Top Rugby Stories in BC and Canada During February and March 2024: BC Premier Re-Starts at Week 7; Vancouver & LA 7s; Rugby Canada Announce Summer Tests; Canada Selects vs Seattle Seawolves; National U20 and 7s Coaching Announcements; Tropical 7s; MLR Season Starts
We look at some of the top rugby stories in BC and Canada during February and March 2024. The BC Premier re-started in February with Week 7, mini-rugby ramped up, the BCRU announced its high performance pathways for the year. The Vancouver 7s and the invitational youth tournament took place. Rugby Canada announced the 3 home tests during the summer for the men’s XVs team. World Rugby announced Scotland as the host of the JWRT U20 championships. MLR preseason started with Seattle taking on the Canada Selects.
In March the MLR kicked off, LA 7s, Christiaan Esterhuizen was named as Canada men’s U20 coach and Jack Hanratty, the women’s 7s coach, announced he was moving on to the University of Ottawa after the Olympics. The Tropical 7s in Florida attracted a number of Canadian teams. We did a couple of history pieces, the Don Burgess Thesis from 1970: A History of Rugby Football on Vancouver Island, and Canada’s 1932 Tour to Japan. The BCRU also announced the club finals would take place in Burnaby on May 4th.
FEBRUARY
BC Premier Week 7 Results: UBC Top Capilano; Pride Blank Bays; Meraloma Defeat CW; Burnaby Edge Westshore; Ravens Soar Past UVic
https://bcrugbynews.com/bc-rugby-weekend-of-feb-3-2024/
Mini Rugby is underway across BC – Register Now to Join the Spring Season!
https://bcrugbynews.com/bc-mini-rugby-february-to-april-2024/
World Rugby Announces Scotland as Host of U20 Trophy Tournament
https://bcrugbynews.com/world-rugby-u20-championships/
BCRU Announce High Performance Pathways for Men’s and Women’s Programs
https://bcrugbynews.com/bc-rugby-pathways-for-2024/
Seattle Seawolves Defeat Canada Selects 54-7
https://bcrugbynews.com/canada-selects-vs-seattle-seawolves-february-21-2024/
Vancouver Sevens Invitational Youth Tournament 2024: Final Results: South Island Tide Win U15 Girls and U16 Boys Titles; Fraser Valley Win U18 Girls, North Island Tsunami Win U18 Boys
https://bcrugbynews.com/vancouver-sevens-invitational-youth-tournament-2024/
Vancouver 7s 2024: Women Claim Bronze at Vancouver 7s; Men Finish 12th
https://bcrugbynews.com/vancouver-7s-2024/
A Look at Canadian Players in the MLR Rosters for 2024: This year according to our calculations there are 47 Canadian players in the MLR rosters.
https://bcrugbynews.com/mlr-2024-canadians/
Rugby Canada Announce Hosting for Three Summer Tests for Men’s XVs Team: Two in Ottawa and One in Vancouver
https://bcrugbynews.com/canada-mens-xvs-2024/
BC to Host WXV1 Tournament in September/October 2024 Featuring Top Six Women’s Teams from Pacific Four and Six Nations
https://bcrugbynews.com/wxv1-tournament-2024/
MARCH
France Men and New Zealand Women win HSBC SVNS in LA; Canada Women Finish 4th, Men Finish 12th; Hong Kong Pools Announced
https://bcrugbynews.com/la-7s-2024/
MLR Week 1 Results & Canadian Highlights: Dallas Leads West; New England Leads East
https://bcrugbynews.com/mlr-2024-week-1/
Canadian Players in Wales – March 2024: Izzak Kelly and Jamin Hodgkins Top List of Canadian Players in Wales
https://bcrugbynews.com/canadian-players-in-wales-march-2024/
Christiaan Esterhuizen Appointed Canada U20 Coach and Pacific Pride Coach
https://bcrugbynews.com/rugby-canada-updates-march-2024/
Don Burgess Thesis from 1970: A History of Rugby Football on Vancouver Island 1876-1940 Available as Searchable PDF
https://bcrugbynews.com/don-burgess-a-history-of-rugby-football-on-vancouver-island-1876-1940/
Jack Hanratty to Leave Head Coach Position of National Women’s 7s Team Following 2024 Paris Olympics – Starts at University of Ottawa in 2025
https://bcrugbynews.com/rugby-canada-coaching-updates-march-2024/
Canada’s 1932 Tour to Japan: Official Souvenir Book and the Mystery of the Missing Nippon Maple Leaf Cup
https://bcrugbynews.com/1932-canada-tour-to-japan/
2024 BC Rugby Senior Club Finals Heading to Burnaby Lake: The BCRU has confirmed that the Burnaby Rugby Club will host the 2024 BC club finals on May 4th.
https://bcrugbynews.com/bcru-updates-march-2024/
Who Will Be Canada’s Next Halfback Pairing?
https://bcrugbynews.com/canada-mens-xvs-march-2024/
Three Canadian Teams Claim Titles at Tropical 7s: MacDowell Rugby, Oakville Crusaders, Rugby Quebec
https://bcrugbynews.com/tropical-7s-2024/
[article photo by pjCARR]