Year End Review – Part 2 April to June 2023

A Review of the 2nd Quarter of 2023, April to June, UBC Claim BC Premier Titles, Canada Men’s 7s Win Relegation Tournament, PR7s, Pacific Four Series, MLR Wraps Up Regular Season, High School Championships, Canada U20

We reflect on the second 3 months of 2023, from April to June, selecting 20 stories that highlighted what was happening in local, national and international rugby news from a Canadian west coast perspective.

April

UBC cleaned up in the BC Premier winning both the men’s and women’s titles. The national women’s XVs team opened the Pacific Four Series in Ottawa with a win over USA. In the Hong Kong 7s the women finished 6th while the men finished 14th and the relegation tournament was looming large. The men also played in the Singapore 7s and finished 14th. The PR7s league was in Victoria and held trials, Robin MacDowell organized that event. In MLR they had reached Week 10 in April and 35 Canadians were in action that weekend.

Canada Defeat USA 50-17 to Open Women’s Pacific Four Series: Full Match Video

Hong Kong 7s Wrapup: Women Finish 6th in 12 Team Tournament; Men Finish 14th in 16 Team Tournament and the Relegation Tournament Looms Larger

Canada Finish 14th in Singapore, The Relegation Scenarios Get Real: MATCH VIDEOS

This Sunday at Wallace Field, UVic – Youth Rugby Camp in the Morning and PR7s Trial in the Afternoon

Ottawa to Host Women’s Pacific Four Series in July; Canada, USA, NZ, Australia

MLR Week 10 Wrapup: 35 Canadians in Action, 22 Starters, 13 Reserves; San Diego Leads West, New England Tops East

BC Finals Weekend: UBC Win Men’s & Women’s Premier Championship – Nanaimo, Kats, Ravens, Meraloma, Comox Win Division Titles

May

In May the men’s U20 team toured to Uruguay and lost two matches to Uruguay and Spain. Stephen Aboud was hired as Director of High Performance. At the Toulouse 7s tournament the men put in a strong performance, finishing 4th, the women finished 10th. Noah Bain started his series (1 of 6) Playing Abroad in Taranaki. Top story was the men winning the London 7s relegation tournament and earning their spot on the series for 2023/24. MLR reached Week 15 and 41 Canadians were in action that week.

Canada U20 Lose to Uruguay 21-16: Roster Listed

Canada Men Finish 4th in Toulouse – Women Finish 10th: Match Videos

Canada Lose to Spain 21-9 in Men’s U20 Match: Canada U20 v USA U20 Matches June 6th and 10th

Rugby Canada Announce Stephen Aboud as Director of High Performance

From Canada to New Zealand: Playing Rugby Abroad in Taranaki Part 1

Heroic Effort by Men’s 7s Team in London Earns Core Team Status Next Season: Match Videos

MLR Week 15 Wrapup: 41 Canadians in Action, 22 Starters, 19 Reserves; San Diego Leads West, New England Secures 1st Place in East

June

St. George’s won the BC Boys AAA high school title and Yale won the Girls AAA title. Canada U20 lose the 2 game aggregate to USA 82-35 and won’t be attending the JWRT this year. BC Bears lost both games in the Coast to Coast Cup, the Arrows Academy go on to win that tournament. MLR wrapped up the regular season and we chose a Canadian MLR XXIII. Robin MacDowell was working wonders in the PR7s circuit with his Loonies team as they go top of the standings.

BC Based Players Competing in the Southern Hemisphere This Summer: Sixteen and Counting – Also Match Report on Gabe Casey and Merlin M’Cloud at Sumner RFC

St. George’s Wins Boys AAA Title, Collingwood AA; Yale Wins Girls AAA Title, Shawnigan AA

U20: Canada Lose Game #2 39-14 and Series on Aggregate 82-35: FULL MATCH REPLAY

BC Fall to Arrows Academy 32-27: Coast to Coast Cup Title Determined on Saturday Atlantic v Arrows Academy

MLR – Crunching the Numbers at End of Season: We Pick a Canadian MLR XXIII and Look at Participation Numbers

PR7s: Canadian Women Shine in Western Tournament Kickoff: Loonies Go Top of Standings

Posted in Editorials, Front Page.