BCRU Announce U17 and U19 Provincial Coaches for Summer Tours; Announce PRC Venue & Dates
The BCRU have announced their Provincial coaches for the U17 and U19 teams heading to Ontario this summer. All four teams will head to Ontario from July 18-26. The U19 Men and Women will compete in the Canadian Rugby Championships. The U17 Boys and Girls will compete the O’Neill’s Challenge Cup which was started last year as a Ontario v BC competition at the U17 level. Also the regional PRCs will take place July 4th and 5th in Abbotsford for U15, U17, U19 regional teams.
BCRU Announce Provincial Coaches for U17 and U19 Teams
BC Rugby is delighted to announce the 2026 BC Bears Coaches that will lead our U17 and U19 Provincial Representative XVs Programs throughout the year.
With 2026 set to be another pivotal year for our Provincial Representatives XVs Teams, we are excited to appoint the following BC Bears Coaches that will lead the identification, selection and preparation of our U17 and U19 athletes to represent the BC Bears in competition this summer.
Coaches will utilize Club, High School and Regional Programming and will focus on the 2026 BC Rugby PRCs to identify talent for selection to the BC Bears teams, in accordance with the BC Bears Age-Grade Selection Policy. Identified athletes will be encouraged to compete for their respective regions in the Provincial Regional Leagues and Provincial Regional Championships (PRCs) this summer.
Coaches who will lead the U15 Boys and Girls “Build a Bear” Camps at Shawnigan Lake School on July 26-31, 2026 will be announced once confirmed by BC Rugby.
2026 BC BEARS XVs COACHES
U17 GIRLS
Head Coach: Dean Murten (UBC/Vancouver Thunderbirds/Rugby Canada)
Assistant Coach: Julia Sugawara (TWU Spartans/Burnaby Lake RFC)
Assistant Coach: Maria Gallo (UBC Thunderbirds/Rugby Canada)
U17 BOYS
Head Coach: Jamie McKenzie (TORA/UVIC Vikes)
Assistant Coach: Noah Pryce-Baff (Kats RFC)
Assistant Coach: Patryk Zuk (Capilano RFC)
U17 PROGRAMMING
The BC Bears U17 Boys and Girls XVs teams will return to Ontario this July 18-26 to face Rugby Ontario’s U17 XVs Programs in the newly-established O’Neill’s Challenge Cup. The Bears won both Cups in 2025 and will be looking to retain them at Guelph University this summer with fresh Coaches at the helm. Canada U20 Head Coach and UBC Women Head Coach, Dean Murten, will lead the Girls’ side, with Jamie McKenzie heading the Boys.
Additionally, the 2026 BC Summer Games will take place in Kelowna this summer and will once again feature a U17 Girls Rugby 7s competition. Zone coaches will be asked to work closely with Regional Coaching Leads and coordinate joint training opportunities where possible. However, athletes must prepare to choose one competition with BC Bears programming and the BC Summer Games taking place across the same dates.
U19 GIRLS
Head Coach: Jake Thiel (UBCOB Ravens/Vancouver Thunderbirds)
Assistant Coach: Scott Hunter (Abbotsford RFC)
Assistant Coach: TBC
U19 BOYS
Head Coach: Curry Hitchborn (Capilano RFC/VRU)
Assistant Coach: Didier Banse (UBC Thunderbirds)
Assistant Coach: Nate Mantle (Bayside Sharks RFC)
U19 PROGRAMMING
The BC Bears U19 Men’s and Women’s teams will head east to Ontario to contest the 2026 Canadian Rugby Championships on July 18-26, continuing BC’s proud tradition of competing on the national stage. Under Jake Thiel, the BC Bears U19 Women will travel as defending champions, while the Bears U19 Men will be aiming to go one better than their silver-medal finish in 2025.
BC BEARS SUBSIDIES/SPONSORSHIP
The BC Bears Player Subsidy Program provides financial support to players in need who are selected to represent BC Bears Age-Grade teams, in the form of discounts applied against team fees. Since its launch in 2017, BC Rugby has provided over $200,000 of support through the BC Bears Player Subsidy Program to help ease the financial cost of playing representative Rugby.
You can DONATE HERE to the BC Bears Player Subsidy Program and ensure no athlete misses out on representing BC due to financial barriers.
Your support not only allows BC athletes to thrive on the pitch, but also to grow off it. Thanks to you, our BC Bears athletes get to put on the famous fBC jersey and make memories – and friendships – that last a lifetime.
The 2025 BC Bears season was our biggest yet, generating a massive FIVE MILLION social media impressions! To inquire about sponsoring a BC Bears Age-Grade Program helping to offset the costs to young athletes, please email mcarter@bcrugby.com.
You can learn more about BC Rugby Sponsorship Opportunities here.
BCRU Provincial Regional Championships (PRCs) Announcement
BC Rugby is excited to announce that the 2026 Provincial Regional Championships (PRCs) will take place on July 4–5, 2026, at Abbotsford Exhibition Park, bringing together the province’s top young rugby talent for a weekend of high-performance competition.
Following the successful new format introduced in 2025, this year’s Championships will once again feature U15 and U17 Boys and Girls matches played across two fields at Abbotsford Exhibition Park, while all U19 matches will take place at Rotary Stadium, creating a dynamic and centralised event environment for athletes, coaches, and supporters.
The PRCs trophy will be up for grabs for the most successful region across the weekend – who will follow in the footsteps of the 2025 overall champions Vancouver Rugby Union and lift the trophy this year?
The Provincial Regional Championships remain a cornerstone of BC Rugby’s player development pathway. Designed to foster the growth of competitive rugby across British Columbia, the PRCs provides a critical platform for athletes to test themselves against the best in their regions. The event also serves as a key selection opportunity for representative teams, making it a must-attend showcase for aspiring provincial players.
Beyond the competition, the Championships are built to motivate, challenge, and inspire not only athletes, but also coaches and match officials, all within a stage-appropriate, high-performance setting.
Adding to the excitement, BC Bears Coaches will be on site throughout the weekend, closely evaluating performances as they finalise selections for the upcoming 2026 BC Bears season. For many athletes, the PRCs represent a pivotal step on the pathway to provincial honours.
With elite youth rugby, provincial pride, and future stars on display, the 2026 PRCs promise to be another standout event on the BC Rugby calendar.
Sponsorship packages are now available for the 2026 PRCs – reach out to Matthew Carter at mcarter@bcrugby.com for more information.
Stay tuned for additional event details, schedules, and team announcements in the coming months