by Mike Devlin
BLRC 3rd Div Men 24 Kelowna Crows 22
A great start to the 2022 Spring season, with two very evenly matched teams going back and forth for 80 minutes. The game decided only at the final whistle.
Sad news, I had the utmost respect for Keith, he was the Director of National Senior Men’s Teams at Rugby Canada when I first met him in 1998. I had just built the Rugby Canada website and Keith provided most of the content. We worked together, virtually, for the next few years to keep it updated. I left in 2002 and I lost touch with him after that. I learned afterwards that his daughter Rhian was on the national women’s soccer team (2 Olympic Bronze) and is now a professional coach at the Portland Thorns. Keith was capped 3 times for Canada at inside centre. A great rugby person and very sad news.
The men came away with 2 points at the Seville tournament only coming out ahead of Jamaica who were an invitational side. Wales, Japan and Germany all came out ahead of Canada, and Germany are also an invitational side. Canada’s permanent spot on the series may be in jeopardy, the one saving grace this year, due to COVID, is relegation and promotion may be off the table. Canada currently sit in 13th spot, narrowly ahead of Wales and Japan.
Well 4-1 on the predictions on the first weekend isn’t bad, the only home team not to win were the Vikes, the Pacific Pride didn’t look at all rusty going into the second half of the season. Some big scores show the gaps between some of the teams.
Jamie first showed up in our database in 2014 as a referee and then showed up frequently in our match reports as a referee up till 2019. He then showed up in media releases as the Rugby Canada Managing Director of Business Operations in 2021.
[ed. if you’re interested in the history of women’s rugby in Vancouver in the 70’s and 80’s check out this article by Dave Pearcey.]
written by John Langley
The last 20 years of Capilano Womens Rugby is quite a story. What a success story it has been! The Women have made the Capilano Club and their fans very proud. Also what a contribution our players have made to the success of the Canadian National Team. Placing three starters in Andrea Burk, Hilary Leith and Mandy Marchak on the Womens World Cup of Rugby Silver Medal winning Canada team and the Dream Team in 2014, was remarkable. This silver medal was the highest finish of any Canadian Rugby team, Women or Men, in International 15s competition and was an amazing feat.
MEN’S TEAM
Canada lost to USA in the 5th place semi-final and ended up in a 7th/8th place tied with Ireland for 10 series points. South Africa won their 3rd straight tournament and remain top of the standings. Canada are in 11th place and closed the gap on Spain (10th) to one point and on Kenya (9th) to two points.
The Canada Sevens in Vancouver have changed their dates, gone is the February 26-27 date, due to COVID concerns. The tournament has been moved to April 16-17, the Easter long weekend.
The BCRU have updated their schedule page. The men’s Premier schedule has been rejigged with the start now January 29th instead of January 22nd and the February 26th weekend, formerly reserved for the Canada 7s, has now been filled.
Malaga 7s
The news keeps getting better for Canada’s women’s team at Malaga, first NZ were replaced by Poland in their pool, then Fiji dropped out and weren’t replaced so it’s an automatic 3 points for the bye. It now comes down to Canada v USA for top of Pool B and 2nd place. The men haven’t been as fortunate as none of the changes affect Pool D. Jamaica replacing Samoa go into Pool C and Fiji were in Pool A.