Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The inaugural Coastal Cup season came to an end on Saturday afternoon with the Vancouver Wave claiming the title with a 26-17 win over the Pacific Pride to finish the season unbeaten. Though the competition was a round-robin format, the two sides occupied first and second place on the table entering the match making it a de facto final with the winner declared champion.
Klahanie Park served as the venue and the opening throes belonged to the Wave as they parked themselves inside Pride territory. Like clockwork they would score at the 5, 10, and 15 minute marks with Mike Moloney’s right boot on target with three successive penalty goals.
The Pride pulled up their socks and nearly scored via Gabriel Smith, the winger just steered into touch in a last-ditch tackle by Moloney. Another run from Smith was denied and Neil Courtney was over the ball quickest to earn a turnover. Moloney thumped the ball down the touchline to set up an attacking lineout.
Liam Doll set the target and strong runs by Colby Mason and Courtney put the Pride on the back foot as the Wave were suddenly knocking on the doorstep. A series of pick-and-go’s were repelled but when the ball came out Adam McQueen’s long cutout pass found Moloney, with the fullback handing off to Josh Powdrell for the honors in the corner. Moloney’s touchline conversion sailed through the uprights to make it 16-nil to Vancouver.
The fullback finally put a foot wrong when a high ball went too short and Moloney’s teammates were caught offside. Mark Balaski punched a superb touch-finder into the corner from halfway and the Pride had one last chance to score before the break. They made good on it, advancing briefly through the forwards before looking wide. Balaski’s kick-pass bounced off the grass and Moloney’s intercept attempt missed leaving Oliver Mackenzie with a free run around the left side for five points.
Drizzly and brisk conditions saw the two sides resorting to prolonged periods of aerial ping-pong. At last the Pride looked to counter with ball in hand, but Isaac Winter was wise to their plans and the Vancouver center snatched a loose pass from the air to run in under the posts. Moloney chipped over the extras as the Wave pulled away to a 23-5 lead. He would push a penalty attempt wide just short of the hour mark, but redeemed himself with a successful strike 10 minutes later to put the result beyond doubt.
Two consolation tries would be scored by the Pride before fulltime. The first came at the end of several attacking phases with Smith scoring in the right corner. The second would come on the penultimate play of the game. A set move from a lineout saw Dewald Kotze peeling around the back and connecting with Dawson Fatoric on the charge, who in turned popped off the deck to James O’Neill to crash over the line.
SCORING
PRIDE 17
Tries – O. Mackenzie (40′), G. Smith (71′), J. O’Neill (79′)
Cons – M. Balaski 1/3 (79′)
WAVE 26
Tries – J. Powdrell (32′), I. Winter (55′)
Cons – M. Moloney 2/2 (34′, 56′)
Pens – M. Moloney 4/5 (5′, 10′, 15′, 68′)
TEAMS
PACIFIC PRIDE
1 Emerson Prior, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Liam Murray, 4 Callum O’Neil, 5 Callum Botchar, 6 Matt Klimchuck, 7 James O’Neill (capt.), 8 Taitusi Vikilani, 9 Lucas Scheck, 10 Mark Balaski, 11 Gabriel Smith, 12 Dawson Fatoric, 13 Taylor Desouza, 14 Oliver Mackenzie, 15 Max Stewart
Replacements: 16 Nik Hildebrand, 17 Aaron Clark, 18 Blake van Heyningen, 19 Tom Davidson, 21 Caleb Barker, 22 William Daniels, 23 Justin Mariner
VANCOUVER WAVE
1 Pat Zuk, 2 Matías Suez, 3 Neil Courtney (capt.), 4 Liam Doll, 5 Mark Paddock, 6 Darragh Foley, 7 Jake Ikeda, 8 Wes Lee, 9 Thomas Viljoen, 10 Adam McQueen, 11 Johnny Franklin, 12 Isaac Winter, 13 Colby Mason, 14 Josh Powdrell, 15 Mike Moloney
Replacements: 16 Alex Carmel, 17 Ryan Chapman, 18 Jake Schwartz, 19 Dave Matthews, 20 Jalan Farris, 21 Giles Calder, 22 Jack Scher, 23 Jesse Hocking
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Chris Assmus (Canada)
FINAL STANDINGS
| TEAM | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP | PTS |
| Vancouver Wave | 6 | 0 | 0 | 194 | 106 | +88 | 3 | 27 |
| Pacific Pride | 4 | 1 | 1 | 188 | 113 | +75 | 4 | 22 |
| UBC Thunderbirds | 4 | 1 | 1 | 154 | 91 | +63 | 4 | 22 |
| Van East | 3 | 3 | 0 | 136 | 127 | +9 | 4 | 16 |
| Crimson Tide | 2 | 4 | 0 | 116 | 156 | -40 | 2 | 10 |
| UVic Vikes | 1 | 5 | 0 | 133 | 170 | -37 | 4 | 8 |
| Trinity Western Spartans | 0 | 6 | 0 | 77 | 235 | -158 | 0 | 0 |
