John Richardson

It's a quadruple-header tomorrow at James Bay.  The women play early games in Div.1 & Div.2, followed by Divvies men and Premier men. This pundit has nothing to slip with the early games and comments on the main match are somewhat speculative.  Suffice to say, the header probably succinctly says it all!  James Bay Premier men have had a "growing" season.  Their results have been mostly very close with some outstanding performances and one or two clangers. They have defeated Westshore (3rd place), and suffered a close 13 - 17 loss to them last weekend.  They gave Ravens (8 - 24), a good tussle, with CW losing heavily to this team last weekend. In the "first half", they dropped a close match to the Tricolours at Windsor, 17 - 25, so there is not much to choose between the two sides, with arguably, the home pitch giving a slight edge to the men in blue.

My man-in-the-field reports steady progress for the Bays as the season has worn.  This writer makes a couple of comments.  James Bay will field a pack that is pretty much unknown to me, with the exception of prop, Lachance.  I can only imagine they will bring game at a testy level. #9, Street, is a new name and must have some game if he can put Crosby Stewart on the pines!  The backs are of a more known quantity and quality, perhaps with the exception of center, Daugunu.  CW will field a strong pack, with a change in the FRF where Corbin will start at hook. It is a luxury to have a player of Wallace's calibre who can slot in as a loosie, where he will join Captain Nott and Thomas, gettiing a start. The backs have only one starting change to the Ravens match with Graham coming in on the wing. The Man-in-the-Middle is Doug Thorpe, yet another unknown to this pundit. So, there you have it.  At the track we might say it is a Pick-'em.

A shout out to Bay's Tom Woods.  Woodie has been the inspiration and drive to install a turf field at Esquimalt High.  It has been a community venture, rasing some $1.5 million.  Woodie is one of those true rugby men and a great Canadian.