MLR Final This Weekend But Legal Battle Brewing Off the Field
This weekend is the MLR final between New York and Seattle but there’s another battle brewing and it’s not on the field.
Category Archives: Editorials
From the Editor’s Desk – June 2022
From the Editor’s Desk: Catching up on Recent News – Olmstead to Agen; Parfrey to Deputy Minister of Health; Assmus and Zussman to Pacific Four and U18 Men to the Netherlands
We’ve been meaning to run these various stories but with news time ticking down we’ve compiled them into one article.
Evan Olmstead
Even Olmstead is moving from Biarritz to Agen for the next two seasons. Agen are struggling a bit in Pro D2, sitting in 13th place, two spots up from the relegation zone. His move there will hopefully help them move up in the rankings towards the Top 14 promotion zone.
From the Editor’s Desk – May 2022
From the Editor’s Desk: Canada West v American Raptors, Canada U20, PRCs, High School Rugby and Cole Davis to Atlanta
The BC Club finals are over so in BC the question is, what’s next?
This Saturday the American Raptors are visiting to take on the Canada West team, I’m expecting some PR from Rugby Canada on that soon. The game was going to take place at Starlight Stadium but it’s now been moved to Shawnigan Lake. The Raptors put 100+ points on the Seattle club team last weekend so they have some firepower.
From the Editor’s Desk – March 2022
More on the Rugby Canada High Performance Program Review: Letters from Chris Le Fevre and John Lecky
[ed. I’ve added another letter from John Lecky, his comments can be viewed in this .pdf document.]
Not that I particularly wanted to resurrect this as, I think, most have given up on Rugby Canada and just want to concentrate on grassroots rugby, club rugby and supporting provincial rugby. However I did say I would publish this open letter from Chris Le Fevre to the Chair of Rugby Canada, Sally Dennis. Chris Le Fevre is a former Rugby Canada board member and was also on the iRB (World Rugby) Executive Council. The letter is posted below (as an image).
Editorials – March 2022
Spain Qualify for World Cup: A Reflection on Canada’s Failed Campaign
Spain last qualified for the World Cup in 1999, congratulations to them. It prompts some self reflection for Canada who won’t be at the World Cup in 2023 for the first time in history.
From the Editor’s Desk – February 2022
Pat Kay Announces Retirement; Shanda Assmus Selected as World Cup Qualifier Match Official; Julianne Zussman Selected as Six Nations U20 Match Official
Pat Kay Retires
Pat Kay made a brief announcement on social media about his retirement from rugby. We understand he will focus on a career moving forward. We wish him all the best in his new endeavour.
From the Editor’s Desk – January 2022
Updates on Malaga 7s – NZ, Samoa, Fiji Drop Out; Matt Mullins Retires from National 7s Team; Canada 7s in Doubt; More on Tait Investigation Report
Malaga 7s
The news keeps getting better for Canada’s women’s team at Malaga, first NZ were replaced by Poland in their pool, then Fiji dropped out and weren’t replaced so it’s an automatic 3 points for the bye. It now comes down to Canada v USA for top of Pool B and 2nd place. The men haven’t been as fortunate as none of the changes affect Pool D. Jamaica replacing Samoa go into Pool C and Fiji were in Pool A.
Editorials – January 2022
Trying to Figure Out Canada’s Rugby Woes: Analyzing Common Responses
[editor’s comments below]
I had started this article in 2021, shortly after the men’s XVs program exited the World Cup qualifying with a loss to Chile. There were a lot of comments on where the solution lay. When I say “Canada’s Rugby Woes”, it’s specifically referring to the national men’s XVs demise. The national women’s XVs program is doing quite well.
Starting New in ’22
New Year, New Hope for 2022: Four to Watch in Canadian Rugby
2021 was not a good year for Canadian rugby, there’s little doubt about that. The women’s 7s program imploded, shrapnel from that implosion took out a couple of national coaches who were expected to lead Canada forward, the men’s XVs failed to make the World Cup for the first time in its history. COVID crushed everything around it, in particular the national U20 programs and local club rugby. It wasn’t a good year at all.
2021 Year in Review – November/December
Year in Review – A Look Back at November/December 2021 Headlines: Vancouver Wave Win Coastal Cup, National Men’s XVs Lose to Portugal but Beat Belgium, National Women’s XVs Win 3 of 4 Matches on Tour, UBC Win National Men’s University Title, 2021/22 World Rugby 7s Series Kicks Off in Dubai
The Vancouver Wave won the inaugural Coastal Cup over the Pacific Pride in November. The BC clubs had an abbreviated fall season with hopes the spring would bring back some return to normalcy. It’s still wait and see on that front as even though the schedule was announced to start January 22nd there’s still uncertainty around the BC Health Authority policies in the new year.