Canadian U19 Rugby Championships 2025

BC Women Win Gold at U19 National Championships: Men Take Silver

What a result for the BC U19 women’s program, from last place in 2024 to 1st in 2025, kudos to the coaching team and the players. It will be interesting to see what Jake Thiel can do with the new Ravens women’s program in the 2025-26 season. The men returned as Silver medallists after losing a close match to Ontario, who claim their second consecutive Gold.

Women’s Division

BC 17 – Ontario 10

It was an epic fight back for BC who were down 10-0 at the half. BC scored 12 minutes into the second half on an impressive set of quick passes to the outside back. #9 Lanae Davenport started it from a ruck ball, to #10 Bella Anderton-Teasdale, to #11 Hannah Hibbs to #24 Saylor Pickrell who scored the try. The ball went from one side of the field to the other in 3 passes covering over 50 metres in 6 seconds, it was now 10-5 and the battle was on.

The backline again clicked 20 minutes into the second half with crisp passing interplay between #15 Emilie Brett, #13 Belle Rousseau and #11 Hannah Hibbs with Hibbs touching the ball down for a try, 10-10 with 10 minutes to play. The BC forwards put the exclamation mark on the win with a powerful run by #18 Alli Dobson, the ruck ball was scooped up by #16 Abigail Stanley who scored under the posts, the conversion was made by #12 Kam Howlett. Abigail, I believe, is the daughter of Canada great Winston Stanley. BC held on for the final 2 minutes to claim the title.

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Men’s Division

BC 21 – Ontario 25

BC almost made a miracle comeback, a 2-1 on the outside with the goal line in sight and the clock expired but the Ontario defender won that matchup. So close but Ontario led throughout the match. It was 12-7 for Ontario at the half. They led 25-7 with just over 10 minutes remaining. BC roared back to score twice with converted tries but just fell short at the whistle. Two equally matched teams but Ontario repeat as champions.

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BC Men and Women Win Matches Against Quebec: Both Teams 3-0 and Face Ontario for Gold on Sunday

The BC Men’s and Women’s teams have their 3rd match of the tournament today at 5pm PST and 3pm PST respectively. They’ll be streamed from the Alberta Rugby YouTube channel. The tournament results are also posted on the Alberta Rugby website, the men’s results here, and the women’s results here. Both teams won their matches in convincing style and will face Ontario for Gold on Sunday. Match videos and reports posted below.

Men’s Division

BC 52 v Quebec 5

It took BC 12 minutes to get on the board against a resolute Quebec defence. It was the forwards who bashed forward and the two props made an impact, Simroy John at tighthead and Jacob Blackwood at loosehead with Jacob scoring the try. Three minutes later BC scored again, now finding some space, it was a highlight reel try with lots of line breaks and offloads with #20, hooker Josh du Toit finishing it off, 12-0. At 22 minutes BC fullback Lucas Townsend countered on a Quebec clearance kick and after several phases the ball saw #13, Liam Turnbull, running a great angle and crossing the line, 19-0. A few minutes later upcoming U18 star, #5 Dallin Westerlund, romped through the Quebec defence, offloaded a one handed pass to #6 Manraj Randhawa who quickly found supporting winger #14 Evan Palmer for the try, 26-0. Off the kick off BC went on the attack with ball in hand, they were called on a forward pass while crossing the line but they won a penalty on the ensuing scrum and quickly scored on first phase ball, #12 Liam James scoring the try. BC would score one more before the half #11, Noah Merkur, 40-0.

BC opened the 2nd half with a score out wide, #25 Chris MacGregor scoring, 45-0. Quebec scored a try through their forwards at the 14 minute mark of the second half, 45-5. BC quickly got that one back when #11 Noah Merkur accelerated through the Quebec defence, 52-5. That was the final score of the match. BC vs Ontario for Gold now on Sunday.

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Women’s Division

BC 34 v Quebec 0

BC scored 5 minutes in when #12 Emilie Brett powered over the line, 5-0. Brett doubled her tally a few minutes later beating several defenders from 22 metres out, 12-0. BC scored one more before half, #15 Taylor Gotto, crossing the line, 17-0.

Replacement prop, #18 Alli Dobson, opened the scoring for BC in the second half as she powered over the line from close range, 22-0. #8 Poppy Elcock scored next for BC off an 8th woman pickup, going blindside off a dominant BC scrum, 27-0. #21 Mya Koleba scored the final BC try for a 34-0 scoreline. It’s another BC vs Ontario battle for Gold on Sunday, remarkable that the women’s team went from last place last year to battling for Gold this year. Kudos to coach Jake Thiel, his coaching team and the players on the major turn around.

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Both BC Teams Claim 2nd Win for 2-0 Records at the U19 Canadian Rugby Championships: Match Videos

The BC U19 men’s and women’s team kept their record perfect with another set of wins and going 2-0 in the tournament. They’ll face Quebec on Friday before finishing with Ontario on Sunday. The Sunday matches could be the deciders in the tournament if BC can claim wins on Friday.

Men’s Division

BC 51 – Alberta 12

BC opened the scoring 3 minutes in off a dominant scrum, going blindside to #12 Noah Merkur (Liam James was injured and replaced at centre by Liam Merkur) who offloaded to #14 Evan Palmer for the try. At the 10 minute mark BC counter attacked on an Alberta miscue, #14 again involved with a strong run down the wing and back flip pass to #15 Lucas Townsend in support, 12-0. 18 minutes in the BC forwards went to work inside the 5 metres with #3 Simroy John dotting it down. BC scored from the ensuing kickoff as #15 took it deep, turned on the jet packs and broke up field finding #14 in support for the end to end try, 24-0. Near the end of the 1st half BC spread it wide #12 to #21 Theo Phillips for the try, 29-0 at the half.

#25 Chris MacGregor opened the scoring in the 2nd half off another good looking backline attack, 34-0. Alberta scored on a pick and go 16 minutes into the second half, 34-5. BC countered a minute later with #19 Ethan Booth powering over, 39-5. #12 Noah Merkur, who was having a strong game, scored the next for BC, 46-5. Alberta scored another pick and go try with 5 minutes left, 46-12. #25 Chris MacGregor got his second try of the half out wide to close out the scoring, 51-12 final.

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Ontario 52 – Atlantic 6

Ontario went 3-0 with a decisive win over Atlantic. They have a 2 day rest before taking on BC on Sunday.

Women’s Division

BC 25 – Alberta 5

BC opened the scoring 7 minutes in, a score out wide by #11, Emily Brandwood. Alberta tied it up at the 20 minute mark. BC went ahead a couple of minutes later with a nice chip kick by #15 Emilie Brett and finished off by #23 Hannah Hibbs, 10-5 for BC. #10 Bella Anderton-Teasdale scored next from a bounce pass from #9 Lanae Davenport, 15-5 at the half.

#23 Hannah Hibbs got her second try as she found space out wide to open the second half, 20-5. #7 Mary Sieker finished off some prolonged forward pressure inside the 5 metres, reaching over the line for a try, 25-5, which was the final score in the match.

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Ontario 35 – Atlantic 13

The Ontario women also go to 3-0 and await BC on Sunday.


Day 3 Sees Ontario Go 2-0 in Tournament

Ontario picked up two wins against Quebec on Day 3 of the competition, the men winning 37-5 and the women winning 29-0. Ontario faces Atlantic on Thursday before a showdown with BC on Sunday.


BC Win Both Games on Day 2 of Canadian U19 Rugby Championship: Full Match Videos

BC won both their games on Day 2, playing strong defence and denying the opposition any tries. The field conditions looked muddy and the play was often stop and start. The teams are back in action on Thursday against Alberta.

Men’s Division

BC 26 – Atlantic 3

The BC men went up 7-3 in a first half that was dominated by the referee, the whistle never seemed to end. BC picked up a yellow card as well. BC scored one try to one penalty by the Atlantic team.

The second half started better for BC with a chip to the corner and finished off by #11, it was a good strategy with a muddy field and the amount of whistles and play stoppages. BC gained some momentum and finally were able to put together some phases, a scrum penalty followed by a quick tap saw #8 cross the line for BC’s 3rd try. BC picked up a second yellow card, on what looked like a phantom call, difficult to see on the replay what the infraction was. BC scored their 4th try, while short a man, off another scrum penalty and a couple of phases later #21 scored in the corner.

It was a difficult game to watch, very stop and start, some due to handling, some due to officiating. BC were always in control but the game never got untracked in the two 30 minute halves. BC’s scrums looked good and the defence was solid.

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Women’s  Division

BC 19 – Atlantic 0

BC opened the scoring in the first half off a turnover ball, the counter attack went wide and found #13 on the outside. BC scored a 2nd try in the first half with the tighthead prop crossing the line after several phases inside the 5 metres. The half time score was 12-0 for BC.

BC’s 3rd try came from a quick tap penalty finished off by #24. Final score 19-0, congrats to coach Jake Thiel and team on first win for BC women at the CRC in two years.

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Day 1 Results from Canadian U19 Rugby Championship with Match Videos

Ontario looked ominous on Day 1 shutting out Alberta in both the men’s and women’s competition by scores of 67-0 and 29-0. Atlantic Rugby also claimed the double against Quebec, the men winning 46-0, and the women winning 24-5.

BC will play Atlantic tomorrow in both men’s and women’s divisions which will give a good indication of where the teams stand. In the men’s competition it’s looking like BC, Ontario, Atlantic will be the contenders. In women’s play Ontario will be looking to defend their title with Atlantic being the main contender to date, BC women didn’t win a game last year so it will be interesting what BC, under new coach Jake Thiel, can accomplish tomorrow against a strong Atlantic team.

Men’s Division

Ontario 67 – Alberta 0

Atlantic 46 – Quebec 0

Women’s Division

Ontario 29 – Alberta 0

Atlantic 24 – Quebec 5

from Rugby Canada

The 2025 Canadian U19 Rugby Championships are set to be hosted by Rugby Alberta July 20 to 27 at Calgary Rugby Park.

Both the women’s and men’s competition will feature teams from BC, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic. This will be the third time that a women’s U19 Canadian Championship with regional teams has been staged. The previous co-ed tournaments were held in 2023 at Acadia University and in 2024 at the University of British Columbia.

This year’s championship promises to be a critical evaluation opportunity for Canada’s U20 teams. Representatives from both the women’s and men’s U20 programs will attend to assess talent and connect with provincial coaches.

”The Canadian U19 Rugby Championships are a vital part of our U20 national team identification process” said Christiaan Esterhuizen, Head Coach of Canada’s Men’s U20 Team. “This gives us a clear view of how players perform under pressure, how they adapt to different styles of play, and how they carry themselves within a team environment. It’s a key checkpoint in evaluating not just physical talent, but mindset and game understanding. We’ll be working closely with provincial coaches, to assess potential candidates for the 2026 U20 program. The tournament is also a great celebration of Canadian rugby—it’s about connection, growth, and setting the standard for what’s possible in our pathway.”

“The Canadian U19 Rugby Championships provide an excellent opportunity to evaluate the next generation of potential national team players for the U20 program. The CRC U19 is a vital competition for identifying athletes in a best-on-best national environment” said Dean Murten, Head Coach of Canada’s U20 Women’s Team. “We have seen the level of play increase over the last few years, and I am extremely excited to see the talent on display in 2025.”

Rugby Canada would like to thank Rugby Alberta and the Calgary Rugby Union for hosting this year’s event. Their support and dedication are instrumental in providing a platform for the nation’s top U19 rugby players to compete and develop.

“Rugby Alberta is excited to welcome the top U19 players from across Canada to Calgary for the 2025 Canadian Rugby Championships” said Chris Cooke, President of Rugby Alberta. “We are looking forward to a week of top-notch competition showcasing the next generation of players from across the country. We encourage all rugby fans to take in a match whether it’s experiencing first class Western hospitality in person at the Calgary Rugby Park, or joining in on the action via the online stream.”

All matches are free to attend and will take place at Calgary Rugby Park.

SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES LOCAL)

Monday July 21
10:00am – Alberta vs Ontario (Men)
12:00pm – Alberta vs Ontario (Women)
2:00pm – Quebec vs Atlantic (Men)
4:00pm – Quebec vs Atlantic (Women)

Tuesday July 22
2:00pm – Atlantic vs BC (Men)
4:00pm – Atlantic vs BC (Women)

Wednesday July 23
2:00pm – Quebec vs Ontario (Men)
4:00pm – Quebec vs Ontario (Women)

Thursday July 24
12:00pm – Alberta vs BC (Men)
2:00pm – Alberta vs BC (Women)
4:00pm – Atlantic vs Ontario (Men)
6:00pm – Atlantic vs Ontario (Women)

Friday July 25
4:00pm – Quebec vs BC (Women)
6:00pm – Quebec vs BC (Men)

Saturday July 26
2:00pm – Alberta vs Atlantic (Women)
4:00pm – Alberta vs Atlantic (Men)

Sunday July 27
10:00am – BC vs Ontario (Men)
12:00pm – BC vs Ontario (Women)
2:00pm – Alberta vs Quebec (Men)
4:00pm – Alberta vs Quebec (Women)

Please note: Rugby Alberta will have a link to their webpage where results and standings will be updated.

HOW TO WATCH
YouTube: Rugby Alberta’s Youtube Channel
Updates: Rugby Alberta’s Website

Posted in Front Page, Youth Rugby.

2 Comments

  1. I have watched all of the BC games. I am impressed with the level of play. They are showing improvement in each game especially in their offloads. However, what strikes me is what is the pathway for these young men. It can’t just be the tip of spear in the Pride. How do you create multiple Prides for those who aren’t at university? You need depth to rebuild the Canadian program.

  2. The late great “ Buzz Moore” once said we (the clubs) help train and develop great young players in our youth and men’s program who attend University to develop further and then after their days of schooling is over they return to their clubs to further help develop, mentor and play for their clubs. The clubs that did this the best to name just a few were the Caps, Burnaby, Lomas, James Bay, Bayside: players of the past prided themselves on their pride and loyalty that they carry for their clubs, who helped developed them and for some also helped with bursary to help them attend university.

    To be clear and not to mislead any young player, every single clubs has an affiliation with every University, through the players they send, to learn and play at each University. Also, to be clear no club can get a player accepted to any University just because they play for a club (acceptance is based on academic standard, which should be the case) and if any club claims to be affiliated with any university, and says that they can get their player accepted, get it in writing.

    The pathway for these young men is through the club system, but not necessary by talent. We have to build strong values through the club system, values that promotes the characters of the young men for their clubs; pride, loyalty, sense of fair play, camaraderie, sense of communities, honesty, caring and playing for their clubs for the love of the game.

    I rather build a team of players that are all heart and soul than a team build on talent and $$$. The program that is build on heart and soul will endure forever vs a team but on talent and $$$ that will only last so long.

    Where are the Buzz Moore?

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