Away from home in rugby, it wasn鈥檛 so good as the Langford-based men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 national sevens teams opened the 2016 Rio Olympics season with dismal results. The winless men were swept by Fiji, Argentina and Japan in pool play Friday, while the World No. 2 women finished a disappointing sixth, both at the Dubai Sevens.
On the home front, the defending champion University of Victoria Vikes (9-0) go for their 12th Barnard Cup title today at 1 p.m. at Wallace Field against the Castaway Wanderers (5-4). The competition, for Island Premier men鈥檚 rugby supremacy, has been held since 1911.
This is UVic鈥檚 third consecutive Barnard Cup final after a 35-17 victory over CW last year and 26-23 loss to 55-time champion James Bay in 2013.
Unlike club teams, a varsity squad such as UVic loses players to graduation. That is compounded by the fact UVic鈥檚 success also means that plenty of Vikes players are on national team call-ups throughout the year, such as now in Dubai. But the Vikes鈥� depth is almost scary.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got good players always knocking on the door waiting for their chances,鈥� said Vikes head coach Doug Tate, listing Isaac Kaay, Liam Chisholm and Gradyn Bowd among that emerging group this year.
Undefeated UVic, however, needs to be wary today as CW kept it tight in its two encounters this year against the Vikes 鈥� which were 29-23 and 29-20 UVic wins.
鈥淐W made it close in both games,鈥� said Tate.
UVic, CW and JBAA (3-5) have advanced to the sa国际传媒 Premiership in 2016, while Westshore Velox Valhallians (0-8) will play in the sa国际传媒 Division 1.
Burnaby Lake and UBC Thunderbirds meet today in the Mainland Cup Premier final.
The Times Cup final, for Island Division 1 supremacy between the Cowichan Green Piggies and Port Alberni Black Sheep, goes today at 1 p.m. at Herd Road in Duncan.
