BC Bears vs Ontario Blues Match #1

BC Win Game #1 36-14 Behind Solid Scrum, Jackals and Chip Kicks

It was a good win for BC, the game sometimes felt like a Barbarians style game, neither team had a lot of time together and there wasn’t much cohesion in the backlines. The BC front row got the job done even though pregame it looked like Ontario might dominate this phase of the match with two international props but kudos to Wes Black who held his own against Djustice Sears-Duru and maybe won a bit more. Emerson Prior was up against Matt Tierney and again held his own and maybe won a bit more. Prior was the only prop to go the full 80 minutes. It certainly helped to have the two Carsons in the engine room. Cody Nhanala was probably the player of the match with multiple jackals and scoring the final try of the match. The McMullin brothers put in a good shift, both scoring tries, Talon with his enormous clearance kicks got BC out of trouble on a couple of occasions. Even though the BC backline couldn’t produce much in terms of passing cohesion, the chips kicks and grubbers through the line by Lockie Kratz were devastating and set up 3 of the 5 BC tries. Takoda McMullin’s kick to the corner set up the last try. The series is a composite score format so BC go into Saturday’s game #2 with a +22 advantage.

Match Summary

BC started the game running the ball from inside their 22, multiple phases, but it’s a dangerous strategy. Eventually the ball was knocked on, the Ontario scrum won a penalty, they kicked to the corner, a couple attempts at a maul and eventually they were held up over the line. The game continued to be played inside the BC 22 and BC continued to refuse the safe exit strategy. Ontario centre, Liam Bowman, intercepted a pass, offloaded to #7 Grant Meadows but he knocked the ball on as he was crossing the line. A sure try by Ontario snuffed out. BC win their scrum and finally do the sensible thing, and clear the ball outside their 22. Ontario win a scrum from the lineout and this time the scrum is even as it twists and referee Shanda Assmus gives the order “play the ball”. Liam Bowman makes some yards, a BC defender gets caught on the wrong side of the ruck, the scrum half quick taps the penalty and it’s 7-0 for Ontario with 10 minutes gone.

Off the kickoff BC put the ball deep and maintain possession inside the Ontario half, #10 Lockie Kratz chips out to the wing and #12 Talon McMullin beats his man in the air, evades two tacklers and is under the posts, 7-7. That’s an international level try.

Jesse Mackail was injured earlier and Neil Trainor is in as hooker. BC’s scrum holds well and the ball is sent to the backs. BC playing inside the Ontario half but get called for holding on and Ontario clears. The BC scrum is getting stronger at each set piece, they send the ball to the backs but the timing is off and the ball bounces, it’s picked up by Hudson Young who scores for Ontario against the run of play, 14-7, with a quarter of the match gone.

Djustice Sears-Duru makes a line break after the kick off and Joe Locke gets called for a yellow card when trying to jackal the ball, BC now down to 14 players. Ontario go for the corner, the maul gets taken down, and they go for the corner again on the penalty. The lineout is over thrown, BC recovers but the clearing kick is blocked and finally BC clear to the 10 metres with another Ontario lineout. Ontario putting on sustained pressure inside the BC 10 metres but BC defence holding, one Ontario player goes beyond in clearing out the ruck and tackles D’Shawn Bowen well past the ruck. BC get to clear the ball still down to 14 players.

BC playing with the ball inside their 22 and get punished when #7 Grant Meadows gets over the ball and wins a penalty. Ontario go for the sideline and have a lineout 5 metres out. The lineout goes over everyone’s head but Ontario recovers, Cody Nhanala rips the ball out from the hands of Djustice Sears-Duru, sends it wide but D’Shawn Bowen is bundled into touch. The ball goes back and forth inside the BC half and finally one of the BC backs, apparently Talon McMullin, gives it a mighty hoof that takes the ball right down to the Ontario goal line, must have been a 80 metre kick with the bounce. Someone buy that man a beer. BC are rewarded with a lineout inside the Ontario 22.

The BC maul drives ahead and is taken down by Ontario, BC goes for another lineout but overthrows it and Ontario clears the ball. BC counter attack with Bowen but the attack is stifled and Ontario win a scrum inside their 22. The BC scrum is now gaining dominance and Ontario quickly exits, BC counter attacks and Lockie Kratz puts a grubber through which D’Shawn Bowen chases. He tackles the Ontario defender just outside the goal line, reinforcements arrive and BC win a penalty. Reegan O’Gorman quick taps and dives over the line, 14-14 with seven minutes left in the first half.

Brendyn Beck subs on for Frank Carson. He almost immediately has an impact by jackaling a ball inside the Ontario half. Ontario called for side entry on the maul and BC go for another 5 metre lineout. The maul gets taken down near the goal line and scrum half Billy Wickham picks it up and dives over the line, 21-14 with 2 minutes to the half.

Talon McMullin receives the kickoff inside the 22 and does the sensible thing and boots it back inside the Ontario half, he has a quality boot. He then jackals a ball at the next backline play, he’s having a hell of a game. His brother Takoda then steps up to take a penalty kick just inside the Ontario half, about a 48 metre kick, he slots it just as the half time whistle blows, 24-14 for BC.

Ontario now try to run the ball from inside their 22 off the kickoff and are punished. A knock on gives Ontario the scrum but BC now are showing dominance and win the scrum penalty within easy kicking distance for points. Takoda just misses the kick and Ontario get a 22 metre drop out. Liam James finds a gap but fails to find the support player and Ontario gain possession. BC gets possession back but Ontario jackals the ball and get a kick to relieve pressure.

The Ontario lineout goes awry and BC counter attack, BC win the kicking battle and Ontario get pushed back into their half. BC’s backline play has been hit and miss and there are a few misses in this phase of play. Ontario are penalized for diving over at the breakdown and BC have a penalty on their side of centre. BC win their lineout but the backline play is just not clicking, Liam Bowman comes up fast on defence and there’s a knock on and an Ontario scrum. Talon McMullin comes off and Gabe Casey comes on. BC get a free kick from the scrum, the BC front row of Prior, Trainor and Black are giving it to their more famous counterparts in blue. BC quick tap and go through several phases before a knock on is called, BC put in on the scrum but this time a free kick is awarded to Ontario. A few seconds later another knock on and another scrum, play is getting scrappy now with 30 minutes left. Stephen Webb comes on for Ontario at scrum half.

BC scrum again putting the Ontario pack on their back foot. Webb scampers to get the ball out, a couple of phases later Cody Nhanala jackals the Ontario ball and quick taps. After a couple of phases Lockie Kratz chips a ball over defenders and Takoda McMullin wins the aerial battle, beats a couple of defenders and is under the posts, 31-14 for BC.

Ontario keep possession from a short kickoff but again Cody Nhanala pilfers the ball at the breakdown, putting on a man of the match performance. BC go lineout and maul, Ontario picks up a yellow card trying to stop the maul. BC choose a scrum and spread it wide but again the backline are just not clicking, they had the overlap but threw an unnecessary skip pass which turned out to be a hospital pass, when just going through the hands would have worked. Ontario get the scrum on the knock on, they bring in fresh props. BC scrum continues to dominate, the ball goes to the backs but they don’t choose the right options and there’s another knock on. It looks like Ethan Hager is on for BC, also Brock Gallagher is on as scrum half, Henry Kirwan comes on at fullback, Theo Espagnol is on and goes to hooker, Tim Zimmer comes on as prop.

The game is played in between the 22s as neither team can put the finishing touch on attack. Takoda McMullin puts a chip kick, perfectly weighted, into the corner and now BC have Ontario under pressure. That pressure pays off as the Ontario lineout is not straight and off the scrum Cody Nhanala gets rewarded for all his hard work and crosses the line, 36-14, which is the final score.

BC Name Lineup for Match #1 vs Ontario Blues – Ontario Roster Added

BC have named 26 players for their match against Ontario tomorrow evening at Klahanie Park, 6pm kickoff. It’s a strong starting XV with BC Premier experience, the one outlier being Div 1 prop Wes Black from Kamloops. It will be interesting to see how he copes, potentially going up against national team props Djustice Sears-Duru and Matt Tierney. He’ll have veteran hooker Jesse Mackail to work alongside and Emerson Prior on the other pillar. We’ve added the Ontario roster which was released on game day.

It’s a rare appearance for the Carsons in rep rugby but very welcome after they provided the engine room for the BC Premier champions, Ravens. The loose forward group looks strong with Reegan O’Gorman, Cody Nhanala and Joe Locke.

Billy Wickham gets the start at #9 with Brock Gallagher as reserve. Lockie Kratz as expected starts at #10, Gabe Casey and Josh Thiel potential backups. The McMullin brothers playing together in the centres, we haven’t seen that in a while. The back three of D’Shawn Bowen, Jack Shaw and Liam James look dangerous.

Alternates
Conrad Mitchell | Capilano RFC
Hamish Janes | UBCOB Ravens
Tyler Wong | Unattached
Austin James | Capilano RFC

Ontario Blues

1 Djustice Sears-Duru (Crusaders Rugby Club)
2 David Scollon (Crusaders Rugby Club)
3 Matt Tierney (Crusaders Rugby Club)
4 Matt Fish (Waterloo County)
5 James Stockwood (Balmy Beach)
6 Garin Schroeder (Burlington Centaurs)
7 Grant Meadows (Aurora Barbarians)
8 Tao Nichol (Crusaders Rugby Club)
9 Nate Roberts (Waterloo County)
10 Will Kelly (Brantford Harlequins) (C)
11 Prince Ndukwe (Balmy Beach)
12 Jacob Ince (Crusaders Rugby Club)
13 Liam Bowman (Crusaders Rugby Club)
14 Hudson Young (Crusaders Rugby Club)
15 Brenden Black (Crusaders Rugby Club)
16 Filip Pasagic (Balmy Beach)
17 Connor Williams (Ottawa Irish)
18 Caleb Hickey (Peterborough Pagans)
19 Dillon Goos (London St. George’s RFC)
20 Jaiden John (Mississauga Blues)
21 Stephen Webb (Balmy Beach)
22 Dan Martyn (Aurora Barbarians)
23 Jack Gore (Crusaders Rugby Club)
24 Jordan Kozina (Brantford Harlequins)
25 Josh Henry (Oshawa Vikings)
26 Steve Commerford (Peterborough Pagans)

Alternates
Gordon Hutchison (Guelph RFC)
Alan Berros (Bytown Blues)

from BC Rugby

BC Rugby is delighted to announce the BC Bears Squad for the upcoming 2026 Canada Cup Series against the Ontario Blues, one of the most anticipated interprovincial match-ups of the Canadian Rugby calendar.

Thanks to funding from the Canadian Rugby Foundation and support from O’Neills Sportswear, the Bears face the Blues in an epic two-match Series for the rights to hoist the Canada Cup!

Led by one of the most decorated Coaches in Canadian Rugby history, Curry Hitchborn, this Bears squad brings together a blend of experienced athletes and emerging talent drawn from Clubs across British Columbia. Coaches emphasized that the squad reflects both current form and long-term development goals, with a strong focus on physicality, speed, and cohesion as the Bears prepare for a demanding double against the travelling Blues.

Hitchborn said: “We have selected a squad of 42 players. The selection process used was based on in season performances and attendance at both regional and provincial sessions and games. I want to personally thank the guidance and leadership of John Tait and his staff helping get this series together as well as the Canadian Rugby Foundation. It goes without saying that these selected players are a credit to their community and that work starts with their clubs and regions.”

The 2026 Canada Cup Series, a new annual showdown between Canada’s top two provincial rugby programs, will see BC and Ontario renew their rivalry in a multi-match format designed to test depth and consistency across both squads. Staff within the BC program have highlighted the series as a key benchmark in Canada’s high-performance rugby pathway.

Final preparations are now underway as the BC Bears assemble for the opening game on Wednesday, May 20 at Klahanie Park, North Vancouver – kick-off at 6:00pm PST.

Tickets are still available for both matches, with the second game taking place on Saturday, May 23 at Shawnigan Lake School at 2:00pm PST.

Tickets are available to purchase here or at the gate on arrival.

Both matches will be livestreamed on the BC Rugby YouTube channel.

The BC Bears Squad is as follows:

BC Win Game #1 36-14 Behind Solid Scrum, Jackals and Chip Kicks

BC Name Lineup for Match #1 vs Ontario Blues – Ontario Roster Added

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