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Update on National U20 Competition: Vancouver Lead Pacific Conference
[ed. comments below]
posted June 8 2009
A reader sent in an enquiry about the U20 competition, it seems pretty low key from where I'm sitting. I get a lot more news reports from the BC U14, Regional U16 and U18 teams than I do from the three BC based U20 teams. So no wonder a reader wrote in "what's going on"?
On the Rugby Canada page there is an obscure link that takes you to the "National Junior Championship" but just as I was going to report on the results the website popped up a "Under Scheduled Maintenance" banner, who does server maintenance at 1:45 pm during the week?
OK it's back so here is the summary. Vancouver look to be the team to beat in the Pacific Conference. They've defeated Vancouver Island (36-8) and Fraser Valley (34-15) while the Valley defeated the Island (47-25) last weekend. There are three games left over the next three weekends with the Tide hosting both Vancouver and the Valley and Vancouver hosting Fraser Valley.
In other conferences Calgary look to be the team to beat in the Prairie Conference with a 2-0 record, while both the Central and Atlantic Conferences are only one game into the competition.
Fraser Valley Venom U20 vs Vancouver Island Crimson Tide U20: Part of French Barbarians v Canada weekend
posted June 24 2008
Another great "junior" event pits Fraser Valley U20 against Vancouver Island U20. The Venom won the last encounter so the Island will be looking for a little pay back. Should be a great game and will be one of the undercards for the main French Barbarians v Canada match. Game starts at 1:00 PM @ Bullen Park.
Vancouver Island Crimson Tide U20 Roster
Dan James - Prop CRFC
Jesse Kliman - 8 man UWO
Alex Reid - wing UWO
Ellis Gray - wing Dalhousie
Lucas Parker - flanker Velox
John Ogilvy - scrum half Velox
Chris Pratt - wing/FB Velox
Phil Erb - Prop Velox
Doug de la Mare - Fly half Velox
Nat Waldman - Scrum Half JBAA
Jon Morris - Fly Half CW
Brandon Gerhardt - Flanker JBAA
Mark Chabot - Prop CRFC
Matt Doyle - wing/center CW
Connor Bottrell - Lock Velox
Garet Graeme - Fullback CW
Kieran Gudmundseth - Wing CRFC
Rob Thomas - Hook/Flanker CRFC
Winston Lawrence - Hook CW
Eugene Lavarenko - Flanker JBAA
Ashton Hyde - Flanker CRFC
Simon Wilkes - Wing/FB CRFC
Cam Polson - Lock Velox/RMC
Dave Grisdale Coach
Brynn Norris Trainer
Tony Watson Manager
Fraser Valley Venom U20 Roster
1. Thomas Agafonou
2. Remi Anctil
3. Lucas de Beer
4. Dustin De Jongh
5. Malcolm Fairweather
6. Alfonso Ferraro
7. Ross Ferraro
8. Vince Ferraro
9. Trevor Giesbrecht
10. Chris Gilding
11. Nick Hammerschmidt
12. Levi Hansen
13. Jonathan Hill
14. Nic Johnston
15. Cameron Knowles
16. Nigel Koit
17. Bryan Laserich
18. Robert Levy
19. Ryan McHollister
20. Dominic Midgley
21. Robert Sisson
22. Taylor Stogryn
23. Kyle Vanderveen
24. Corey Wood
25. Kirk Wyss
Coaches – Jason Young, Surven Lal
Manager – Jim Ryan
Trainer – Walter Johnstone
RCSL Inaugural U20 League: 6 Western Teams and 3 Eastern Teams
RCSL Press Release
posted May 30 2007
Beginning June 2nd, the Rugby Canada Super League (RCSL) will begin its first year of a new and exciting under 20, (u20) development team competition. The u20 program was put in place to raise the level of competition and exposure at this age level by replacing participation in the National Festival, which was deemed not as effective as most provinces would like.
The u20 competition will take place from coast to coast on a regional basis and 9 teams have entered. Teams from Vancouver Island, Vancouver and Fraser Valley unions will vie for the Pacific region title to play the winner of the Prairies between Edmonton, Calgary and Saskatchewan. In the east, a play-off between teams from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia in the Maritimes will determine who will play the Niagara Lightning, the only team entered in the Central region for the right to go to the final on August 18th at the same venue and same day as the senior final.
Although the format is slightly different to the senior program it is expected that the 9 years operational experience of the Super League would be of considerable benefit in launching this new program.
The rather late start to organizing the program has presented a few wrinkles in the inaugural year and consequently a few unions were not able to make sufficient provision for their teams to participate this year.
"The absence of a national championship at this critical age group is a concern, as the national competition pathway from under-16 to senior is deficient without an under-20 championship," commented Rugby Canada Director of Rugby, Geraint John.
"We view a national under-20 competition as integral to the development of High Performance programs across the country, because a national domestic competition is necessary to provide good games for this age group, to identify players and coaches across the country and to keep good athletes in the game,” added John.
“An effective elite player pathway demands a National Championship at all levels. The planned RCSL u20 Competition fills a void in the pathway, for an age group vulnerable to withdrawal from the game, and is a cost effective attempt to provide games for u20 players against their peers across the country. The age group will be reviewed in November because the IRB have recently decided to cancel u19 and u21 World Cups and replace them with u20 World Cup” commented Pat Parfrey, RCSL Commissioner.
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