UBCOB Ravens

UBCOB Ravens – February 2025

Interesting Game, Interesting End, Ravens 38 – UBC 38: Report by Peter MacDonald

On a sunny, cool, Lunar New Year’s Saturday this friendly rivalry produced a parade of tries and a snaky twist in the dying seconds to produce a tie, three points to each team and much respect to the improved UBC squad. It is tough to win when you are emphatically losing your set scrums and that was the case for the Ravens who were regularly owned by the UBC pack throughout the game.


Both teams scored six tries with four conversions and each team dominated one half with the Ravens scoring five tries to UBC’s two in the first and UBC coming on in the second to tally four to the Ravens’ one. The Ravens’ physicality served them well early as they scored three first half tries from close range and two on the overlap after breaking tackles in the midfield. But UBC hung around on the strength of its forwards in set play and the foot of #10 James Biss. Evidence of both were presented in the first 10 minutes as a big UBC surge at an early set portended trouble and Biss’s high angled kick to winger Max McGavern for a try gave notice of Biss’s potential impact on the game.

Entering the second half down 33-14 UBC promptly knocked on the Ravens’ kickoff. But at the set the UBC push drew a penalty against the Ravens who were then sent back to their line by a UBC kick to touch from which UBC eventually scored through a Biss touch down, 33-21 to the Ravens but the die was cast. UBC’s conditioning and organization, Biss’s short range kicks pressurizing the Raven defenders and UBC’s set scrum strength brought them to a one try deficit at 38-31 with 10 minutes to go.

At 77 minutes an interesting call at a set made life difficult for the Ravens. The Ravens had the put in but the two front rows very slowly sunk to the ground in place after engagement with a penalty awarded against the Ravens. UBC’s kick to touch set them up to attack from close range and Biss laid down a well weighted grubber as the Ravens came up and centre Alistair Marshall ran on to touch it down with Stephen Webb slotting the kick to tie things up.

The UBC players rushed in the get the ball after the kick (a la soccer) and hustled to see that play resumed quickly, confident in their ability to finish off the job. But as they say, “careful what you wish for”. With time running down the Ravens’ winger Ben Greenstein made a low open field tackle on a UBC player who was isolated and then called for not releasing when the Ravens came to jackal. Up stepped Nick Blain to take the winning shot at goal from a makeable distance left of centre. He struck it beautifully down the middle with plenty of distance but at the last second the ball drew left, hit the upright and fell to the ground where a UBC player knocked it on in trying to field it. Heartbreak at the miss turned to opportunity at the forthcoming scrum but, after what felt like a long pause, the whistle blew again and that was it.

For the Ravens, debutants Owain Ruttan, Ethan MacDonald and Logan Henry had good outings as did Josh Christy, Don Carson and Hamish Janes. The Ravens substituted fully and had some regular first team guys playing in the reserves so there is a lot to work with. UBC’s mobile locks Gupta and McNulty had strong games as did captain Reimu Wilson-Valdes but their front row anchored by Peyton Tenecke was the story. Webb at scrum half gave great service and centre Liam James, son of Mike, showed great pace and feel for the game.

With snow on the ground and frozen fields likely this weekend it now looks like it will be a March 1 resumption of play. Perhaps the BCRU should have a look at playing on the Family Day and 7s weekends in future years or polling the clubs and players on the issue to get their take.

Posted in BC Premier, Front Page.

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