Kamloops Wins Women’s Title; Rocky Mountain Rogues Win Men’s Title
from BCRU
Kamloops Rugby Club lifted the inaugural Womens Saratoga Cup title while the Rocky Mountain Rogues made it back-to-back Mens Championship wins following an action-packed weekend in Kamloops.
Held over two days in front of bumper crowd at Exhibition Park, the home of Kamloops Rugby Club, the 2022 tournament produced plenty of thrills and explosive Rugby throughout.
This year marked the first Womens Championship in the events history, contested in Rugby 7s format. The womens event kicked off with Pool matches on Saturday to determine the seedings for Sundays semi-finals and final.
After two days of intense action, hosts Kamloops rounded off an unbeaten weekend to topple a spirited Terrace RFC side 26-15 in the final and become the first side to lift the new Womens Saratoga Cup. Elk Valley RFC claimed a 39-0 win over Kelowna Crows for third place.
In the Mens competition, defending champions Rocky Mountain Rogues made it successive championship wins following a 24-5 win over Terrace Northmen to take the Cup back to Cranbrook for the second year running. Vernon Jackals defeated Elk Valley RFC 41-0 to claim third place.
*Saratoga Cup for BC Northern and Interior Clubs Takes Place Sept 9-10 in Kamloops*
from BCRU
Taking place at Kamloops Exhibition Park, the home of Kamloops Rugby Club, on September 9-10, the 2022 Saratoga Cup event will showcase the best of mens and womens Rugby from some of BCs Northern and Interior Clubs.
The inaugural Womens competition will take place alongside the mens competition and features five teams competing 7s Rugby in round robin format.
Champions will be declared after all matches are played. Womens teams from the following Clubs are confirmed for this years event:
Elk Valley RFC
Kamloops Rugby Club
Kelowna RFC
Prince George Vixens
Terrace RFC
The Mens competition will see four teams compete two semi-finals, with winners playing out the championship match for the coveted Saratoga Cup. Semi-final losers will also play a third-place playoff match. The Mens teams confirmed for this years event are:
Terrace Northmen Winners Central Interior Rugby Union
Rocky Mountain Rogues Winners Kootenay Cup
Vernon Rugby Club Winners Okanagan Rugby Union
Elk Valley Runner up from Kootenay Cup
The Rocky Mountain Rogues will be looking to make it back-to-back Saratoga Cup triumphs after they defeated Williams Lake Rustlers in last years final. Terrace Northmen, who lifted the Cup in 2019 before the global pandemic hit, claimed third in 2021, and Vernon Rugby Club finished in fourth.
ABOUT THE SARATOGA CUP
Held over two days, the Saratoga Cup brings together BCs most geographically dispersed Clubs, from north-west to south-east, and is one of the most prestigious events in the BC Rugby calendar.
The Saratoga Cup is contested by teams from three regions: the Okanagan, the Kootenays, and the Interior. Contrary to the Island and Lower Mainland Rugby communities, these regions play their Rugby during the summer months on account of the challenging winter weather that they experience between Fall and Spring.