Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The second edition of the Canadian University Men’s Championship kicks off on Wednesday. Six teams from across the country will compete for the title with the University of Victoria acting as hosts. The teams have been drawn into two pools and will play three games each with the finals coming on Sunday.
All matches will be streamed live on the Rugby Canada Facebook page. Tickets, an official tournament program, and more information can be found here.
POOL A
UBC THUNDERBIRDS – CANADA WEST CHAMPIONS – WEBSITE
The T-Birds enter as Canada West champions and, more importantly, defending national champions. They are led by Curry Hitchborn who is technically in his first year as Head Coach but he has been with the program since 2013. Hitchborn was Director of Rugby Development for the Seattle Seawolves in their title-winning Major League Rugby season. UBC competes in the CDI Premier League and won three consecutive Rounsefell Cups before being beaten by the UBC Old Boys in May.
Despite sending Theo Sauder and Ben LeSage to the World Cup Repechage with Canada UBC still feature several age-grade internationals. Cali Martinez is a standout in a front row full of national u20 grads, with James Carson a workhorse in the second row and flanker Michael Smith impressing in this year’s World Rugby u20 Trophy tourney. Will Percillier is one of the country’s most promising halfbacks and Elias Ergas is a danger man out wide.
GUELPH GRYPHONS – OUA RUNNERS-UP – WEBSITE
Last year’s hosts finished as runners-up to Queen’s in Ontario. They are coached by Cory Hector, in his third year in the lead role and 10th all told with the team. He has also been part of the coaching setup with the Ontario (now Toronto) Arrows. Guelph are perennial contenders in Ontario with their graduates most notably contributing strongly to the the Brantford Harlequins who won back-to-back McCormick Cup titles before falling in this year’s final.
The Gryphons feature Arrows flanker Marcello Wainwright, scrumhalf Riley DiNardo, midfielder Kyle Lagasca, and the versatile Johnny Sheridan who is playing flyhalf. Second row Mac Kea, an Ontario Blues rep, is one of the biggest men in the competition and fullback Andrew Douglas was an OUA All-Star.
CONCORDIA STINGERS – RSEQ CHAMPIONS – WEBSITE
Quebec representatives Concordia return for a second year. Craig Beemer continues as Head Coach, a role he has filled for three seasons. He had been an assistant with the Stingers for two years previously, and for eight years with the McGill Redman before that. Beemer has overseen radical change at Concordia going from a 1-6 record in his first year to back-to-back RSEQ titles.
The Stingers have a competitive forward pack that is driven by a hard-working engine room of Dylan MacDonald and Canada u20 cap Jackson Marquardt. Livewire hooker Michael Laplaine-Pereira is the team’s leading try scorer and back row Lucas Hotton has captained the senior men’s provincial team and is a regular with the Atlantic Rock. Another Rock player and Canada age-grade selection is strong-running midfielder Charles DeBove.
POOL B
QUEEN’S GAELS – OUA CHAMPIONS – WEBSITE
The Gaels were heavily criticized for their decision not to participate in last year’s Championship despite being the Ontario champions. Thankfully this year they will take up the challenge under the guidance of David Butcher. The former professional player and Scottish Rugby High Performance Coach has held similar roles with Rugby Ontario and Rugby Canada before taking charge of the Queen’s program in 2017. The Gaels are a perfect 20-0 in competitive matches since Butcher arrived.
It all starts up front for the Gaels. Prop Pat Lynott played for the Arrows in the spring and hooker Brendan Blaikie is a senior Ontario Blues rep. Trevor Helgason forms an imposing second row alongside OUA All-Star Tristan Ruse, while No8 Nick De Lallo is a try-scoring machine. Fullback Lachlan Devir is another All-Star select and former UBC midfielder Cully Quirke will be aiming to meet his old team in the final.
UVIC VIKES – HOSTS – WEBSITE
In days gone by the Vikes were regarded as the arguably the nation’s best and they remain formidable though the favorites tag has shifted to UBC. Doug Tate has been an institution as Head Coach for 25 years, with Rick Farrally his right-hand man for 23 of them. Tate also coached the Canada Men’s Sevens side for five years while Farrally managed the team.
As with the T-Birds there is no shortage of national level athletes available to UVic. Ollie Nott is already been capped and fellow flanker James O’Neill captained the national u20s in Bucharest this year. Hooker Tyler Rockwell turned out for the u20s and Prairie Wolf Pack alongside O’Neill, and there are options at No8 in Carson O’Sullivan and impressive newcomer Nick Carson. Senior international Gradyn Bowd is a commanding figure at flyhalf and Aidan McMullan brings x-factor out wide.
UNB IRONMEN – MARITIME CHAMPIONS – WEBSITE
A traditional powerhouse of the Maritime provinces, the Ironmen replace UPEI as this year’s East Coast representative. Roy Hickey and Andy DuPlessis have coached the team since 2004 with Paul Wilson signing up a couple years later. Since then the team has lifted ten Maritime titles and recently celebrated their 50th anniversary with more than 400 alumni in attendance.
The scrum has served UNB well this season, with props Eddy Mahar and Jonathan Valema setting the standard, the latter a Blue Bulls Academy export. There is more Southern Hemisphere influence in the form of dynamic Australian eightman Billy Hornaday. Midfielders Alex Clark and Kyle Patterson are Canada u18 selects, and fullback Eric DuPlessis is a fierce attacker who is also a standout with the Fredericton Loyalists and New Brunswick Black Spruce.
SCHEDULE
| PT | ET | AT | TEAM 1 | TEAM 2 | VENUE |
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21
| 12:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | UBC | Concordia | Wallace Field |
| 14:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | Queen’s | UNB | Wallace Field |
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22
| 12:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | UBC | Guelph | Wallace Field |
| 14:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | Queen’s | UVic | Wallace Field |
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23
| 16:00 | 19:00 | 20:00 | UBC | Guelph | Centennial Stadium |
| 18:00 | 21:00 | 22:00 | UVic | UNB | Centennial Stadium |
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24
| 14:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | A3 | B3 | Wallace Field |
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25
| 11:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | A2 | B2 | Centennial Stadium |
| 13:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 | A1 | B1 | Centennial Stadium |
