UBCOB Ravens - May 2025 - BC Rugby News

Ravens Cap Undefeated Season with Narrow Win over UBC Ravens 33 – UBC 24: Report by Peter MacDonald, Photos by Alistair Palmer

On a bright May day in Abbotsford, with a gusty wind blowing straight through the pitch from the south, two worthy finalists met to determine who would take the spoils and who would suffer a first defeat in months. Having played to a tie in February it was anyone’s guess who would prevail, the grizzled club men or the finely tuned student cohort.

The first 10 minutes were compelling. The UBC backs served notice of their threat right away making 50 metres from a first phase move which brought their blindside winger in out wide. Then, at the first Ravens’ set, UBC blew the Old Boys’ pack off the ball with ease as they had done repeatedly in February. That would be a theme throughout the game. But in answer to the students’ show of quality the Ravens showed their own class with some champagne rugby. Fullback Nick Blain fielded a rolling UBC kick behind his 22 and rather than clear to touch he checked his options and moved the ball right to winger Noah Bain. Bain was nearly forced out along the sideline but kept his feet and from there the ball moved quickly to the left sideline down the sideline and then across the pitch to the right corner where the originator, Nick Blain, dove in for the try and then converted it from a difficult angle in the wind 7-0 Ravens. The ball had moved through nearly the whole team and like a proper figure skating program it had covered the whole surface.

The precariousness of any lead between these two teams was clear when the kickoff floated in to Raven centre Logan Henry. At the last second the sun unsighted him and the ball bounced forward off his forehead towards the oncoming UBC players. Raven winger Cole Keffer tried to intervene but knocked on leaving UBC with a set 15 metres from the Ravens’ line. In no time UBC were over the line with a low dive and the try awarded only to have the near assistant referee confirm a second movement and assist in overturning the decision.

UBC levelled the score though at 27 minutes after a spell of dominance and near tries set up by their powerful scrum. Winger Demetri Patterson fielded a high clearing kick on the left sideline, deftly sidestepped the first tackler and set up a ruck near the line. From there UBC’s skillful #10 James Biss reversed the ball to centre Talon McMullin and he powered his way in, 7-7.

Both teams relied heavily on kicks from the base of the scrum and the Ravens got the bounce they were looking for moments later when Henry recovered the ball and flanker Ethan MacDonald eventually scored, bouncing off tacklers on his way to the posts, 14-7 Ravens. With a penalty goal at 33 minutes the Ravens appeared to be moving toward a 10 point advantage at the half but then Blain, inside his 22 again, fielded a kick and floated a pass out right to Bain but the ball drifted forward and the door was open to UBC and its pack to go to work. After a solid set a UBC pick and go sequence ended with a try and with Raven lock Ivan Shenton yellow carded for his role in a scuffle, 17-14 at the half. Two tries each in the half and UBC could have had more. But the Ravens were now finished with playing into both the wind and the sun.

The Ravens pinned UBC back into their end to start the half with UBC’s low clearing kicks not finding touch and the Ravens running it back at them. A Logan Henry apparent try from a flat pass from scrum half Jack Carson was called back as the pass was slightly forward. Then Blain just missed scoring in the left corner. Finally, after a Henry crash run, captain David O’Donoghue dove in from close range, 24-14 Ravens. But, for the third time, UBC answered as fullback Max McGavern combined with Patterson to run back a Raven kick 70 metres for a quick strike try, 24-21. At 48 minutes that would be it for tries.

The next 20 minutes saw a near UBC try foiled as a Raven defender ripped the ball away at the last second, a UBC missed penalty kick, a Noah Bain knock on in the tackle as he was about to cross the line for the Ravens, some messy Raven lineouts and a more settled Raven pack as coach Chris Taylor slotted into the front row… but no one scored.

Penalties and penalty kicks then settled the matter. The Ravens were awarded four in an eight-minute span near the end. Henry, with the wind at his back, middled three and hit the post on the last one. UBC were awarded two and opted for a set once, but failed to score, and slotted the other. In the late stages the Ravens wore down UBC to a slight degree and defended well with subs Sean Beckett and Ethan Berry leading the way. UBC’s discipline slipped a bit and the Ravens punished them with excellent penalty kicking under pressure.

UBC’s set scrummage, lineouts and structured back play were superior but the Ravens open play and attack and defence at the gain line were slightly stronger. It was a high-level game played in good spirit.

UBC props Ken Buckingham and Peyton Teneycke stood out in the pack with scrum-half Webb, Biss, McMullin and Patterson notable in the backs. Tireless #8 Joe Locke and O’Donoghue led the Raven forwards with Aaron McLelland, Henry and Cole Keffer standing out in the backs.

A shoutout to the UBC coaches led by Didier Banse and Bruce Rainer for elevating their squad from month to month throughout the season and to the Raven coaches Chris Taylor and Dan Cervino for persevering through long passages without games and maintaining the high standard that resulted in a perhaps unprecedented undefeated season.

Thanks to referee Saro Turner and his crew who did a professional job. Refereeing at a high level is an avocation that takes many years of commitment, education, experience and sacrifice but, like playing, it has its own many rewards.

Nick Blain scoring Ravens 1st try