UBCOB Ravens – October 2023

Posted on October 23, 2023October 25, 2023 by MarkB

Open Rugby is the Legacy: Ravens 42 – UBC 24 Match Report

by Peter MacDonald

The fifty year friendship and rivalry between these two fraternal clubs resumed at Jericho on a pleasant October day before a good crowd. To add to the competition members of both clubs recently got together and purchased a cup, “The Legacy Cup” to be competed for between the Premier sides annually on a two-game total points basis. Hopefully the two clubs can meet again in the playoffs where UBC will look to make up the now 18 point deficit.

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CanWest Women’s XV 2023

Posted on October 22, 2023October 25, 2023 by MarkB

UBC Win 4th Consecutive CanWest XVs Title: UVic Finish 2nd – National Finals in Quebec City November 1-5

UBC won their 4th consecutive CanWest title with the UVic Vikes finishing 2nd. Both teams will advance to the national finals in Quebec City from November 1st to 5th.

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BC Rugby Weekend of October 21st 2023

Posted on October 21, 2023October 25, 2023 by MarkB

BC Premier Week 2: Burnaby Defeat Bays; Pride Overcome CW; Lomas Edge Westshore; Vikes Top Caps; Ravens Soar Past UBC: Rosters & Results

Week 2 of the Premier season kicks off on Saturday. There are four undefeated teams going into Week 2: Pacific Pride, CW, Meraloma and Burnaby.

We ended up 5 for 5 on the predictions this week, 9 for 10 over 2 weeks – a record we’ll no doubt fail to maintain over the course of the season.

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Canada v Wales – Women’s WXV Series

Posted on October 21, 2023October 25, 2023 by MarkB

Canada Defeat Wales 42-22 in Round One of WXV 2023: Video Highlights

from World Rugby

A committed second half saw Canada score an entertaining 42-22 victory over Wales in their opening WXV 1 match.

Canada’s influential captain and number eight Sophie de Goede wasted no time stamping her mark on the game, a strong carry into the 22 set up a series of patient phases near the Welsh try-line. De Goede waited for the perfect opportunity to pounce, spotting a gap in close to dive over.

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Canada Men’s 7s Update – October 2023

Posted on October 18, 2023October 25, 2023 by MarkB

Sean White Confirmed as Men’s 7s Coach Through to Paris 2024

Finally some good news from Rugby Canada on the coaching front, Sean White has been confirmed as head coach through to Paris 2024. The only question is why only a year when Kingsley Jones was given two years and failed to meet objectives, qualifying for the World Cup. Sean White brought a team back from the brink of falling off the World 7s Series and therefore potentially saving the Vancouver 7s as a stop on the World 7s Series. He deserves this and more. I suppose using Rugby Canada logic, if Canada fail to qualify for Paris 2024 he’s guaranteed a 2 year extension after that.

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World Rugby Updates – October 2023

Posted on October 17, 2023October 25, 2023 by MarkB

World Rugby Officially Announces La Vila International Rugby Cup with Spain, Brazil, Canada, USA

Knowledge of the tournament was already out in the public domain last week but World Rugby just announced it officially today.

Spain seem to be embracing rugby more lately, and World Rugby seems to be pushing the sun, fun, rugby theme more. Recall that Spain was the first venue announced for the “new and improved” 7s series that World Rugby rolled out, the 7s series finale will be held in Madrid in June.

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Rugby Canada Updates – October 2023

Posted on October 16, 2023October 25, 2023 by MarkB

Rugby Canada Extends Kingsley Jones Contract for Two Years – Reaction from the Rugby Community

[editor’s comments below]

You know the joke, an American, an Irishman and a Welshman walk into a bar – the punch line of the joke is Rugby Canada. An American CEO backed by World Rugby money, hires an Irish High Performance Director who extends the contract of a Welsh coach. A coach who oversaw Canada not making the World Cup for the first time in Rugby World Cup history, losing to USA, Uruguay and Chile. A coach who hasn’t been able to get the top European professionals to commit to playing for Canada. A coach who has seen the morale of the men’s XVs program at an all time low and long time supporters walk away from the game in disbelief at Rugby Canada’s decision making.

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The 2009 BC Bears

Posted on October 16, 2023October 25, 2023 by MarkB

A Look Back at 2009 BC Bears Preparation for the Inaugural ARC Under the Leadership of Mike James

[editor’s comments below]

This trip in the wayback machine was prompted by the Facebook discussion on the Rugby Canada announcement of Kingsley Jones contract extension for 2 years. Some of the discussion is entertaining, some is informative and some educational for all the wrong reasons.

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BC Rugby Weekend of October 14th 2023

Posted on October 14, 2023October 27, 2023 by MarkB

BC Premier Week 1 Vikes Upset UBC; CW Dominate Bays; Burnaby Edge Caps; Pride Crush Spartans; Lomas Ground Ravens: Results and Rosters

Note: A couple of well loved and prominent members of the BC Rugby community passed last week, Kevin “Lunk” Wirachowski from Velox/Westshore and Ken Peace from Abbotsford. There will likely be a moments silence at some matches this weekend to honour and remember them. More info can be found on the respective club facebook pages, Westshore and Abbotsford.

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