BC Rugby Semi-Final Weekend: BC Premier UBC Dominate Vikes; Lomas Ground Ravens; Exhibition Pride Pummelled by Seattle; Other Division Semi-Final Results
It’s semi-final time in the BC leagues. In the BC Premier there are two outstanding matches on tap. The universities battle it out UVic at UBC, while 10 minutes down the road the Ravens and Lomas clash at Jericho Beach.
UBC 67 v University Of Victoria 21 @ 14:30
Referee: David Smortchevsky AR1: Barry Cummins
Venue: UBC- Gerald McGavin Centre
An emphatic win for UBC. UBC always seem to get stronger as the season progresses, a sure sign of good coaching. They’ll be up against Meraloma in the final, a match up we haven’t seen before in the Premier championship. The final will feature two coaches who are involved with the BC Bears this summer, head coach Curry Hitchborn and one of the assistant coaches, Christian Esterhuizen.
PREGAME
UBC finished top of the table and are hosting #4 UVic. UBC continue to roll and dispatched Capilano by +44 in the quarter-final. UVic managed to reverse an earlier loss to Burnaby, and won their quarter-final over Burnaby by +3.
Neither team have significant changes from last week’s roster. UBC have Ethan Lee in the reserves. UVic have Ryder Heaney-Corns starting at openside and Lockhart MacGregor comes off the bench to start at wing.
The two teams have a lot of history and you could say UBC have some motivation to right the record. Last fall the teams played two matches which was not only for the University Championship seeding but for the Wightman Boot, a home and away series they contest every year. UVic upset UBC by +16 at UBC in the first match, UBC won the second match at UVic by +14, so UVic won the Boot by +2 and #1 seeding at the University Championships. That may still be in the mind of the Thunderbirds. Of course, UVic crashed at the Unis and UBC won it all, so the memory may be bittersweet for both. Prediction: UBC by 8.
UBC
1. Joshua Tweed
2. Jacob Bossi
3. Conor OFlaherty
4. Izzak Kelly
5. Joe Mcnulty
6. Hillyard Carson
7. Flynn Heyes
8. Relmu Wilson – Valdes
9. Jack Carson
10. James Biss
11. Tenniel Cowen
12. Ethan Berry
13. Takoda Mcmullin
14. Jared Andrews – Almack
15. Owain Cormack
16. Koen Buckingham
17. Payton Teneycke
18. Raymond Chou
19. Sandon Gupta / Ethan Lee
20. Callum Arnesen
21. Jacob Bourne
22. Talon Mcmullin
23. Alastair Marshall
UVic
1 Phoenix Moller
2 Jordy Auger
3 Owen Kokan
4 Muiredach Casey
5 Ayo Ogunlade
6 Tucker Nadeau
7 Merlin M’Cloud / Ryder Heaney-Corns
8 Taine Clague
9 Jenner Teufel
10 Alex Gamage
11 Graeme Norris
12 Andrew Eason
13 Shane Rikley-Krindle
14 Austin Pinnell / Lockhart MacGregor
15 Ethan Smith / Austin Pinnell
16 Jack Marshall
17 Max Hassel
18 Brendan Kim
19 Ryder Heaney-Corns / Dylan Cleaver
20 Jaxson Jones
21 Chris Gamage
22 Lockhart MacGregor / Rhys Patterson
23 Marcus Lott
UBCOB Ravens 14 v Meraloma 27 @ 15:30
Referee: Derek Horton AR1: Saro Turner AR2: Thomas Cooper
Venue: Jericho Beach Park
I lost a beer on this prediction. I picked the Ravens but my rugby buddy, whose son had played against both, chose the Lomas, inside information at its best. It is the Lomas 100th anniversary, are the planets aligning for their celebration? We’ll find out next week. The Ravens led the match at the half, 14-5, but the Lomas did all the second half scoring. We’ll see what Peter MacDonald thinks of this when we get his report.
PREGAME
This matchup is a real coin toss. In the quarter-finals the Lomas won their matchup against CW by +30 while the Ravens defeated James Bay +27. In the head to head this season though, the Ravens won +17, so they’ll go in as favourites.
Neither team has significant changes in the starting XV from last weekend. The Ravens have Sean Pyle starting at inside centre. The Lomas have Jim Mulvany starting in the second row. Prediction: Ravens by 5.
Ravens
1 Connor Sampson
2 Matias Suez
3 Tom Kaijaks
4 Frank Carson
5 Don Carson
6 Trevor Helgason
7 Jake Ikeda
8 Joe Locke
9 Alex Ball
10 Harjun Gill
11 Aga Ligamy
12 Sawyer Herron / Sean Pyle
13 Noah Bain
14 Cole Keffer
15 Aaron McLelland
16 Jess Mackail
17 Joe Dawson
18 Keenan Kayser
19 James Carson
20 Matt Chan
21 David Carson
22 Marceau Bertin
23 Sean Pyle / Sawyer Herron
Meraloma
1 Pat Zuk
2 Mark Rickard
3 Tom Dunne
4 Finton O’Sullivan
5 Thomas Williams / Jim Mulvany
6 Evan Galvin
7 John Willis
8 Jalan Farris
9 Vinnie Quigley
10 Monty Weatherall
11 Keith Graham
12 D.W. Van Niekerk
13 James McTurk
14 Dewi Williams
15 Louis Whelan
16 Corne Ludick
17 Theo Espangol
18 Richie Barrett
19 Henry McQueen / Jacob Bourke
20 Josh Clarke / Thomas Williams
21 Ginga Ishii / Thomas Viljoen
22 Jay Younger
23 Jad Hamade / Tuveia Leon
Men Div 1
Port Alberni 32 v Nanaimo Hornets 15 @ 13:00
Referee: Cole Pedrick AR1: Carter Haddow AR2: Mckenzie Eckart
Venue: Port Alberni- Black Sheep Rugby Park
Abbotsford 33 v UBCOB Ravens 35 @ 12:30
Referee: Bradley Schwalger AR1: Shanda Assmus AR2: Brett Hay
Venue: Exhibition Park
Women Div 1
Abbotsford 51 v Vancouver Thunderbirds 33 @ 11:00
Referee: Shanda Assmus AR1: Brett Hay AR2: David Williams
Venue: Exhibition Park
Meraloma 37 v Kamloops 0 @ 11:30
Referee: Kristine Lovatt AR1: JT ZHANG AR2: Mark Abercrombie
Venue: Jericho Beach Park
Men Div 2
Burnaby Lake 11 v Scribes 8 @ 12:45
Referee: Nathaniel Hight AR1: Peter MacDonald AR2: Matthew Myers
Venue: Burnaby Lake Rugby Club
Kats 41 v Meraloma 19 @ 13:00
Referee: Saro Turner AR1: Thomas Cooper AR2: Kristine Lovatt
Venue: Jericho Beach Park
Women Div 2
Nanaimo Hornets 29 v Simon Fraser 0 @ 11:15
Referee: John J De Goede AR1: Martin Thornton AR2: Tim Stokes
Venue: May Bennett Pioneer
United 24 v James Bay10 @ 11:15
Referee: Miriam Sobrino AR1: Brittany Blackford AR2: John Cameron
Venue: Banting School
Men Div 3
Comox 29 v Chilliwack 15 @ 13:30
Referee: Malcolm Klaver AR1: Darren Munro AR2: Chris Bowen
Venue: Cumberland Village Park
Richmond 23 v United 18 @ 12:45
Referee: Riley Robinson AR1: Michael Landiak AR2: Trevor Honey
Venue: King George Park
Men Exhibition
Pacific Pride 19 v Seattle 44 @ 2:15 @ Starlight
Referee: Julianne Zussman
Venue: Starlight Stadium
Seattle were on the front foot from the beginning and never trailed in the match. The Pride players never seemed to have their head in the game, with countless dropped balls and slow defensive line speed, it was painful to watch. Seattle averaged 20 points per match in the BC Premier this season and never exceeded 40 points in a match. The Pride had at least six U20 players out there and probably the top performer on the day for them was a U20 sub, #17 Jaiden John who showed some spark when he came on in the second half. For Seattle their #8 Kellen Gordon, who played several seasons as prop with the Seattle Seawolves, was dominant physically and their #10 Jonny Reid showcased his skilled boot and kept Seattle playing in the Pride half for most of the match. The Pride play a touring side from Ontario next Friday, game at James Bay, more details to come.
PREGAME
The Pride have a lot of changes in the roster compared to their last match in early April. Back healthy are Zephyr Melnyk and Matt Klimchuk, two top level loose forwards. Tyler Wong has gone to the Arrows so Witt Nevins gets the start at hooker.
Pride
1. Scott Bowers / Aaron Clark
2. Tyler Wong / Witt Nevins
3. Willem den Ouden / Scott Bowers
4. Alastair Bruce / Reid Davis
5. Karl Hunger
6. JC Vinette / Ben James
7. Seif Sanad / Zephyr Melnyk
8. Reid Davis / Matt Klimchuk
9. Sam Reimer
10. Justin Taylor
11. AJ Kosempel
12 Taylor de Souza / Noah Flesch
13 Sion Griffiths / Oliver Mackenzie
14 Lucas Scheck / Christian Coppin
15 James Clarke / James Thiel
16 Dan Cooper / Jace Peters
17 Jaiden John
18 Liam Boulton / Cam Hayward
19 Sion Fine / Charles Taimani
20 Jesse Kilgour / JC Vinette
21 James Thiel / Brady White
22 Noah Flesch / Jesse Kilgour
23 Oliver Mackenzie / Ben Russell
Seattle
1 Lu Alainuuse / James Kuahiwinui
2 Mike Faust
3 Freddie Tafuna / Liam Noone
4 Nick McKenna / Chase Bates
5 Brandon Tupufia / Ben Seest
6 Chase Bates / Joe Evans
7 Matt Potter
8 Kellen Gordon
9 Ronald Dwyer / Zander Tkel
10 Devereaux Ferris / Jonny Reid
11 Cole Zarcone / Tavione Rodgers
12 Patrick Nglam
13 Ian Wright / Matt Brennan
14 Joey Lincoln
15 Jonny Reid / Ian Wright
16 Ethan Smith
17 James Kuahiwinui / Lu Alainuuse
18 Alex Glover / Alex Cannon
19 Ben Seest / Tim Viani
20 Isaia Lotawa / Jack Cannon
21 Shane Berry / Matt Hannon
22 Isaiah Chinen / Joe Keane
23 TBA