In Touch Newsletter Issue 3 – Public puts Private on Notice
Quw’utsun shocks Shawnigan, Claremont Rattles SMUS
Phil Smith has come up with a great resource for high school rugby on the Island and in BC. It’s a newsletter “Covering High School Rugby on Vancouver Island and British Columbia”. We’ve included a link below to download the full .pdf version which is formatted and includes photos. We’ve also copied some of the text below for a quick read.
Download In Touch – Issue 3 in .pdf
This week featured outstanding games and historic results for Island Boys High School rugby. Most rugby folk
have lamented the domination of private school rugby programs, with their larger coaching staffs and budgets,
and have quietly hoped for more competition from public schools. While Oak Bay has always been near the
top, two results this week showed that both Claremont, who came within a whisker of beating SMUS, and
Quw’ustun, who beat Shawnigan for the first time in living memory, are now near the top of the high school
pecking order. The game reports are below.
Games This Week
With Spring Break from March 17-March 29, there are no
matches scheduled.
Shawnigan is travelling to Japan on a rugby tour.
Power Rankings March 15
1. Quw’utsun
2. Oak Bay
3. Shawnigan
4. SMUS
5. Claremont
Games Last Week
Quw’utsun stuns Shawnigan, SMUS makes narrow escape
Shawnigan (5) at Quw’utsun (21)
Three Stars:
★★★ Max Lang (Quw’utsun)
★★ Milo McDonald (Shawnigan)
★ Josh Williams (Quw’utsun)
Wet weather and a muddy field (juniors played right before) played a role in the game.
SLS had the ball for most of the first quarter of the game but couldn’t punch it in with knock ons or goal line fever.
Quw’utsun got some penalties, and marched down and scored on some strong running 7-0.
Shawnigan responded well before a 70 metre intercept try by Quw’utsun’s winger. 14-0 at half.
SLS came out of half determined and scored 14-5. But as the game went on, Quw’utsun gained more
momentum and confidence, knowing they were on the verge of something special. They got one more
intercept try and won 21-5.
Max Lang and Josh Williams were immense for Quw’utsun. This is Lang’s second week on the trot
that he was the top player.
For Shawnigan, prop Milo McDonald played well until he left the field injured. Next week, they
embark on a rugby tour to Japan and will look to regroup.
Claremont (26) at SMUS (27)
Three Stars:
★★★ Ferg Jessop (Claremont)
★★ Jack Driscoll (SMUS)
★ Braxton Lechner (SMUS)
An exciting season opener could hardly have been closer, as SMUS and Claremont made light of a
slippery ball and greasy conditions to share eight tries and entertain a boisterous crowd. In the end, a
penalty goal by Blue Jags fly half Jack Driscoll, seconds before the final whistle, proved to be the
difference.
The hosts started strongly, with centre Quinn McMeekin and left wing Declan Longridge dotting
down. However, in what was a consistent theme throughout the match, the Spartans rebounded
strongly. Outstanding hooker Ferg Jessop notched two of his three tries on the afternoon, with a
conversion by JW Lee securing a 12-10 half time lead. Indeed, only some desperate SMUS scramble
defence kept the scoreline from ballooning further, as the Claremont attack, superbly marshalled by
scrum half Jake Eastman, made dangerous inroads on many occasions.
After intermission, Longrdige crashed over for his second score, before lock Sebastian Allard,
prominent throughout, registered a try. Driscoll added two well struck conversions to see SMUS
retake the lead at 24-12. Undeterred, the Spartans roared back in the final ten minutes. Jessop
completed his hatrick while Lee added a tally of his own after a quick tap near the SMUS line caught
the hosts napping. He then added the extras, with the clock approaching the red, to take his team in
front 26-24.
The game swung on the final restart. A teasing hanging ball from Driscoll was recovered by SMUS,
who then worked through the phases into the Claremont 22. While Eastman and others put in
tackle after tackle, eventually a ruck infraction gave Driscoll a chance for glory. From wide out on the
left, he never looked like missing, as the ball split the uprights to secure a one point victory.
For SMUS, prop Braxton Lechner scrummaged strongly and carried well.
Junior Rugby Roundup
Brentwood (40) at Royal Bay (15)
Brentwood overcame an athletic Royal Bay outfit to win reasonably comfortably on Tuesday. Top
players for Brentwood were Tommy Kupoluyi and Sebastian Moolman, while number eight Jack
flew for the Ravens.
Shawnigan (0) at Quw’utsun (27)
Quw’utsun did the double by winning both the junior and senior games. Shawnigan coach Remi
Anctil said that Quw’utsun were slick and well worth their win, while he remarked that his side is
a work-in-progress and were developing nicely.
Claremont (19) at SMUS (21)
In a heart-breaking replay of the senior game the day before, Claremont once again lost out to a
composed SMUS on the final play of the game. SMUS can take credit for finding ways to win.
Island Boys First XV Stars Competition Leaderboard
March 15
Max Lang (QU) 6
Jasper Keast (OB) 3
Owen Duncan (Cla) 3
DJ Banks (SLS) 3
Ferg Jessop (Clar) 3
Olivier Balek (BCS) 2
Ben Bjorndal (Bat) 2
Miles Scott (MtD) 2
Tanner Evans (ADSS) 2
Jack Driscoll 2
Milo McDonald 2
Short Lineout
One person’s opinion, expressed succinctly
Ebb Tide rugby looks like it’s flourishing, judging by the turnout at their over-38 game last
weekend. With the amount of rugby wisdom on the pitch, the Ebb Tide should partner with the
local referees society to provide savvy refs for local high school games.
–Phil Smith
One of the biggest problems with the private school system is the recruiting, locally, nationally and internationally. Something that public schools are not allowed to do.