Year in Review – A Look Back at May/June 2021 Headlines: Sally Dennis Takes Over for Tim Powers as Chair of Rugby Canada Board, Men’s XVs Prepare for England/Wales Tests, MLR Reaches Week 15, Olympic 7s Teams Announced
[ed. previous articles are here: January, February, March, April]
As spring and summer rolled across the Canadian landscape there was some optimism that boots would be on the field soon. In BC that would mean outdoor non-contact rugby could begin. There were some high-performance matches involving the Pacific Pride and the Canada 7s team as they looked to remain sharp ahead of the Olympics. Jamie Cudmore was still coach of the Pride.
Sally Dennis replaced Tim Powers as Chair of the Rugby Canada Board. She inherited a bit of a mess with the women’s 7s program in turmoil and at this point in time no one could predict the domino effect it would have by year end.
Canadian rugby fans were eagerly anticipating the buffet of men’s XVs matches being served this summer and fall. First would be a tour of England and Wales, then the USA RWC qualifying series. There were some dark clouds on the horizon as the European pros wouldn’t be participating.
The MLR was entering Week 15 and LA were still the class of the field. The 7s teams were announced for the Olympics.
MAY/JUNE STORIES (38)
3710 – Canada Summer Tests 2021
Jun 29 2021 – Canada Add Four Names to Touring Squad for Wales and England Tests
3709 – Olympic 7s Updates – June 2021
Jun 28 2021 – Pools Announced for Olympic 7s: Men: Canada, Fiji, GB, Japan; Women: Canada, France, Fiji, Brazil
3708 – MLR 2021 – Week 15
Jun 30 2021 – Week 15 Matchups: NY @ Toronto; NOLA @ New England; Utah @ Houston; DC @ Atlanta; Austin @ San Diego; LA @ Seattle
3707 – Canada at the 2021 Olympics
Jun 25 2021 – Canada Announce Men’s and Women’s 7s Teams for Olympics
3706 – Rugby Books
Jun 24 2021 – Local BC Writer, A Retired Rugby Player and High School Teacher, Has Two Children’s Rugby Novels Published
3705 – Thunder Indigenous Rugby – June 2021
Jun 21 2021 – Thunder Indigenous Rugby in Partnership with Canadian Rugby Foundation Launch Fund for Annual Indigenous Youth Rugby Tour – National Indigenous Peoples Day
3704 – MLR 2020 – Week 14
Jun 20 2021 – MLR Week 14 Results: LA, Utah, NOLA, Atlanta and Austin with Weekend Wins
3703 – USA Women’s 7s
Jun 17 2021 – USA Name Women’s Olympic 7s Squad: Includes Player from Calgary
3702 – Return to Play Updates – June 2021
Jun 16 2021 – BCRU Issues Update on Return to Play: Anticipate Return to Contact (Phase 4) on July 1st at Earliest; Fall Season on Schedule to Return to Contact with Training Starting August 1st
3701 – Westshore RFC News – June 2021
Jun 15 2021 – Westshore Looking for Coach to Join Men’s Program for 2021/22 Season
3700 – July Tests 2021
Jun 14 2021 – Kingsley Jones Names 30 Player Squad for July Tests vs Wales and England
3699 – Canada 7s vs Pacific Pride – June 2021
Jun 13 2021 – Photos from Canada 7s vs Pacific Pride from June 12th
3698 – MLR 2020 – Week 13
Jun 12 2021 – MLR Week Thirteen: Three Saturday Matches NOLA @ DC; Toronto @ Austin; SD @ Utah – Three Sunday Matches Atlanta @ NY; Seattle @ New England; Houston @ LA
3697 – High Performance Rugby – 2021
Jun 09 2021 – Interview with Nanyak Dala and Sean White: Vancouver Island Crimson Tide Regional High Performance Coaches
3696 – James Bay AA – June 2021
Jun 08 2021 – James Bay Seeking Senior Womens Coach – Apply Online
3695 – MLR 2020 – Week 12
Jun 07 2021 – MLR Week Twelve: Two Saturday Matches Austin @ Houston; Atlanta @ NOLA – Three Sunday Matches San Diego @ Toronto; DC @ New England; Utah @ Seattle
3694 – UVic Vikes News – June 2021
Jun 03 2021 – Scott Manning Named New Vikes Coach to Replace Doug Tate
3693 – Castaway Wanderers News – June 2021
Jun 02 2021 – Castaway Wanderers Seeking Women’s Program Head Coach
3692 – July Tests 2021
Jun 01 2021 – Canada Announced Long List of 40 Players for July Tests: Travelling Roster Announced Mid-June
3691 – Rugby Intern Positions
May 31 2021 – BCRN Paid Intern Position: Job Description
3690 – Pacific Pride Updates – May 2021
May 29 2021 – Photos from Canada 7s vs Pacific Pride at Starlight Stadium
3689 – MLR Week Eleven
May 29 2021 – MLR Week 11: Toronto @ New England; Houston @ San Diego; LA @ Atlanta; Austin @ Utah; NY @ DC
3688 – Rugby World Cup 2021 – May Updates
May 27 2021 – World Rugby Announces Match Schedule for Women’s World Cup in 2022: Opening Match South Africa v France October 8th – Canada’s First Match October 9th vs Asia 1
3687 – July Tests 2021
May 26 2021 – USA Name 41 Player Preliminary Roster for July Tests: 75% of Players from MLR Teams
3686 – Return to Rugby Updates – May 2021
May 25 2021 – BCRU Announces Phase 3 Rugby Restarted – Touch Rugby to Resume for Sanctioned Clubs
3685 – Rugby Jobs – May 2021
May 25 2021 – BC Grassroots Rugby and MacDowell Rugby Post Job Openings on Vancouver Island
3684 – MLR Week Ten
May 23 2021 – Week Ten Results: LA, NOLA, DC, NY & Atlanta Claim Wins
3683 – High Performance Rugby – 2021
May 21 2021 – Interview with UBC Head Coach Curry Hitchborn on High Performance Rugby in BC
3682 – Coaching News – May 2021
May 19 2021 – Kieran Crowley Named as Italy Coach: A Brief Review of Canada’s Record Under Crowley, Anscombe & Jones
3681 – Rugby Canada AGM 2020
May 17 2021 – Sally Dennis Become First Woman to Chair the Rugby Canada Board: Rugby Canada 2020 Financial Statements
3680 – MLR Week Nine
May 16 2021 – Week 9 Matchups: NOLA @ SD; Toronto @ Houston; NY @ Austin; New England @ Atlanta; Utah @ LA – Sunday Seattle @ DC
3679 – Canada Summer Tests 2021
May 12 2021 – A Look at the Canada Men’s XVs Team: Who Are the Likely 30 Heading to the UK in July
3678 – RWC 2021 Playing in 2022
May 11 2021 – Dates Confirmed for Delayed RWC 2021 in New Zealand: October 8th to November 12th 2022
3677 – July Tests 2021
May 10 2021 – World Rugby Announces Summer Test Schedule: Canada to Play Wales and England
3676 – MLR Week Eight
May 08 2021 – Week 8 Matchups Houston @ NOLA; Austin @ NE; Atlanta @ Toronto; DC @ Utah – Sunday LA @ NY; San Diego @ Seattle
3675 – UBC Rugby Academy
May 05 2021 – UBC Men’s Rugby Academy (16 to 19) Starts May 18th – Options for Tuesday and/or Thursday Evenings: Registration Open
3674 – From the Editor’s Desk – May 2021
May 04 2021 – Sevens – A New Model Seems Certain: Article by BCRN 7s Correspondent
3673 – MLR Week Seven 2021
May 02 2021 – MLR Week 7 Rosters and Canadian Content: Saturday DC @ LA; NE @ SD – Sunday Toronto @ New Orleans; NY @ Seattle