BC Rugby Weekend of April 26th 2025

BC Premier Semi-Final Results: Ravens Soar Past Westshore, UBC Edge Lomas – Women’s Premier Westshore Overpower CW, Thunderbirds Vanquish Burnaby

The finals have been set, in men’s Premier it will be Ravens v UBC, in the women’s Premier it will be Westshore v Thunderbirds. In other finals it will be JBAA v Burnaby in men’s Div 1, Abbotsford v Meraloma in women’s  Div 1, Kamloops v Brit Lions in men’s Div 2, Comox v Nanaimo in women’s Div 2, Burnaby v Langley in men’s Div 3. All the match results are listed below.

Men Premier

UBCOB Ravens 47 v Westshore 18 @ 14:30
Referee: Nathaniel Hight AR1: Jeremy Duncan AR2: Cole Pedrick
Venue: Jericho Beach Park

Ravens book their place in the final with a +29 victory, not far off the +26 win in the regular season meeting. Hopefully Peter MacDonald will be filing a report.

PREGAME

It’s 1 hosting 4 in this semi-final. The undefeated Ravens will be going in as heavy favourites with only UBC gaining a draw with them this season. In the previous meeting with Westshore on March 29th, the Ravens won by +26.

Westshore have 4 of their starting tight 5 from the QF out with injury. They do have Taylor McGuire back at #10 however.

The Ravens haven’t played since March 29th, when they defeated Westshore on the Island. They look fully loaded with Aaron McLelland back and in the reserves. The Ravens listed 11 players in the reserves so it’s not clear which 8 will take the field on Saturday.

This looks to be a long day at the office for Westshore, missing key forwards and up against an undefeated team who have had 4 weeks off and won the previous match by a comfortable margin. It’s looking like a double digit win for the Ravens. Prediction: Ravens by +12.

Westshore (April 12th/current)

1 Kane Perrett / Bobby McKay
2 Zephyr Melnyk
3 Nathan Groenewold / Matt Evans
4 Joe Kingham / Aiden Holland
5 Seth Recalma / Matt Weir
6 Brian Ndirangu
7 Tom Heuser
8 Alvin Otieno
9 Grayson Perry
10 Josh Nordstrom / Taylor McGuire
11 Nelson Oyoo
12 Jeff Olouch
13 Darian Morrison
14 Alex Mentiply
15 Jimmy Wilson-Bishop
16 Matt Evans / Simeon John
17 Simeon John / Meshack Tunnechi
18 Daragh Carroll
19 Matt Weir / Clinton Obhiambo
20 Clinton Obhiambo / Josh Nordstrom
21 Aiden Holland / Payton Gibson
22 Payton Gibson / Braedan Bespalko
23 Braedan Bespalko / Porter Gook

Ravens (March 29th/current)

1 Dion Falconer / Josh Tweed
2 Josh Tweed / Vian Wollie Wolmarans
3 Chris Taylor / Dion Falconer
4 Iwan Shenton
5 Don Carson
6 Owain Ruttan / Ethan MacDonald
7 Jake Ikeda / David O’Donoghue
8 Joe Locke
9 Jack Carson
10 Logan Henry
11 Cole Keffer
12 Ethan Berry
13 Hamish Janes
14 Jake Thiel / Noah Bain
15 Nick Blain
16 Grant Crowell / Owen Kokan
17 Kaleb Whitelaw / Joshua Christy
18 TBD / Chris Taylor
19 Ethan MacDonald / Frank Carson
20 Sean Beckett
21 David O’Donoghue / Owain Ruttan
22 Gaspard de Ligault / Jacob Ikeda
23 Jean Koorsten / Grant Crowell
Gaspard de Ligault
Aaron McLelland
Ben Greenstein

UBC RFC 26 v Meraloma 20 @ 14:30
Referee: Chris Assmus AR1: CLINT LEMKUS AR2: Cole Northcott
Venue: UBC- Gerald McGavin Centre

As  expected a close encounter and UBC get the +6 win. It sets up a Ravens v UBC final, #1 and #2 in the regular season.

PREGAME

This semi-final sees #2 hosting #3. This should be a tighter match and it may be a coin toss on who comes out ahead. UBC won the matchup on March 22nd by a +17, however in April they played a common opponent, CW, and the Lomas won +18 while UBC escaped with a narrow +4 win.

The Lomas have only one new player in the match 23, Josh Ferriman. They’ve gone from a 6/2 bench to a 5/3 in this match, perhaps anticipating the battle out wide in the last 20.

UBC have also gone to a 5/3 bench, with Caleb Seumanutafa coming into the reserves. They have Demitri Patterson back as a starting wing and Emmett Allan as a reserve hooker.

Not much between these teams who finished 0.077 apart in the standings in points per match. The Lomas boasting top veteran backline players like Doug Fraser and Jordan Wilson-Ross while UBC have the upcoming stars like Talon McMullin and Alastair Marshall. How the forwards match up could be key and expecting a torrid last 20 to determine the outcome. Prediction: UBC by +2.

Meraloma (April 12th/current)

1 Geoff Brooks
2 Cian Cunningham
3 Tom Webb
4 Conor O’Brien / Finton O’Sullivan
5 Finton O’Sullivan / Conor O’Brien
6 Aaron Hickey / Giovanni Guizzetti
7 Evan Galvin
8 Jalan Farris
9 James Frankenberger / Luc Thomson
10 Joe Wilde
11 Keith Graham
12 Doug Fraser
13 Kenny Saito
14 Jordan Wilson-Ross
15 Rory McParland
16 Scott Bowers
17 Andy McMeel
18 Conor Turley
19 Noah Glanville
20 Giovanni Guizzetti / Ethan Jaques
21 Ethan Jaques / James Frankenberger
22 Luc Thomson / Jad Hamade
23 Jad Hamade/ Josh Ferriman

UBC (April 5th/current)

1 Ken Buckingham
2 Elijan McQueen
3 Payton Teneycke
4 Caden Wilson
5 Joe McNulty
6 Callum Arnesen / Sol Jacques
7 Sol Jacques / Callum Arnesen
8 Relmu Wilson-Valdes
9 Stephen Webb
10 James Biss
11 Max McGavern / Demitri Patterson
12 Talon McMullin
13 Alastair Marshall
14 Niko Andrianos
15 Ben Beauchamp
16 Josh du Toit / Emmett Allan
17 Graeme Francolini
18 James Noftall / Charlie Clark
19 Charlie Clark / Sandon Gupta
20 Sandon Gupta / Liam Kinghorn
21 Liam Kinghorn / Max Birtley
22 Max Birtley / Caleb Seumanutafa
23 Josef Paradis / Max McGavern

Women Premier

Vancouver Thunderbirds 43 v Burnaby Lake 17 @ 12:45
Referee: Phil Webster AR1: CLINT LEMKUS AR2: Mark Abercrombie
Venue: UBC- Gerald McGavin Centre

A closer game that the regular season blowout but the Thunderbirds continue to roll and earn their place in the final.

PREGAME

The Thunderbirds won the matchup on March 22nd by 95-0. It may not be a case who will win in this semi-final but by how much. The Thunderbirds look favourites to repeat this year at women’s Premier champions.

Burnaby have a number of changes from their last match, Tess Woldring is back at tighthead prop and is one of four new forwards in the starting roster.

The Thunderbirds haven’t put out a roster at the time of writing, but they had two teams operating during the season so they have a lot of options. There may be some last minute conversations with the BCRU on who is playoff eligible. We’ll post the roster when it’s available. The roster is now in, and it’s fully loaded with 12 players from the UBC university championship team.

The only game the Thunderbirds lost during the season was an early season default due to a lack of front row players. They haven’t been defeated yet this season with a full squad and are the core of the UBC team who won the national university title in the fall. Prediction: Thunderbirds by +15.

Burnaby (March 29th/current)

1. Ada Okonkwo / Jailee Mercedes
2. Jade Farhat / Payton McNeill
3. Jailee Mercedes / Tess Woldring
4. Nicole Stephenson / Kim Brown
5. Teresa Thomson / Nicole Stephenson
6. Simran Gillar / Natasha Lalonde
7. Gabrielle Hindley
8. Emily van Gulik / Ada Okonkwo
9. Kaila France / Alayna Scramstad
10. Aphra Taylor
11. Rebecca Roth / Jaidyn Mawhinney
12. Chelsea Rodgers
13. Sara Eskildsen / Miriama Naiobasali
14. Sofie van Beusekom / Natali Hewjo
15. Miriama Naiobasali / Kaila France
16. Faith Nishi / Lauren Tagg
17. Katie Grudzinski / Simran Gillar
18. Stasi Chasso / Emily van Gulik
19. Jaidyn Mawhinney / Stasi Chasso
20. James Sheldon-Houle / Katie Grudzinski
21. Naomi Elwood / Faith Nishi
22. TBD / Ava van Santen
23. TBD / Rebecca Roth

Thunderbirds  (March 15th/current)

1 Alli Dobson / Kiki Idowu
2 Kiki Idowu / Maddy Thran
3 Sasha Oreskovich / Dylan Kipp
4 Jesse Knaggs / Anya Prokopich
5 Rachel Smith / Teya Ashworth
6 Sarah Fong
7 Jordan McLeod / Mya Koleba
8 Maddy Thran / Jess Knaggs
9 Sara Tehrani
10 Brooke Roddham
11 Adia Pye
12 Lana Dueck
13 Skye Farish / Meghan Lindsay
14 Jaime Dickson
15 Cassie Jorgenson
16 Maya Nowotny / Allie Dobson
17 Ella Kirk / Maya Nowotny
18 Lanae Davenport / Kim Sinow
19 Chloe Bong / Katie Stoddart
20 Mary Sieker / Chloe Bong
21 Emily Wang / Lanae Davenport
22 Ayana Titifanua / Mary Sieker
23 TBD / Emily Wang

Westshore 46 v Castaway Wanderers 19 @ 12:45
Referee: Robert Brown AR1: Andrew Owen AR2: Juan Pablo Rey
Venue: Juan De Fuca

An emphatic +27 win by the home team, and it will be Westshore v Thunderbirds in the final. The match report and video are below.

Vanessa Chiappetta made her presence felt from fullback with a 70′ metre solo run at the 12 minute mark to put Westshore up 5-0. Westshore picked up a yellow card for knocking a pass down and CW put some prolonged pressure inside the 22, after a number of phases and pick and goes it was second row, Chanelle Edwards-Challenger, crossing the line near the posts, converted, 7-5 for CW. Westshore hit back at the 20 minute mark with a tap on a penalty and #8, Emily Findlay, found herself isolated against a defender on the outside from 8 metres out, some deft footwork and a fend saw her cross the line, 10-7 for Westshore.

Six minutes into the second quarter Westshore added another after a line break and some prolonged pressure inside the CW 5 metres, one of the tight five scored on a pick and go, perhaps one of the second row, Emma Grootendorst or Aila Norlin, 15-7. Four minutes from half the Westshore scrum demolished the CW scrum on the CW put in, they won a penalty and kicked for the lineout. They won the lineout and it looked like Rennee Gonzalez ran a tight line off the first receiver from 22 metres out, arm tackles wouldn’t stop her and she touched down under the posts, 22-7. Just before half Westshore scored another, runs by #8 Emily Findlay and #12 Rennee Gonzalez broke the CW line and hooker, Sierra Gillis, was putting in the work in support and got the last offload to score from 20 metres out, under the posts, 29-7, and that’s how the half ended.

Westshore scored 2 minutes into the second half when Renee Gonzalez got the ball at the CW 22 and beat 5 defenders using a combination of speed and footwork, she dotted down under the posts, 36-7. Five minutes later Vanessa Chiappetta kicked a penalty from 30 metres out to extend the lead to 39-7. CW got one back at 55 minutes with a tap and go from a 5 metre penalty, 39-14. With 10 minutes left Renee Gonzalez again worked her magic, off a turnover the ball was passed to Gonzalez who scored from 30 metres out, powering her way between two defenders then out sprinting the cover defence to dot down under the posts, 46-14. CW scored at the whistle, one of the backs finding space out wide, it looked like the outside centre, Sophie Hayes, 46-19 the final score.

PREGAME

The teams have split their games this year 1-1, a lot depending on the players available on match day. Westshore have had difficulty keeping a consistent roster during the season and putting out a full 23, even today in the semi-finals they have 3 positions as TBD. This game could go either way.

CW have given Bella Anderton-Teasdale her first start at #10, she just returned from the Tropical 7s with MacDowell Rugby where they won the senior women’s title. There’s some rotation from the bench but the only new player in the starting XV is Emily Samek on the wing.

Westshore have Vanessa Chiappettaa and Renee Gonzalez returning to the backline which will boost their chances. Aila Norlin is the only new forward in the starting XV at second row. Justine Blatt-Janmaat is missing at scrum half so Jillian Fulton moves from wing and Amy Camicioli comes off the bench to start at wing.

With the two games being split and changes to the roster over the season, it’s difficult to predict. The Westshore win in February was +43 and the CW win in March was +5. The return of Chiappettaa and Gonzalez may be the difference. Prediction: Westshore by +4.

CW (March 29th/current)

1 Josie Anzai
2 Jess Beaudry
3 Bronwyn Zodichi
4 Marina Skakun / Chanelle Edwards-Challenger
5 Josie Pusch
6 Lucie Beauchemin
7 Regan Casey / Kass Cej
8 Laura Sadler
9 Gwynnie Fry
10 Charlotte Hilton / Bella Anderton-Teasdale
11 Bella Anderton-Teasdale / Emily Samek
12 Chloe Hill-Huse
13 Remee Brown / Sophie Hayes
14 Olivia Newsome / Remee Brown
15 Emily Currey
16 Katerina Sachinidis / Grace Goodwin
17 Kelsey McKinnon
18 Chanelle Edwards-Challenger / Livia Ashbourne
19 Kass Cej / Val Savchenko
20 Sophie Hayes / Savannah King
21 Sara Einarson / Natalie Yeung
22  TBD / Sara Einarson
23  TBD

Westshore (April 5th/current)

1 Brittany Sims
2 Sierra Gillis
3 Chelsey Minter
4 Emma Grootendorst
5 Oonagh Hynes / Aila Norlin
6 Courtney Sims
7 Piper Walsh / Oonagh Hynes
8 Emily Findlay
9 Justine Blatt-Janmaat / Jillian Fulton
10 Hadley MacPherson
11 Brooke Horsfall
12 Elle Douglas / Renee Gonzalez
13 Grace McKay
14 Jillian Fulton / Amy Camicioli
15 Ivy Poetker / Vanessa Chiappettaa
16 Cindy Andrews / Taylor Morrison
17 Taylor Morrison / Cindy Andrews
18 Sarah McWhinney / Hailey Sampson
19 Brittany Waters / Sarah McWhinney
20 Hailey Sampson / Phoenix Skailes
21 Amy Camicioli / TBD
22 TBD
23 TBD

Men Div 1

Nanaimo Hornets 20 v James Bay AA 53 @ 12:45
Referee: Saro Turner AR1: Leighton Burridge AR2: Dan Cvitanovich
Venue: May Bennett Pioneer

UBCOB Ravens 28 v Burnaby Lake 31 @ 12:45
Referee: Cole Pedrick AR1: Jeremy Duncan AR2: Michael Landiak
Venue: Jericho Beach Park

Women Div 1

Abbotsford RFC 37 v James Bay AA 7 @ 11:30
Referee: Brittany Blackford AR1: Matthew Myers AR2: Alun Bartlett
Venue: Abbotsford Exhibition Park

Meraloma 49 v Capilano 10 @ 11:30
Referee: JT ZHANG AR1: Tyler Dawson AR2: Simon Whyte
Venue: Brockton Oval

Men Div 2

Kats RFC 34 v Brit Lions 36 @ 12:45
Referee: Kuljiwan (Jivan) Dhaliwal AR1: Tere Blake AR2: Scott Johnson
Venue: Brockton Oval

Kamloops 48 v Richmond 17 @ 14:30
Referee: John Cameron AR1: Erin Jensen AR2: Jakob Washington
Venue: Kamloops Exhibition Park

Women Div 2

Nanaimo Hornets 48 v Chilliwack Crusaders 0 @ 11:30
Referee: Dan Cvitanovich AR1: Leighton Burridge AR2: Tim Stokes
Venue: May Bennett Pioneer

Comox Valley Kickers 47 v Kelowna Crows 14 @ 11:45
Referee: Michael Moss AR1: Kaitlyn Jinda AR2: Chris Bowen
Venue: Klahanie Park

Men Div 3

Bayside 17 v Burnaby Lake 19 @ 12:15
Referee: Rachel Morrison AR1: Lance Davison AR2: Rupert Whiting
Venue: South Surrey Ath Pk

Langley RFC 41 v Axemen Rugby Club 24 @ 12:45
Referee: Brett Hay AR1: Elijah Lockington AR2: Mark Lockington
Venue: Crush Crescent