Capilano News – March 2023

Capilano Rugby Club Features in Two North Shore News Articles: Elias Ergas North Shore Player and Black Ferns Visit Club

The North Shore News ran a couple of articles that featured the Capilano Rugby Club. The first one featured Elias Ergas, a North Shore player, the second article focused on the visit to the Capilano Rugby Club by the Black Ferns.

Elias Ergas the latest North Shore player hit the BC Place pitch for Canada Sevens
from North Shore News by Andy Prest

The first points that North Shore rugby star Elias Ergas ever scored for Canada’s national men’s sevens team could not have been scripted much better.

He was at home, playing against Spain in the 2021 Canada Sevens tournament at BC Place in Vancouver, and as he touched down for a try, he raised his head up to a perfect sight.

“I remember touching the ball down and looking in the crowd ahead of me,” he said. “And I saw my parents and all my friends and family.”

It was a moment made possible both by a tournament that brings something entirely unique to the Vancouver sports scene, as well as a rugby culture on the North Shore that has helped local players reach the sport’s biggest stage for decades…

And if you’ve been there, you’ve most likely seen a North Shore player hit the field. Starting with the Capilano Rugby Club and the powerhouse programs at Carson Graham, Collingwood, Rockridge and a number of other North Shore schools, there’s an impressive rugby system here built on the strength of coaches and organizers who are passionate about the game and its players.

Ergas first picked up a rugby ball while in elementary school at Mulgrave, and then pushed his game to its peak while playing for Collingwood, Capilano and the University of British Columbia. And before he earned his way onto the pitch as a player at the Canada Sevens, he was a fan in the stands.

“I went to every single Vancouver sevens growing up,” he said in a phone call last week while preparing for the USA Sevens in Los Angeles. “Going to Vancouver sevens as a young kid in high school and watching the previous team have all the success they had, and then being able to try to mimic them at home in front of friends and family – it’s a surreal experience for sure.”

He is following in the footsteps of other Capilano Rugby Club players who have suited up for the national sevens teams, players like Akio Tyler, Christoph Steuben, Garth Prouse, Mike Langley and Ryan Stewart on the men’s side, and Andrea Burk and Mandy Marchak on the women’s side. North Shore players Harry Jones and Adam Zaruba were key members of the most successful national sevens team, starring for Canada while Ergas was watching from the stands.

More at North Shore News

Indigenous cultures blend as Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Nations welcome New Zealand rugby stars
by Mina Kerr-Lazenby

It was a warm welcome for the New Zealand rugby sevens teams on Tuesday, with both the All Blacks and Black Ferns greeted with joyous song, dance and a cultural showcasing from two local Nations.

As a host Nation of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation had invited the participating teams to come together for a few days of cultural sharing, with the New Zealand All Blacks visiting the Nation at its community centre in North Vancouver on Tuesday.

Each greeted one another through traditional song and dance, before young Tsleil-Waututh Nation members were invited to take to the floor and toss a ball around with the prominent players.

The All Blacks, one of the most famous teams in international rugby, represent the culture of New Zealand and its indigenous M?ori people on the sporting stage. The teams are known worldwide for their iconic Haka tradition, a war cry and ceremonial performance that precedes each game.

In a statement, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation said it hoped the hosting of a sporting team of such high calibre would serve as inspiration for its members.

“In addition to sharing their home, stories and culture with these international guests, Tsleil-Waututh is proud to host this prestigious team to inspire our people with their commitment and sportsmanship,” it said.

Tsleil-Waututh Chief Jen Thomas said she was “beyond excited” for the cultural exchange.

“I know that this will be a memorable visit for both Tsleil-Waututh and the New Zealand All Blacks for many years to come,” she said.

On Tuesday the S?wx?wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) also welcomed the Black Ferns, New Zealand’s women’s rugby team and five-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winners.

Initially planned to take place outdoors on the field, a blanket ceremony was instead held at the Capilano Rugby Club’s clubhouse in West Vancouver’s Klahanie Park, after the previous day’s extreme weather saw the field filled with snow.

The two cultures came together over ceremonial song, dance and food, all tucking into a vast salmon lunch, before the New Zealand players were shrouded in vivid, traditional Coast Salish blankets.

More at North Shore News

Posted in BC Premier.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *