Whether old-school purists or trendy new-wave followers, it was rugby-palooza for fans Saturday on the Island.
There was traditional XVs action at Macdonald Park with the historic club James Bay Athletic Association getting 19 points from 2011 Canadian World Cup player Sean White in recording a critical 24-10 sa国际传媒 Premier League victory over Capilano.
Across town, it was the Rio Olympics-bound sevens version of the sport on ample display as the University of Victoria Vikes defeated the defending-champion Western Ontario Mustangs 35-5 in the men鈥檚 final at the Canadian university championships at Westhills Stadium in Langford. UVic went undefeated at 7-0. RMC won the Bowl and McMaster the Plate.
The Guelph Gryphons successfully defended the women鈥檚 university sevens championship by downing the Calgary Dinos in the final. McMaster won the Bowl, Alberta the Plate and UVic the Shield on the female consolation side.
Most sports would love to have rugby鈥檚 growing world profile. Just ask the likes of wrestling, baseball and softball, which have been banished to the Olympic junkyard while rugby gets added. sa国际传媒 seems well-poised in this brave new world of sevens with the national men鈥檚 team ranked in the world top-10 and the Canuck women 鈥� like the men also Langford-based 鈥� rated聽 in the world top-five.
The university tournament took place just after Own the Podium announced major federal funding for the Canadians sevens program to prepare for its Olympic debut at Rio 2016.
The Canadian university sevens championships, in their third year, have already unearthed potential Olympians such as Western Ontario Mustangs-grad Conor Trainor and McMaster-grad Tyler Ardron.
The Vikes made the men鈥檚 championship game Saturday despite missing their three Canadian national team veterans 鈥� Phil Mack, Nathan Hirayama and Sean Duke 鈥� to injury. But the Vikes compensated with a roster brimming with young, emerging players such as Fergus Hall, Pat Kay, Doug Fraser, Beau Parker James Pitblado, Kane Wyatt, Liam Murray, Nathan Yanagiya, Dustin Dobrovsky and Jamie MacKenzie. UVic鈥檚 depth was evident in that both its squads made the semifinals with the Vikes beating the Norsemen 35-12. Western edged UBC 19-17 in the other men鈥檚 semifinal.
Meanwhile, James Bay left little doubt against Capilano in the sa国际传媒 Premier fixture at Macdonald Park as the Bays took sole possession of top spot at 7-2 while sending the defending champion Caps to 6-3 as White hit for four penalty goals, a convert and ran across a try. Former national team sevens player Neil Meechan also scored a try for James Bay.
A strong start was the key.
鈥淥ur first half was as close to perfection, as close to error-free, as we can play,鈥� said James Bay head coach Pete Rushton, who welcomed Canadian 2007 World Cup captain Morgan Williams back to the lineup.
鈥淭here is still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done. But this was a great result for us. Our goal is to win the league and get home-field advantage for the playoffs.鈥�
That objective got a lot closer Saturday.
