BC Premier Weekend Results & Rosters: Burnaby Edge Lomas; UBC Crush Pride; UVic Dominate Westshore; CW Defeat Bays
Burnaby Lake 21 v Meraloma 12 @ 14:30
Referee: Saro Turner Referee 2: Jamie Dopson
Venue: Burnaby Lake Rugby Club
We called Burnaby +5 and it was Burnaby +9. Burnaby go 2-2 for 7th place, Lomas 1-4 in 9th place. Next week Burnaby visit Westshore while Meralomas visit James Bay.
PREGAME
Burnaby in 7th place at 1-2 haven’t had the season they were expecting so far. They were blown out in the second half by the explosive Ravens last week. They’ve made one change to the tight five from last week with #6 James Catterson moving to second row. Fuku Vikilani takes his place at blindside flanker. Joey Tomlinson starts at #8 as Taitusi Vikilani was injured last match. The halfback pairing of McMahon and Maclaine remains the same. Blake Steele gets the start on the wing and Ethan Turner at outside centre.
Meraloma are in 8th place with a 1-3 record. A couple of changes to the tight five with rotation, Zuk starting loosehead and Neubert second row. Farris moves from #8 to #6, Wes Lee starts at #8 and George Woofendon comes into the side at openside flanker. Brazilian international Leo Ceccarelli gets the start at #10 along with compatriot De Wet van Neekirk at #15. Viljoen replaces Kirwan at scrum half.
Traditionally Burnaby would be favourites, this season their only win was a +2 point over Capilano but their losses have been to the top teams, Ravens and CW. The Lomas win was over the Rowers and they lost to the Caps. It should be a close match but I think the home side will prevail. Prediction: Burnaby by 5.
Burnaby
Coach Aaron OFlaherty
1 Lalit Bhardawaj
2 Dylan Vermette
3 Nik Hildebrand
4 James Catterson
5 Mike OToole
6 Fuku Vikilani
7 Connor McCann
8 Joey Tomlinson
9 Dean McMahon
10 Neil Maclaine ©
11 Blake Steele
12 David Dinbandhu
13 Ethan Turner
14 Jack Gelbart
15 Brian Fitzpatrick
16 Liem Jung
17 Darog Smith
18 Dom Baptista
19 Cooper Johnston
20 Mohi Parata
21 Kou Odaka
22 Preston Petrovitch
23 Nolan Shelley
Meraloma
Coach Christiaan Esterhuizen
1. Pat Zuk
2. Scott McGinley
3. Mark Rickard
4. Dave Matthews
5. Nik Neubert
6. Jalan Farris
7. George Woofendon
8. Wes Lee
9. Thomas Viljoen
10. Leo Ceccarelli
11. Dewi Williams
12. Steff Evans (c)
13. Luke O’Brien
14. James McTurk
15. De Wet van Neekirk
16. Isaac Smith
17. Richie Barrett
18. Scott McGinley
19. Gavin Hogan
20. James Harbourne
21. Will Perry
22. Angus Patton
23. Jad Hamade
UBC 50 v Pacific Pride 10 @ 14:30
Referee: Shanda Assmus Referee 2: Bradley Schwalger
Venue: UBC- Gerald McGavin Centre
We said Pride +3 but it was UBC +40, ouch. We watched the replay online and our match notes are below. Basically, the UBC forwards pummelled and dominated the Pride forwards. UBC got the better of the scrums, mauls, lineouts and just drove their forwards phase after phase through the Pride defence. Once they had battered their opponents in the first half, they spread it wide in the second half. It was a complete victory. Kudos to Curry Hitchborn who had his team playing aggressive, physical and skilled rugby.
17′ UBC win one against the head on a scrum 5m outside the Pride line, score try
25′ UBC keeping possession, wave after wave of forwards attacking, each gaining yards, eventually they go over
31′ UBC attacking again at the 22, Pride now falling off tackles, great solo effort, possibly #8 Alfie Scopes
36′ UBC lineout outside Pride 22, maul it 10m then pick and go until over the line
26-0 HT
42′ UBC start swinging it wide now they’ve softened up the Pride in the 1st half, finding gaps in the backline, another try
45′ Pride finally get on the board with a solo effort from one of the outside backs, 50m gallop for a try
52′ Pride D’Shawn Bowen scores a try, solo effort from 40m out, instead of dotting it down in the corner, he runs over in-goal defender to put down near the posts
57′ UBC turn for a long range try from the backline, lots of gaps appearing out wide now
65′ UBC counter attack from a dropped pass, 70+m, Pride defence ragged. Try scorer is #10 Max Abercrombie who seems to have lots left in the tank.
67′ Yellow card to Pride for dump clear out
74′ UBC chip and chase try, Pride defender mishandles, the final score 50-10
UBC are in 2nd place at 4-0 while the Pride fall to 4th at 3-2. Next week UBC visit UVic while the Pride visit the Rowers.
Match Replay
PREGAME
The Pride had the one loss on the road to Capilano and are 3-1 in 4th place. They have Dewald Kotze back in the roster as he awaits his visa to play MLR. They have their top backrow with Melnyk, Nhanala and Oworu. This will be a good test of #10 Justin Taylor in his second start. He played well against the #11 Bays but against #3 UBC it will be a step up in level with reduced space and time. D’Shawn Bowen is back in the roster and he’s a threat on the outside. This will be a great game and the Pride have put out their top roster.
UBC are undefeated at 3-0. They started with a bang with a 80+ win over the Bays but they’ve been a bit muted on attack with moderate wins over Capilano and Rowers. It’s difficult to predict how they’ll do against top 4 teams Pride, Ravens and CW. There’s only a couple of changes from the match last week versus the Rowers. Cali Martinez gets the start at loosehead, Owain Ruttan gets the start at openside. Takoda Mcmullin starts at outside centre and Matt Percillier at fullback.
Discipline may be a factor in this match but hopefully cards aren’t the deciding factor. I think the Pride have more fire power but UBC have been playing together longer as a unit, going back to their national university championship in November. The Pride did falter at Caps but didn’t put out their #1 roster that day. Tough one but I’ll say a one score game with D’Shawn Bowen making the difference. Prediction: Pride by 3.
Pacific Pride
Coach Phil Mack
1) Willem Den Ouden
2) Dewald Kotze
3) Kyle Steeves
4) Calum Botchar
5) Conor Turner
6) Zephyr Melnyk
7) Cody Nhanala
8) Matt Oworu
9) Caleb Barker
10) Justin Taylor
11) Kal Sager
12) Issac Olson
13) Taylor Desouza
14) DShawn Bowen
15) Oliver Mackenzie
16) Dan Cooper
17) Aaron Clark
18) Tyler Matchem
19) Noah Flesch
20) Matt Klimchuk
21) Sean Snyman
22) Dawson Fatoric
23) Jack Morris
UBC
Coach Curry Hitcborn
1. Calixto Martinez
2. Jacob Bossi
3. Conor OFlaherty
4. Frank Carson
5. David Carson
6. Donald Carson
7. Owain Ruttan
8. Alfie Scopes
9. Jack Carson
10. Max Abercrombie
11. Jared Andrews – Almack
12. Connor Byron
13. Takoda Mcmullin
14. Jake Lan
15. Matthew Percillier
16. Joshua Tweed
17. Peyton Teneycke
18. Sol Jaques
19. Joshua Downes
20. Jacob Bourne
21. Alastair Marshall
22. Forest Scarwenner
23. Kees Den Ouden
University Of Victoria 60 v Westshore 5 @ 14:30
Referee: Julianne Zussman Referee 2: Carter Haddow
Venue: U Of Victoria- Wallace Field
We said Vikes by +9 and it was Vikes +52, according to BCRU. It was a close game at 30 minutes, 10-5, but a red card to Westshore opened it up. UVic at 1-3 go to 8th place, Westshore remain in the cellar. Next week UVic host UBC and Westshore host Burnaby.
PREGAME
UVic occupy the final playoff spot right now, a win could give them some breathing space and close the gap on the Lomas. There’s only 4 weeks of regular season left (after this weekend) in this abbreviated season so each win is important. UVic were spanked by CW last week so will be looking to bounce back. The tight five looks the same with the starting and reserve hooker switching places. Nick Carson moves to the bench and Nathan Yue starts at #8. Ethan Smith gets the start at #9. James Thiel, brother to Josh and Jake, gets his first start at the wing position.
Westshore are at the bottom of the standings and their chances of making post season diminishes each week. They gave CW a good run 2 weeks ago but are missing key players from that game, notably, Thomas Isherwood at #10. Also missing from the starting XV is Jarvis Dashkewytch. Peyton Eagar, normally a loose forward, moves to start at outside centre. Their #7 and #8 have been playing well, Heuser and Symon-Burke, and they’ll likely be busy this week against the expansive Vikes.
The Vikes have picked up 3 BP in 3 games, so although they’re without a win they have been competitive. Westshore with Isherwood and Dashkewytch were starting to turn the ship around but missing those players it will be a tall order to come away with a win against the Vikes who will go full out for 80 minutes. Prediction: Vikes by 9.
UVic
Coach Scott Manning
1 Owen Kokan
2 Ryder Heaney-Corns
3 Denver Fatt
4 Benjamin Newhook
5 Asfand Saeed
6 Merlin M’Cloud
7 Henry Down
8 Nathan Yue
9 Ethan Smith
10 Gabriel Casey
11 James Thiel
12 Graeme Norris
13 Jonas Robinson (C)
14 Ethan Hager
15 Andrew Easson
16 Max Hassel
17 Brendan Kim
18 Ayo Ogunlade
19 Nicholas Carson
20 Lucas Okano
21 Chris Gamage
22 Payton Gibson
23 Tal Williamswood
Westshore
Coach Aaron Frisby
1 Nathan Groenewold
2 Matt Evans
3 Neil Hagerty
4 Maks Foot
5 Rick Bown
6 Matt Weir
7 Thomas Heuser
8 Tyler Symon-Burke
9 Rylen Waugh
10 Nicholas Mouret
11 Brennan Bourchier
12 Aidan Holland
13 Peyton Eagar
14 Tyler Wilkes
15 Shane Dagg
James Bay 22 v Castaway Wanderers 34 @ 14:30
Referee: Derek Horton Referee 2: John J De Goede
Venue: James Bay AA- MacDonald Park
We said CW by +10 and it was CW +12. CW go top of the table at 5-0, the Bays are still in 10th and 5 points behind Lomas for the final playoff spot. Next week CW visit Capilano while Lomas visit James Bay.
PREGAME
CW at 4-0 are undefeated. They’re again missing Grady Bowd from the #10 spot with Jordan Tait starting, last time that happened they narrowly defeated Westshore. The roster has a few changes from last week with Braddock and Clark switch starting roles at hooker and Sandison and Finnemore at #8. Griffiths and James switch wing and centre assignments. Interesting to see big unit Aidan Cole get into the match 23 as reserve prop. He’s starting tighthead in the Div 1 match, I played with his Dad who was a winger.
JBAA are winless but have a bonus point which may be important. The top 8 teams get in the playoffs but the Pacific Pride are excluded so the 9th place team will get the final playoff spot, that’s currently UVic with JBAA 2 points behind them. The Bays have limited changes to the team that lost by 38 to the Pride, Dakota Lachance comes back into the starting looseheard role, Mitch Sora reclaims the starting #10 spot and Craig Mitchell-Hermann replaces Henry Do at fullback.
CW keep rolling undefeated with a consistent lineup, they’re not quite as good on attack without Grady Bowd at the helm but they should have this game covered. Prediction: CW by 10.
CW
Coach Ken Goodland
1. Gavin Kratz
2.John Braddock
3. Jack Sponarski
4. Liam Chisolm (c)
5. John Humphries
6. Sawyer Herron
7. Steve Pyke
8. Cam Sandison
9. Zech Pilgrim
10. Jordan Tait
11. Dan Griffiths
12. Brandon Schellenberger
13. Daniel James
14. Mike Adibe
15. Gareth Sandner
16. Alex Clark
17. Aidan Cole
18. Riley Ilnicki
19. Cam Polson
20. Mike Finnemore
21. Luke Scheck
22. Olly Winser
23 Angus Boyd-Porter
JBAA
Coach Sean White
1. Dakota Lachance
2. Austin Creighton
3. Blake van Heyningen Cpt.
4. Andrew Montgrand
5. Jimmy de Goede
6. Gregory Raymond
7. Wyatt Pilz
8. Alex Jordan
9. Crosby Stewart
10. Mitch Sora
11. Keith Graham
12. Isaac Gonevou
13. Thomas Burton
14. Gio Douyon
15. Craig Mitchell-Hermann
Premier Women
The Premier women’s competition has been a bit hit and miss this season with only 5 games played prior to the weekend. Seattle haven’t played in the competition due to COVID restrictions. There are 4 teams in the league, CW are top at 2-1 (10pts), Westshore 1-2 (7pts), UBC 1-1 (5pts), Capilano 1-1 (5pts).
The match this weekend is Caps @ CW, rosters below.
CW
1 Adea Elliott
2 Chloe Hill-Huse
3 Valerie Wideski
4 Quinn Murphy
5 Mariam Ibrahim
6 Julia Folk
7 Lucy Beauchemin
8 Louise Erickson
9 Olivia Apps
10 Julia Schell
11 Danica Pedrick
12 Maddy Aberg
13 Rayven (Temi) Ogunjimi
14 Kira Peary
15 Emily Samek
16 Adrienne Shepherd
17 Kelsey McKinnon
18 Morgan Warner
19 Madeline Berry
20 Chanelle Edwards-Challenger
21 Kate Richards
22 Emma Chown
23 Talia Hoffman
Capilano
1. Nevene Hammoud
2. Melissa Robinson
3. Jayne Isherwood
4. Stacey Hake
5. Kelly Shields
6. Sarah Bill
7. Rachel Moloney
8. Nicola Mary (c)
9. Christina Burnham
10. Francesca McDonnell
11. Saila Deschamps
12. Ella Marwick
13. Danielle Fearns
14. Savannah Bacchus
15. Ashley Robinson
16. Suhad Mardikian
17. Arden Tempest
18. Shelby Slay
19. Sarah Elias
20. Chae Rasmus
21. Katerina Josephides
22. Heather Muir