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BCRN Top 10 Stories of 2011
posted Dec 27 2011
[ed. comments below]
These are my choices for the top 10 rugby stories in 2011 from a BCRN perspective. Obviously the choices focus on BC and Canadian rugby.
#1 - Women’s 7s Team Win Dubai Title
This has to be the top story simply because it’s rare to say “Canada #1 in the world in rugby”. The Canadian women won that right by winning the first iRB sanctioned women’s tournament in Dubai. In the process finishing ahead of top teams like Australia and England. The only team missing in Dubai that could threaten that title was New Zealand. Canada with that result are on track for the 2016 Olympics and they just have to keep the ship sailing in the right direction. With John Tait at the helm and the 7s program starting their residential program in 2012 all looks good at the present time.
#2 - Men’s 7s Team Take Pan-Am Gold
A worthy accomplishment by the men, defeating the USA and Argentina in the process. It showed the men’s 7s team can come through with the results when the pressure is on. They still have a lot of work to do though, they’re fighting for core status in the iRB series. A recent injury to captain Phil Mack is worrying as is the lack of OTP funding. They don’t have the stability at the coaching position that the women boast, so the future success of the program will be dependent on key decisions made in 2012.
#3 - CW Win BC Premier
For me this story is as much about Ian Hyde-Lay as a leader and coach as the on field performance of the team. If I was in a position to choose someone to run a successful rugby program, there are two names that come to mind, Ian Hyde-Lay and Doug Tate. Under Hyde-Lay’s leadership the Castaway Wanderers accumulated the necessary talent from across Canada and then implemented the season’s game plan to perfection. The lineup read like a who’s who of Canadian rugby: Ciaran Hearn, Frank Walsh, Ander Monro, Scott Franklin, Chauncey O’Toole, Mark MacSween, Mike Scholz, etc.
#4 - BC U16 Defeat Newfoundland 88-5 to Claim Gold
BC’s youth development appears to be doing just fine with Gold medal performances in U16 and U18. BC entered two teams in the U16 competition winning Gold and Bronze. The level of the U16 win was astounding with an 83 point differential over Newfoundland who had defeated Ontario in the semi-final. The U18 team won Gold defeating Ontario 38-33 while the Women’s U18 claimed Silver.
#5 - Kleeberger and the World Cup
Even though the men’s XV performance at the World Cup was average, the amount of media coverage it generated in the Canadian mainstream media was impressive. TSN covered all the games and Kleeberger and the Beardos generated a lot of press from non-rugby sources. Rick Mercer put Kleeberger on his show which also included a practice session with the national 7s team. As for the World Cup itself, another of the Beardos got the best professional contract, Jebb Sinclair with the London Irish. Kleeberger signed a short term contract with London Scottish. In terms of results at the World Cup nothing too newsworthy, a victory over Tonga but a tie with Japan, and losses to NZ and France. Canada finished fourth in its pool, missing out on automatic qualification in 2015 and the extra iRB financial support.
#6 = Rugby Canada Langford Announcement
The City of Langford has built an impressive facility for Rugby Canada which will bring together many aspects of Rugby Canada’s operations. Effectively it will be the new home of Rugby Canada and includes a stadium with iRB approved turf, offices, gym, srummaging area and more. I received an email from someone whose opinion I respect a lot who had an opportunity to preview the facility. This is part of the letter:
“In my wildest dreams I did not expect what I saw. If someone gave me a blank cheque and said “… go create a rugby facility that addresses everything you think you need for a high performance program and to take rugby, the athletes and your organization to the next level”, I do not think I could come up with what they have. Two IRB approved fields, massive Rugby offices, a world class Gym for rugby only, Physio rooms, hot and cold tubs, video analysis rooms, player lounges, a specific scrummaging area, 16 pre-wired television camera spots, professional sound system, full concessions including beer and seat service, BBQ’s, four huge change rooms with access to eight more, storage, golf carts to move equipment, cafeterias, recreational areas for athletes and an on-site full service bar licensed 365 days a year. All for Rugby and custom built by Langford with giant Rugby Canada logos all over the place - surreal. Dorms are coming in the next phase. 2500 more seats built beginning in 8 months….”
#7 – Karl Fix and the Dog River Howlers
In our BCRN Year End Awards our national team correspondent chose Karl Fix as “Rugby Man of the Year”. He’s certainly getting things done, often using the Dog River Howlers, the invitational team based out of Regina, Saskatchewan. The Howlers are involved in promoting rugby in Cuba through the Havana 7s, a tournament they’ve won the last two years. The Howlers stress the motto “It is more than a game, it is a way of life!”. In 2012 the Howlers are planning to put four teams into the Vegas 7s, two men’s teams, one women’s team and an U18 team. Karl is also working on an Ultra 7s exhibition in May and a Canadian Rugby 7s Championship in August.
#8 - Shawnigan Lake School Win BC High School Championship
How often do you see a team that’s so strong, the other teams don’t want to play them? Several major rugby schools boycotted Shawnigan as they had put together a team that was head and shoulders above any other BC high school team. Regardless of the politics of whether recruiting top players to a private school program is right or wrong, it’s an example of creating excellence. Shawnigan toured to Australia in March and then proceeded to win the BC High School 7s and XVs championships.
#9 - BC Premier Schedule Debacle
Things often have to hit rock bottom in order to provide the impetus for change. So in that regard the mess of the BC Premier schedule for 2011-2012 probably served that purpose. There’s a new found energy among top clubs to make changes in the running of the BC Premier. I’ve heard serious talk about having the Premier league set up in an arm’s length relationship with the BCRU with their own league commissioner and scheduling committee. Hopefully this becomes a reality in 2012.
#10 - Canada U20 Finish 5th at JWRT
There’s concern about Canada’s U20 program, they’ve been knocked into the second tier competition and finished 5th in that tournament in 2011 effectively putting them at 17th in the world. The senior men sit in 13th place with hopes of improving on that ranking so the health of the U20 program is very important. The hosting of the U20 championship (for top 12 teams) has been announced up to 2013 but the hosting of the U20 Trophy (for the next 8 teams) hasn’t even been announced for 2012. That’s a good indicator of how important it is to make the top 12 to get iRB attention. Canada has to do better than teams like Japan, Georgia and Uruguay who finished ahead of them in 2011. It’s been very quiet so far from Mike Shelley (coach) and Rugby Canada on what the plans are for improving the U20 program.
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