Coastal Cup Week 3 Results & Rosters: UBC Fall to Pride, UVic Edge TWU – Men’s Div 1 Kicks Off
The Coastal Cup enters week 3 with the two tops teams battling it out to determine who will remain on top and get an edge on claiming the Coastal Cup this year. The Dunbar Keg U20 competition takes a week off and men’s Div 1 kicks off across the province.
Coastal Cup
Pacific Pride 31 v UBC 29 @ 13:30
Referee: Julianne Zussman AR1: James Roszel AR2: Al Humphries
Venue: MacDonald Park
We said Pride +3 and it was Pride +2. It sets up an important rematch on November 30th, after the Canadian University Rugby Championships, which may be a winner take all scenario. That game will be hosted at UBC. Currently the Pride sit 3-0 at 15 points while UBC got 2 bonus points in the loss today and sit at 2-1 and 12 points. Next week the Pride host TWU while UBC start their BC Premier campaign off with a home game against Capilano.
PREGAME
Both teams are undefeated, it’s likely one of these teams will claim the Coastal Cup this year. Last week both teams put up a lot of points but conceded a lot of points as well, 33 and 38 points, so defence will be an issue. The team that shows up defensively will have the edge.
The Pride have a number of their Canada players back, Rhys James starts on the wing, with James Stockwood , Tyler Matchem, and Jesse Kilgour in the reserves. The front row is rotated with Sam Miller coming back into the squad at loosehead prop. The halfback pairing remains the same from last week, Mitch Buie at #9 and Tiarnan Neville at #10.
UBC have Takoda McMullin back from the Canada squad but not Talon McMullin. Takoda starts at fullback. UBC are also missing tighthead prop Payton Teneycke so Graeme Francolini gets the start. There’s a switch at scrum-half with Jacob Bourne starting and Stephen Webb moving to the reserves. Max McGavern gets the start on the wing.
The return of the Canada players, 4 for the Pride, should have an impact. With 3 of them in the reserves, they may be the difference in the second half. Pride 2 time defending champions of the Coastal Cup, with a home crowd, will go in as favourites. Prediction: Pride by 3.
Pacific Pride (Sept 14th/current)
1 Cole Harris / Sam Miller
2 Theo Espagnol / Neil Trainor
3 Greg McDowell / Conor Williams
4 Ben James
5 Josh Halladay
6 Evan Logan
7 Taine Clague
8 Charles Taimani / Braden Bruce
9 Mitch Buie
10 Tiarnan Neville
11 Liam Poulton
12 Noah Flesch
13 Liam Turnbull
14 James Thiel / Kyle Tremblay
15 Jean-Louis Descoutte / Rhys James
16 Neil Trainor / Theo Espagnol
17 Justin Tasse
18 Conor Williams / Tyler Matchem
19 Jaiden John / James Stockwood
20 Braden Bruce / Jaiden John
21 Chris Rose / Jesse Kilgour
22 Ty Driscoll / James Thiel
23 Rowan Closs / Ty Driscoll
UBC (Sept 14th/current)
1 Koen Buckingham
2 Emmett Allen
3 Payton Teneycke / Graeme Francolini
4 Caden Wilson
5 Joe McNulty
6 Sol Jacques
7 Sandon Gupta
8 Relmu Wilson-Valdes
9 Stephen Webb / Jacob Bourne
10 James Biss
11 Jared Andrews-Almack
12 Demetri Patterson
13 Alastair Marshall
14 Niko Andrianos / Max McGavern
15 Ben Beauchamp / Takoda McMullin
16 Kevin Griffiths
17 Tate Hartley
18 Elijah McQueen
19 Charlie Clark
20 Jacob Bourne / Stephen Webb
21 Max McGavern / Ben Beauchamp
22 Marco Mitchell / Niko Andrianos
23 Liam James
Trinity Western University 36 v University Of Victoria 40 @ 14:30
Referee: Bradley Schwalger AR1: Kuljiwan (Jivan) Dhaliwal AR2: Rupert Whiting
Venue: Langley Rugby Club
We said Vikes by +5 and it was Vikes by +4. UVic get an early lead in the qualification for the Canadian University Championships with the win, the rematch is set for October 26th at UVic. Vikes get 5 points in the win, TWU get 2 bonus points in the loss. Coastal Cup standings see UVic move to 3rd with 6 points and a 1-2 records, TWU are in 4th with 3 points and a 0-3 record. Next week TWU visit the Pride in a Coastal Cup match while UVic start their BC Premier campaign with a tough road trip against defending champions UBCOB Ravens.
PREGAME
An important match for both clubs, this serves as a CUMRC (Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship) qualifier. Only two BC teams will go to the tournament, although all 3 are ranked in the top 5 nationally. It looks like UBC, with two wins already, will be one of the teams so UVic and TWU will be battling it out for the remaining spot in a home and away series. This is game one.
TWU scored an impressive 38 points in their loss to the Pride last week while leaking 59 points. This is another game where defence will be a decider. Only 2 changes from last week, Martin Zubiri starts at second row and Lynden Duggan on the wing.
UVic put up 33 points on UBC so their attack is working but they allowed 44, so will they be able to keep TWU in check? A few changes to the roster, Liam Bolton gets the start at loosehead prop, Merlin M’Cloud moves from flanker to second row, with Sully Curran starting at openside flanker. Alex Gamage gets the start at #10 with Angus Boyd-Porter moving to the reserves.
UVic have traditionally been the BC #2 at the university championships but TWU are closing the gap. This should be interesting with TWU having home field advantage in Langley. Going on historical results we’ll give the slight edge to UVic. Prediction: UVic by 5.
TWU (Sept 14th/current)
1 Ethan Jurgeneit
2 Riku Konrad
3 Joe Goroza
4 Josh Olafsen
5 Dominik Krajsek / Martin Zubiri
6 Caleb van Til
7 Genaro Gandolfo
8 Tim Zimmer
9 Brady Howlett
10 Matt Willemse
11 Connor Gibbons
12 Collin Lagat
13 Josiah Levale
14 Connor Bernardin / Lynden Duggan
15 Jan Lourens
16 Seth Klassen
17 Favour Olaniyan / Ben Graci
18 Grayson Hardie
19 Martin Zubiri / Dominik Krajsek
20 Ben Graci / Ty Dayton
21 Wes Willemse
22 Ken Paul
23 Lynden Duggan / Connor Bernardin
UVic (Sept 14th/current)
1 Phoenix Moller / Liam Bolton
2 Jordy Auger
3 Brighton Feldman
4 Josh Petrov / Merlin M’Cloud
5 Brendan Kim
6 Muiredach Casey
7 Merlin M’Cloud / Sully Curran
8 Adam Doane
9 Chris Gamage
10 Angus Boyd-Porter / Alex Gamage
11 Ethan Smith
12 Sion Griffiths
13 Lockart MacGregor
14 Morgan Di Nardo
15 Matt Bennett
16 Moe Steves / Phoenix Moller
17 Liam Bolton / Moe Steves
18 Nic Willey
19 Alex Gordon / Dane Seibens
20 Dane Seibens / Alex Gordon
21 Reece Thompson / Josh Petrov
22 Sully Curran / Reece Thompson
23 Alex Gamage / Angus Boyd-Porter
Men Div 1
Axemen Rugby Club 19 v UBCOB Ravens 60 @ 12:45
Referee: Saro Turner AR1: Nicholas Allen
Venue: Brennan Park Field
Port Alberni Black Sheep 35 v Westshore 36 @ 13:00
Referee: Darren Munro
Venue: Port Alberni- Black Sheep Rugby Park
Abbotsford RFC 14 v Capilano 62 @ 14:30
Referee: John Cameron AR1: Brittany Blackford
Venue: Exhibition Park
Cowichan RFC 22 v University Of Victoria 26 @ 14:30
Referee: Robert Brown
Venue: Cowichan Rugby Club
Comox Valley Kickers 0 v James Bay AA 45 @ 15:00
Referee: Justine Blatt-Janmaat
Comment: Moved To JBAA
Venue: MacDonald Park