BC Rugby Weekend of February 8th 2025

BC Premier Week 10 Results: Pride Edge Westshore at Starlight Stadium; Four Premier Matches Cancelled Due to Field Closures; Women’s Premier UBC Narrow Win in Seattle

The cold February weather has wreaked havoc on the BC Premier schedule with municipal fields closing. Jericho Park, Connaught Park and Windsor Park all unavailable. The turf at Starlight Stadium is still a go with the Pride hosting Westshore. The UVic v JBAA game was a late cancellation due to field conditions. The women’s Premier game in Seattle vs UBC is still on.

Pacific Pride 17 v Westshore 15 @ 18:30
Venue: Starlight Stadium

An entertaining match at Starlight Stadium as the Pride edged Westshore 17-15 in a back and forth match. The match can be viewed on the Westshore facebook page.

23 minutes in Alvin Otieno, the Buffalo, did a #8 pick from the scrum, went blindside and hit a streaking Johnstone Olindi on the wing for a try from 10 metres out. Thomas Isherwood converted from a difficult angle, 7-0 for Westshore.

33 minutes in the Pride had a penalty to the corner, the ball went to Karl Hunger in the lineout, a maul formed and hooker Austin Creighton took it over at the back of the maul, Jamin Hodgkins converted, 7-7. That was the score going into the half.

The Pride struck first in the second half when Westshore were unable to clear effectively from their 22. Fullback Ty Driscoll jumped on the weak clearing kick and took it into contact. Off first phase ball from the ruck it went to #10 Jamin Hodgkins who battled a couple of tacklers and offloaded to openside Taine Clague who beat a couple of defenders to score. Jamin Hodgkins converted, 14-7 for the Pride at 50 minutes.

Westshore answered back in spectacular style with a goal line to goal line try 5 minutes later. Thomas Isherwood picked the ball up on his goal line from a well weighted kick, he passed off to the wing, received it back and then it went from hand to hand until it found Alvin Otieno on the other end and the other side of the field for a try. It was one for the highlight reel. The conversion was missed which would end up being the difference in the match. The teams exchanged penalties after that for a 17-15 scoreline in favour of the Pride.

PREGAME

#4 hosting #3. Both teams lost last week, the Pride to CW and Westshore to Meraloma.

The Pride have Karl Hunger in the lineup and he pairs up with James Stockwood in the second row, that gives them a big engine room and likely the advantage in the scrum. Ty Driscoll returns to the roster and starts at fullback.

Westshore have Thomas Isherwood returning from the Monaco 7s last week. He’s not starting at #10 but will be a counter-attack threat from fullback. Westshore are giving Jimmy Wilson-Bishop the start at #10, he usually plays outside centre or fullback. It will be a key matchup going up against Canada hopeful Jamin Hodgkins for the Pride.

It should be a competitive match, expecting the Pride to be strong in the sets, and Westshore to be dangerous out wide with 3 former Kenyan 7s players in the backline plus Thomas Isherwood. It will be a chilly evening, so how players adapt to the conditions will be a factor. It may come down to penalty kicks and the Pride I think have the edge there. Prediction: Pride by 3.

Pacific Pride (Feb 1st/current)

1 Justin Tasse
2 Austin Creighton
3 Connor Williams / Cole Harris
4 Mason MacDonald / Karl Hunger
5 Josh Halliday / James Stockwood
6 Logan Harris
7 Taine Clague
8 Braden Bruce
9 Mitch Buie / Chris Rose
10 Jamin Hodgkins
11 Andrew Cooper
12 Kyle Tremblay
13 Glenn Roy / Shane Rikley-Krindle
14 Sam Blundell / James Thiel
15 Jean-Louis Descoutte / Ty Driscoll
16 Noah Kyneston
17 Cole Harris / Daniel Lucic
18 Daniel Lucic / Connor Williams
19 James Stockwood / Mason MacDonald
20 Shane Rikley-Krindle / Jaden John
21 Chris Rose / Evan Logan
22 Rhys James / Daniel Muzaliwa
23 James Thiel / Glenn Roy

Westshore (Feb 1st/current)

1 Kane Perrett
2 Zephyr Melnyk
3 Nathan Groenewold
4 Brian Ndirangu
5 Joe Kingham
6 Brian Waraba
7 Tom Heuser
8 Alvin Otieno
9 Josh Nordstrom
10 Payton Gibson / Jimmy Wilson-Bishop
11 Alex Mentiply / Johnstone Olindi
12 Taylor McGuire
13 Nelson Oyoo / Jeff Olouch
14 Braedan Bespalko / Nelson Oyoo
15 Jimmy Wilson-Bishop / Thomas Isherwood
16 Matt Evans
17 Daragh Carroll
18 Meshack Tunnechi / Simeon John
19 Seth Recalma
20 Aiden McCleary / Charles Taimani
21 Anthony Carroll / Darian Morrison
22 Jeff Olouch / Hudson Poppitt
23 Johnstone Olindi / Alex Mentiply

University Of Victoria v James Bay AA @ 14:30
Venue: U Of Victoria- Wallace Field

UPDATE: UVic fields closed, game cancelled

#9 hosting #10. The Bays upset Burnaby last week while the Vikes had their game at Capilano cancelled/postponed.

The Vikes have a virtually unchanged roster from the one that was scheduled to play last week. The only change is Angus Boyd-Porter returning to the roster.

The Bays haven’t confirmed their roster at time of writing as the match hasn’t been 100% confirmed as going ahead as field conditions and weather are being monitored. We expect a final confirmation by 4pm. We’re expecting a roster similar to last weekend.

The Bays have some top talent returning Josh Thiel, D’Shawn Bowen, Cody Nhanala, Kainoa Lloyd. If those players are available this week, it should give them the edge. Prediction: Bays by 2.

UVic (Feb 1st/current)

1 Phoenix Moller
2 Sully Curran
3 Brighton Feldman
4 Dane Siebens
5 Brendan Kim
6 Adam Doane
7 Merlin M’Cloud
8 Ryder Heaney-Corns
9 Reece Thompson
10 Gareth Sandner
11 Jackson Powell
12 Mason Levin
13 Sion Griffiths
14 Morgan di Nardo
15 Alex Gamage
16 Anan McAllister
17 Alex Gordon / Nic Willey
18 Nic Willey / Alex Gordon
19 Josh Petrov
20 Muiredach Casey
21 Lachlan Crooks
22 Tanner Milligan / Angus Boyd-Porter
23 Jack Penaluna

James Bay (Feb 1st/TBA)

1) Steve Stadnyk
2) Ezra Vai
3) Dakota Lachance
4) Alex Jordan
5) Asfi Saeed
6) Tom Richardson
7) Brendyn Beck
8) Mitch Young
9) Crosby Stewart
10) Josh Thiel
11) Kanoa Lloyd
12) Mike Nieuwenhuysen
13) Mostyn Findlay
14) D’Shawn Bowen
15) Tom Burton
16) Moe Steves
17) Julian Gauld
18) Wyatt Pilz
19) Teigan White
20) Cody Nhanala
21) Spike Street
22) Craig Mitchell-Hermann
23) Isaac Gonevou

Women’s Premier

Seattle Rugby 31 v Vancouver Thunderbirds 32 @ 15:30
Venue: Magnuson Park

As expected the match was a lot closer than the UBC previous matches due to the large number of roster changes. It turned out to be a one point win. UBC remain top of the standings and Seattle at the bottom.

PREGAME

The Thunderbirds sit top of the league with a 3-1 record, the loss was a default for not travelling with sufficient front row players, so basically they’re undefeated. They have a +112 point differential even factoring in the 20-0 default loss. Seattle at 0-4 haven’t won a match and are at a -94 point differential, so on paper it doesn’t look close.

UBC however have 11 starters missing from last match and Seattle have at least 5 new names in the starting roster from last match, so it may be closer than the standings indicate. Still have to go with team at the top of the standings. Prediction: UBC by +8.

Seattle (Nov 23rd/current)

1. Gabby Simmons
2. Taylor Tracy / Taylor Pearson
3. Sydnee Kimber / Hattie McKay
4. Jessie Eames / Bee Blackman
5. Laurel Hendrickson
6. Taylor Pearson / Alina Ampeh
7. Brooke Jackson / Envee Sakhoeun-Hem
8. Zyana Flores-Thomas
9. Sho Markus / Noelle Heiser
10. Madison Ray
11. Emma Santosuosso / Sally Egan
12. Emily Barber / Gabrielle Fernandopulle
13. Jen Bourlier / Emily Barber
14. Katie Shadler / Olivia Santiago
15. Sally Egan / Karina Bridgman
16. Hattie McKay / Sydney Abel
17. Tee Teaupa / Marae Slyter
18. Kendra Young / Krystall Marshall
19. Val Bank / Mo Cricchio
20. Aiyana Gilliard / Jess Berg
21. Noelle Heiser / Sho Markus
22. Olivia Santiago / Katie Shadler
23. Juliana Vazquez / Kendra Young

Thunderbirds 2 (Nov 23rd/current)

1 Kiki Idowu / Ashley Mulindi
2 Jordan McLeod / Dylan Kipp
3 Sasha Oreskovich
4 Anya Prokopich
5 Teya Ashworth
6 Maddy Thran / Sarah Fong
7 Mya Koleba / Maddy Thran
8 Jesse Knaggs / Ella Kirk
9 Sara Tehrani / Lanae Davenport
10 Lana Dueck / Chloe Bong
11 Skye Farish / Catrin Taylor
12 Vela Baravian / Sofia Shortis
13 Tia Jordo / Saylor Pickrell
14 Mary Sieker / Jamie Dickson
15 Brooke Roddham / Cassie Jorgenson
16 Ashley Mulindi / Alli Dobson
17 Alli Dobson / Tegan Jost
18 Dylan Kipp / Gabby Knox
19 Sarah Fong / Maya Nowotny
20 Jess Nelson / Ella Hudson
21 Cassie Jorgenson / Taylor Gotto
22 Jamie Dickson / Gracie McAllister
23 Lanae Davenport / TBA