Author Archive: MarkB

Grassroots Rugby

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BC Grassroots Rugby Foundation Set to Make a Difference Using FIT Touch Rugby Program: 10 Staff Being Trained to Implement Program

There’s a new rugby program on Vancouver Island that looks to “build community through rugby and help build resilience in youth”. It’s called BC Grassroots Rugby Foundation and is spearheaded by former Canada player Clay Panga. Part of their inspiration is the TIRF (Toronto Inner City Rugby Foundation), their motto is “Building Community Through Rugby and Rugby Through Community”.

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Rugby in History

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Rugby in Victoria During the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918-19: Part 5 – Thanksgiving Postponed Until December; Businesses Plead to Open; Ontario Rugby Football Union Senior Series Folds but Rugby in Victoria Continues

A little over a century ago the World was fighting another pandemic, the Spanish Flu. It was a different time, a World War was winding down and the two events briefly overlapped in the fall of 1918. This is part 5 of the series. Part 1 started in October 1918 when the Spanish Flu first arrived in BC.

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Super Rugby Aotearoa – Round Eight

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Super Rugby Week Eight Results and Video Highlights

The Crusaders and Blues both claimed bonus point wins but with only two weeks left, the Blues are running out of time for a late run at the title. The Crusaders just have to win at home next week against the Highlanders to wrap it up, if they lose then it comes down to the final Blues v Crusaders match.

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Rugby Canada Financials 2019

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Rugby Canada Issues 2019 Financials – Less Red Than 2018, Cuts in Staff and Admin, Locked into Langford Until 2034

As usual there’s good news and bad news. The good news is Rugby Canada shaved over a million off “Staff Salaries, Commissions and Benefits”. They went from $2.4M in 2018 to $1.2M in 2019. They also cut “National Office and General Administration” in half from $1M to $500K.

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World Rugby Sevens – July Updates

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World Rugby Cancels Dubai and Cape Town Stops for 2020-2021 Sevens Series; Reviews Plans for Olympic Repechage and Challenger Series

World Rugby media release

Following the recently announced conclusion of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with New Zealand confirmed as both men’s and women’s champions, World Rugby and its partners are continuing to focus on planning for the 2021 Series and the build-up to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, which are now less than one year away.

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Amateur Sport in BC

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BC Government Announces $1.5 Million to Help Local Sport Organizations

[ed. the money is being distributed through viaSport, contact them for details.]

BC Gov’t Media Release

VICTORIA – Children, families and athletes will see their local sport organizations able to continue providing sport programs, thanks to increased support from the Province.

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Update on Rugby in Canada – July 2020

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Update on Rugby in Canada: Rugby Canada Report Plus Update on Club Rugby Across the Provinces: UPDATED

[ed. updated the Rugby Canada Report appended below]

Rugby Canada issued an update on their status after they completed their 2019 AGM (virtually) this past weekend, the financials should be out by Wednesday. That report is posted below. Also we’ll add a few background notes in a paragraph below.

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Super Rugby Aotearoa – Round Seven

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Super Rugby Week Seven Results and Video Highlights

The Crusaders were hit with their first loss this weekend but are still in the driver’s seat. Blues in second have 17 points with only two games left, Hurricanes in third have 16 points with 2 games left. The Crusaders at 19 points have three games left so their magic number is 28 points to win the competition, that’s 9 points from 3 games. They’re still clear favourites.

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World Rugby Updates

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World Rugby Recommends 2020 Modified COVID-19 International Calendar Between October 24th and December 5th

from World Rugby

The World Rugby Executive Committee has today recommended a revised temporary 2020 international calendar with the express objective of optimising recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic for the betterment of the global game at all levels.

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JWRT U20 Rugby

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U20 JWRT by the Numbers – Which Tier 2 Country is Best at Promoting U20 Players to Senior Caps, Also Canada U20 Team Lists 2012 to 2019

World Rugby came out with an interesting document, a summary of the U20 JWRT.

World Rugby Summary of U20 JWRT

We took a look at the most capped players (senior caps) from each JWRT. Only 2 Canadian players showed up on the list, Lucas Rumball (35 caps) who played in the 2014 and 2015 JWRT and Djustice Sears-Duru (52 caps) who played in the 2013 JWRT. Counting up the players from other countries who topped the list, Portugal had 11 players, Uruguay had 7 players, Georgia had 6 players, Namibia had 4 players, Russia had 3 players.

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