Henson targeting World Cup place Gavin Henson says he wants to win back a place in the Wales team in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Chuter warns against complacency Leicester Tigers hooker George Chuter warns his side against complacency when they host Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.
Sarries can bounce back - Wyles Saracens full-back Chris Wyles says his side will bounce back from their over-confident display in their defeat by London Irish.
Canada flanker signs for Glasgow Glasgow Warriors sign Canada international Chauncey O'Toole on a short-term contract after impressing during a brief trial in pre-season.
Best and Ferris rested by Ulster Rory Best and Stephen Ferris are left out of Ulster's squad for Saturday's Magners League match against Aironi.
Johnson hails 'diverse' Magners Ospreys boss Scott Johnson says the revamped Magners League "cosmopolitan" with a "completely different philosophy" to its rivals.
NZ edge England to win World Cup New Zealand's women break English hearts as they retain their World Cup crown in a nail-biting and hard-fought contest at The Stoop.
Gatland to decide on Wales future Wales coach Warren Gatland says he will know his plans beyond the World Cup "over the next month".
Bath sign French winger Boussuge Bath sign France sevens and former Under-21 winger Jacques Boussuge on a one-year deal from Montpellier.
NZ HERALD RUGBY NEWS
All Blacks: Smith hopes Hong Kong stays on agenda Revelations the Bledisloe Cup rugby road show to Hong Kong has been jeopardised by meagre ticket sales have disappointed All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith.The New Zealand Rugby Union yesterday confirmed demand for the October...
Rugby: Another blow for Kahui All Blacks centre Richard Kahui looks to have succumbed to yet another shoulder injury.Kahui fell on his shoulder during his comeback match for Waikato in the ITM Cup and has been closely monitored this week.It was Kahui's...
Rugby: Wallabies out to break another hoodoo One hoodoo down, one to go on Saturday. That's Wallabies centre Adam Ashley-Cooper's refreshingly straightforward thinking as the Wallabies aim to avert a record-breaking 10th straight loss to the All Blacks.Saturday's final 2010...
All Blacks: McCaw set to decide future All Black captain Richie McCaw will be giving his playing future serious consideration after this Saturday's final Tri-Nations test of the year.McCaw is one of the NZRU big targets along with star first five Daniel Carter. He...
Rugby: Hong Kong test in doubt? The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union has moved swiftly to quash speculation that the fourth Bledisloe Cup test in Hong Kong will be shifted to another venue.There have been concerns from the New Zealand and Australian Rugby Unions...
All Blacks: Stepping into Carter's boots Challenges do not come much greater than testicular cancer for a teenager, especially a rugby-mad one like Aaron Cruden.Perhaps that explains his upbeat view about his first test start on Saturday, against the Wallabies in Sydney.He...
Rugby: Cooper as elusive as ever Quade Cooper's side step was in full view today as the mercurial first five-eighth refused to be pinned down on some tricky issues once the Wallabies rugby side returned from South Africa.Cooper's instinctive approach to playmaking...
Rugby: White lurking to replace de Villiers South Africa coach Peter de Villiers is facing a battle to keep his job after five losses in six Tri-Nations games and reports linking 2007 World Cup-winning coach Jake White with a return to leading the Springboks.De Villiers...
Rugby: Wallabies strive to scale new heights Rarefied air to an all-time low - that's the downward trajectory the Wallabies risk following as they moved focus from a historic rugby victory in South Africa to a potentially record losing streak against the All Blacks.The Wallabies...
All Black coach likely to lose home after earthquake All Black assistant coach Steve Hansen and his family face an uncertain future in their Tai Tapu home, renovated only two months ago.Hansen delayed his departure to Australia with the All Blacks to assess the quake damage that...
Weekend Results: Vikes Capture BC Prem; Bays Take CDI Div I; Abby Claim Province Wide Div I and II; Caps Win Div III: UPDATED WITH WOMEN'S RESULTS
updated May 15 2010 [ed. comments below]
CDI Premier Final UVIC [31] - Meraloma [27] CDI Division I Final JBAA [29] - Capilano [12] Division I Final Abbotsford [45] - Langley [10] Division II Final Abbotsford [31] - Kamloops [27] Division III Final Capilano [22] - Kats [19]
Women's Premier Final United [8] - Capilano [52] Women's Division I Final SFU [22] - Abbotsford [32] Women's Division II Final United [36] - Nanaimo [5]
Meraloma 27 @ UVic Vikes 31
I got the 4 point spread right on, just the wrong team. Vikes were full value for the win today, taking control of the game right from the start and never letting go, although going into a defensive shell near the end of the game made it a nail-biting finish. The Lomas showed glimpses of their control game in 5 minute segments but it was a disjointed effort and they found themselves on the back foot early on and playing catch up. When Eric Wilson came in as #22 to play fullback is when the game swung in the Lomas favour but it was too little, too late. For the Vikes the usual suspects provided the fire power with Hirayama, Spicer, Mack and Spicer all breaching the defensive line and creating havoc in the open field. Even though the Vikes scrum creaked at times it managed to do enough to provide the potent backline with quality ball. Surprisingly it was the Vikes looking ragged at the end and holding on, a dish they usually serve to opponents. Today the Vikes were the better team over the full 80. Attendance was about 1500 for the Premier match. Video highlights and photos online later this weekend.
In CDI Div 1 James Bay were dominant running up a 29-12 score with the Caps scoring late to make the scoreline respectable but the Bays were in control from the beginning. More details to come in Phil Meyer's report.
Abbotsford won both the Division 1 and 2 Province Wide finals. Dispatching Langley 45-10 while leading 17-10 at the half. Division 2 was closer as they squeaked by Kamloops 31-27 with Kamloops leading at the break, 17-15. Capilano was victorious in Division 3 with a narrow 22-19 win over Kats, the Kats clawing back from a 22-3 deficit at half time.
Difficult to say how home field will favour the Vikes this weekend, certainly the crowd will be a pro-Vike crowd even though the campus is looking sparsely populated at this time of year. Victoria fans will likely pull for the home team and I’m sure the Lomas will bring a vocal contingent. The Lomas definitely had the best defense in the Premiership this year, they held the Vikes to just 3 penalty kicks in their encounter on March 20th, won by the Lomas 22-9. So the first question is will the Vikes be able to figure out the Lomas defense and breach it this time? I’m sure the UVic coaching brain trust have been working on this issue during the week. For the Lomas they have to duplicate their usual solid defensive effort, stay out of penalty trouble and use the power of their forwards where they should have the advantage. It’s an interesting matchup in several ways Defense versus Offense, Forward power versus Backline speed. The Ravens defeated the Vikes one weekend with forward power but the Vikes solved it the next weekend to win comfortably. Two top coaches with Doug Tate on one side and Spencer Bromley on the other, both animated in their support of their teams during the game. I’m not sure who is reffing, likely David Smortchevsky, and so teams will have to know how to play him. Last weekend he reffed the Bays v UVic game and gave two quick yellows to the Vikes, they quickly fell behind but managed to survive and come back but against a better defense it could be game over. I’m expecting a control game from the Lomas, lots of ball possession and a steady defensive effort where UVic will have to earn every try. From the Vikes they’ll try to stay within striking distance of the Lomas throughout the game, keep the pace up to tire the bigger Loma forwards, and look to finish with a flurry in the last 10 minutes, if they’re within a score in the last 10 it should be a great finish. But I’ll have to go with the adage “defense wins championships” and the head to head result from the previous game. Prediction: Lomas by 4.
Meraloma RFC
1 SCALE, Joseph 2 DINELEY, Luke 3 MACKENZIE, John 4 BAUN, Aidan 5 O'LEARY, Sean 6 ERICHSEN, Brian 7 KEINHORST, Marcus 8 NYSTROM, Lee 9 BROWN, Colin (C) 10 HIRST, Jake 11 MERCIER, Shawn 12 JENKINS, Sam 13 OKETCH, Mike 14 NYSTROM, Joel 15 HALL, Mike
UVic Vikes
1 PEYTON, Toby 2 RIORDAN, Pat (C) 3 TIEDEMANN, Andrew 4 WODZICKI, Toni 5 CAMPBELL, Will 6 HAMILTON, Ryan 7 ROBERTSON, Straun 8 PIERCE, Cam 9 MACK, Phil 10 HIRAYAMA, Nathan 11 ANETIL, Remi 12 SPICER, Dave 13 GRANT, Ben 14 THOMPSON, Chris 15 DUKE, Sean
Referee: LANGRIDGE, Sam Referee Assistant: CLAYTON, Gerry Referee Assistant: DE GOEDE, John
So the big semi-final weekend coming up and only two weekends of predictions left. I think both games will come down to the wire and there’s no doubt that the four best teams in the league are left. Right at the beginning of the season I mentioned that Caps, Lomas and Bays would be here, the Vikes you never know from year to year as the students move on and many are committed to national team duties.
UVic Vikes 36 @ James Bays 32
Well first sunburn this year at a rugby game, a sure sign summer is around the corner and the BC finals are at hand. It will be Lomas @ UVic next weekend to decide the Premier champion for 2010. I thought the Vikes were done about half way through the first half, referee Ian Smortchevsky handed the Vikes two consecutive yellow cards, I'm not sure for what, and the Bays capitalized leading 20-3. I was ready to write it up as a comprehensive victory for the Blue Crush but the Vikes showed gritty determination and fought their way back. The game ended with the Bays pressuring inside the Vikes 22 for that famous Bays last minute victory, but today that was not the case. The Vikes turned the ball over, kicked to touch and rejoiced when the whistle sounded. Phil Mack was the difference today, making decisive runs, pilfering ball and leading the team by example. Nathan Hirayama also had a strong game so the 9-10 connection was one of the keys to their victory. When you're playing the students you can never take your foot off the gas.
Here is a little clip that demonstrates the synergy between Mack and Hirayama with a cheeky drop goal that puts them ahead for good in the game (if you miss it the first time don't worry it just loops indefinitely).
If you look at the lineups below (and thanks for sending these in) you'll notice the U20 players are missing as they're taking part in a trial game on Sunday prior to travelling to Russia for the Tier II world championships. The Vikes handed the Bays their only loss of the season so they'll have confidence from that. A lot of veterans on the Bays including Dunkley, Warren, Ramsay, Forsythe, Williams (x2), Harlow and Moonlight. I'll give the Bays the nod in the loose forwards with Johnson and Meechan, the Vikes the nod in the 9-10 corridor with Mack and Hirayama. In the tight five the Bays have more power and experience but the Vikes should be more mobile. I don't know the Vikes wings too well with Anetil and Lubbe, but the Bays wingers are legends with Harlow and Moonlight. So I'm going to give the edge to the Bays on this one, especially if they maintain the intensity for a full 80 as the Vikes will be fit right through to the end with the run and gun. Should be a great day of rugby. Prediction: Bays by 5.
[ed. a reader sent in the following background on Remi Anetil after reading my comments above, many thanks as it makes the game more interesting for all concerned to know the player backgrounds.]
Remi is a stud center out of Magee School, 2007. He was a force in high school for three years with the Senior team. He played Kats with the men in grade 12. He played Ex-Brits for two seasons and was man of the match in the 1st div BC final vs Cowichan @ Brockton two years ago. He enrolled at UVic this year and struggled with concussion, illness and knee problems playing with the Norsemen. In my opinion he could be a national team player one day. He spent 4 months playing in NZ last May to August and toured there with Magee. He smoked C. Trainor in high school and played vs T. Dalziel and others always getting the upper hand. I guess he is getting his chance. He played a bit last week as I saw him in the photos. A big stage to debut on but he can handle it especially if UVic gets enough ball. He is an excellent defender, big, with pretty good speed.
James Bay
1 Scott Warren 2 Pat Dunkley 3 Jason Marshall 4 Dave Ramsay 5 Eric Forsythe 6 Ben Johnson 7 Neil Meechan 8 Callum Morrison 9 Spencer Dalziel 10 Jeff Williams 11 Dan Harlow 12 Hugo Belanger 13 Vince Herlaar 14 David Moonlight 15 Morgan Williams
UVic
1 Andrew Tiedemann 2 Pat Riordan 3 Toby Peyton 4 Will Campbell 5 Toni Wodzicki 6 Ryan Hamilton 7 Andrew Welch 8 Struan Robertson 9 Phil Mack 10 Nathan Hirayama 11 Remi Anetil 12 Dave Spicer 13 Chris Thompson 14 Nick Lubbe 15 Sean Duke
Capilano 9 @ Meraloma 29
Surprised by the margin of victory in this game. I know Lomas went up 10-0 and never looked back. The Lomas travel to Wallace Field to face the Vikes next weekend which should be a fierce battle. No doubt more detail in the match reports.
Two traditional adversaries on the mainland, one will make the trip next weekend across the Georgia Strait. The Lomas have had the edge in this rivalry lately and finished higher in the standings. Also if you look at a common top opponent like the Bays then the Lomas fared better almost defeating the Bays at MacDonald Park. Everything points to a Lomas victory. Of course in rugby what happens on the day, on the field is what counts. I don't have the starting lineups (thanks to a reader for sending them in) but for the Caps Gord Sawyers has been hot in the backs and Glen McKinnon a standout in the forwards. For the Lomas Brian Erichsen is the anchor and in the backs Jenkins and Hall are standouts. Prediction: Lomas by 3.
Besides the Prem games the CDI first division is engaged in quarter-final matches as well. The Rowers are hosting the Sharks and Lomas at home to the Ravens. Some controversy behind the scenes as rumour has it the Ravens will forfeit their Div 1 game on Saturday, presumably to send a stronger team to their away game against the Vikes. There were many scenarios flying around during the week such as the Ravens hosting the game Friday evening and then the game was moved to Saturday morning at 11:30am at Brockton Oval but the latest intel has the game being forfeited by the Ravens, so we'll wait and see tomorrow.
Sharks 25 @ Caps 47 at Klahanie Park 2:45pm
It looks like the Caps are peaking at the right time which sets up a great mainland battle next weekend with Caps @ Lomas. I hear that the Caps backline scored 6 of the 7 tries so that puts into perspective the pre-game comments about the Sharks backs being the best in the league. The Caps obviously had something to say about that today.
The #6 and #3 teams battle it out at Klahanie Park. Bayside are said by some to have the most potent backline in the competition when all players are present and healthy. Some 7s names such as Brodie Henderson and Chris Pack come to mind. Caps play a controlled game with few mistakes and rarely defeat themselves so Bayside will have to extend themselves on the day to knock off the #3 team in the regular season. Prediction: Caps by 7.
Ravens 19 @ Vikes 38 at Wallace Field 2:45pm
No fairy tale ending today as the Vikes dominated from the start and the Ravens scored a couple of late ones to make it close. The Vikes could have scored more if they had been precise and they suffered two yellow cards on the day which blunted their attack. This sets up an Island semi-final next weekend between the Bays and the Vikes. It should be a beauty. Latest info now is the BC Final will be at Wallace Field, now that it's certain that at least one Island team will be in the final the venue can be announced. The Vikes report is already out and has more detail on the game.
A big surprise last weekend when the Ravens upset the #4 Vikes at home and now they have to travel to the island to repeat the feat. The Ravens have really come on strong in the latter part of the season, they have some big names like Ed Fairhurst at scrum half, and Mike Burak in the forward pack. Plus an excellent import in Warren de Bruin in the centres. The Vikes are stacked with national team players like Hirayama, Mack, Duke, Spicer in the backs and Pat Riordan anchoring the forwards. The Ravens love to run their big forwards close to the ruck for multiple phases to commit defenders which seems to be working. Will the Vikes coaching staff figure it out this weekend? This should be a great one. Prediction: Vikes by 5.
This is the latest score I've heard but Caps definitely won and keep 3rd place in the standings. Looks like CW are out of the playoffs with a Ravens win.
Div1 results
CW: 12 Tries: Clayton Thornber; Semesa Robarobalevu Converts: Luke Straith
Capilano: 28 Tries: Craig Yates (2); James Hansen (2) Converts: Kevin Guidi (4) Penalties:
Premier results
CW: 16 Tries: Kenny Goodland Converts: Ander Monro (3) Penalties: Ander Monro
Capilano: 20 Tries: Tim Rhone; Craig McLaren; Gord Sawers Converts: Dave Hilborn Penalties: Dave Hilborn
Probably the best game of the weekend with so much at stake. CW with a win will secure 5th place into the playoffs, if they lose then it's up to other results to determine their fate. Ryan Smith is back in the fold to add extra power to the centers. This is John Graf's last home appearance. Definitely CW has the emotional advantage in this game. The Caps will either finish 3rd or 4th in the standings and host a quarter final game whether they win or lose. Caps are a control team usually starving the other team of possession but they've lost their coach so we'll see how that effects their performance. I'm a big believer in motivation. Prediction: CW by 3.
UBCOB Ravens 24 @ UVIC Vikes 20
Big upset today as the Vikes go down at home to the Ravens, look forward to the match report. This means Vikes keep 4th place and Ravens take 5th place. What this also means is a quarter final matchup between these teams next weekend.
The second best game of the weekend. The Ravens desperately need a win to secure a place in the playoffs, but against the full strength Vikes at home, I don't think so, even with Mike Burak back in the fold. The Ravens play a possession game tight in the forwards but look out when the Vikes get the ball. Prediction: Vikes by 10.
Rowers 47 @ Velox Valhallians 45
A bit of a gong show really as neither team seemed to understand the concepts of defence and tackling. Sort of silly buggers meets the BC Premier, neither team makes the playoffs which is not much of a surprise.
The 1st division game is of more interest to observers as the Rowers are still in the hunt for a playoff spot there. Both Premier teams are out of the playoffs so it's for bragging rights and pride now. Prediction: Valhallians by 5 (in Prems)
Cowichan 14 @ Bayside 41
A bonus point win for Bayside and they take 6th place and a visit to Capilano in the quarter finals.
Bayside need a bonus point win to ensure their spot in the playoffs, and hoping for a Vikes win against the Ravens. I think they'll get it. Prediction: Bayside by 10.
JBAA 20 @ Burnaby Lake 0
A default bonus point win for JBAA who now wait for a home game on May 8th.
Burnaby Lake have defaulted their Premier match and it will be a first division match only. Mike, tell me what's happened to Burnaby this year?
Meraloma 65 @ UBC Thunderbirds 12
Premier Meralomas win 65-12
1st Div Meralomas win by default, 20-0
No contest here but kudos on T-Birds for continuing to try. Prediction: Lomas by 20.
So the standings now at first glance (plus or minus a bonus point) Bays 45, Lomas 42, Caps 40, Vikes 37, CW 29, Ravens 28, Bayside 27, Velox 23, Rowers 13, Cowichan 12, Burnaby 4, UBC 3. So possibly a Ravens @ Caps and CW @ Vikes semi-final but one more week left in the regular season and that sees Bayside host Cowichan while CW play Caps and the Ravens travel to the Vikes. So Bayside have to be favourites to make the playoffs while both Ravens and CW have monumental tasks ahead of them.
Castaway Wanderers 65 @ UBC 7
As expected but good to see UBC at least field a team.
CW: 65 Tries: Tim Crooks (2); Ken Goodland; Conor Wade (2); Mack Poole (2); Ander Monro; Sam Powell Converts: Ander Monro (7); John Morris (2) Penalties: Ander Monro
This is a guaranteed bonus point win for CW who are in a battle with the Ravens for the 6th and last playoff spot. T-Birds are having a tough year with lots of injuries. Prediction: CW by 21.
JBAA 25 @ UVIC Vikes 38
I heard the Bays were leading 25-24 with about 12 minutes remaining so UVic put up the last 14 points of the game to hand the Bays their first loss of the season. More info to come in the match reports.
This should be a barnstormer of a game. Bays were pushed to the limit last week by the Lomas. Bays will finish first in the league whether or not they win this weekend so their motivation may not be as great as the Vikes who still have a chance of catching the Caps for 3rd on the final weekend and have to protect 4th place from Bayside. Vikes at home, last week Hirayama and Spicer didn’t play and no word on their fitness this weekend. This will be close. Prediction: Bays by 1.
Vikes
1 Andrew Tiedemann 2 Pat Riordan 3 Toby Peyton 4 Drew Langer 5 Robert De Jong 6 Ryan Hamilton 7 Andrew Welsh 8 Cam Pierce 9 Phil Mack 10 Ben Thomson 11 Nick Lubbe 12 Chris Thompson 13 Ben Grant 14 Willem du Plessis 15 Sean Duke
Bays
1 S. Warren 2 F. Yoon 3 J. Marshall 4 D. Ramsay 5 E. Forsythe 6 N. Meechan 7 B. Johnson 8 C. Morrison 9 S. Dalziel 10 J. Williams 11 D. Harlow 12 H. Belanger 13 D. Halaar 14 D. Moonlight 15 G. Fiddick
Velox Valhallians 35 @ Cowichan 19
This was a one point game with about 15 minutes left and Velox finished strong. 6 tries, 1 penalty, 1 conversion for VV and 1 try, 4 penalties, 1 conversion for the Piggies.
Another close game between teams that under performed last weekend. Both are out of the playoffs but Cowichan are fighting to avoid potential relegation so their motivation will be high and they’re playing at home. Prediction: Velox by 3.
Bayside 20 @ Meraloma 37
Bayside get a bonus point on this one and Lomas get the maximum 5 points.
Bayside might see CW and Ravens pass them in the standings if they lose this game. Lomas will want to avenge their only loss of the season last weekend plus they won’t want to give up their quarter-final bye and semi-final home game. Prediction: Lomas by 8.
Burnaby Lake 0 @ UBCOB Ravens 20
Burnaby defaulted this one so Ravens get the bonus point win.
Another guaranteed bonus point victory as the Ravens need to keep pace with CW and try to leap past Bayside in the standings. Burnaby with only one victory this season and struggling. Prediction: Ravens by 20.
Capilano 33 @ Rowers 7
A bonus point win and it looks like the top 4 places in the standings remain intact with Bays, Lomas, Caps and Vikes.
Rowers one point on the safe side of relegation and battling Cowichan for the last safe spot. Bonus points will mean everything to them. Caps comfortably in 3rd but have to watch UVic on their shoulder, no room for stumbling at this point of the season. Prediction: Caps by 10.
Some surprises this week now with two weeks left the picture gets a little clearer. Standings look like this (plus or minus a bonus point) Bays 44, Lomas 37, Caps 35, Vikes 32, Bayside 26, CW 24, Ravens 23, Velox 18, Rowers 13, Cowichan 12, Burnaby 4, UBC 3.
Cowichan 7 @ Rowers 31
Only 3 tries for the Rowers so no bonus point for either team. More details to follow in the match report.
Neither team wants to own the 10th position and a potential fall from grace in a relegation vote this summer at the AGM. Cowichan are 3 points ahead in the standings due to 3 extra bonus points. If this was in Cowichan the choice would be easy but on the road at the Rowers home park it’s going to be a close one. Both of Cowichan’s wins were at home but they played the Ravens tough on the road. Rowers lost to Ravens at home by 13 points. Prediction: Piggies by 3.
UBC Thunderbirds 5 @ Bayside 55
An expected result as Bayside solidifies their hold on 5th place.
Bayside Scores from today: Premier Bayside Sharks 55 UBC 5 Bayside tries: Isimeli Sigarua(3), Matt Miles (2), Tony LaCarte, Shawn Pittman, Mark Irvine, Cass Conkin Bayside Conversions: Alan Hickey(3), Tony La Carte(2) Bayside Penalties:
1st Division Bayside Sharks 45 UBC 17 Bayside tries: Spencer Thorpe(3), Mike Pinfield(2), Soko Kacj, Levi Hansen Bayside Conversions: Mike Pinfield(5) Bayside Penalties:
3rd Division Bayside Sharks 24 SFU 10 Bayside tries: Dan Dixon(2), Bo Clark, Joshua Kacj Bayside Conversions: Dan Dixon(2) Bayside Penalties:
UBC still winless, Sharks need the bonus point win to keep their hold on 5th place. Prediction: Sharks by 10.
Burnaby Lake 5 @ Castaway Wanderers 54
Another expected result as CW and Ravens now battle for the 6th and last playoff spot.
CW: 54 Tries: Jason Hodge; Campbell Grant; Ander Monro (2); Kevin Larsen; Ryan Smith; Conor Wade (2) Converts: Ander Monro (7)
Burnaby Lake: 5 Tries: Admir Cejvanovic
Burnaby Lake with just one win and little chance of avoiding relegation if it’s passed this summer. CW battling for that last playoff spot and needing the bonus point win. Prediction: CW by 12.
Meraloma 12 @ JBAA 19
This game was a bit of a sleeper to start with. Both team testing each other out like championship boxers. The Lomas were definitely ahead on points but the Bays delivered some late round heroics to pull the victory out of the bag. Two tries late in the second half allowed the Bays to claim the victory although the Lomas' defence had them stymied all day. The Lomas seem to have the best defensive system in the league and the Bays weren't used to that level of competition. They figured it out in the last 10 minutes to get the 4 points. If this is a preview of the BC Final it should be a good one.
The game of the weekend pitting number 1 and 2 teams in the standings and quite likely a preview of the BC Finals in May. Neither team has been defeated this season, Bays have more impressive numbers with 406 points for and 74 points against, matched up against Lomas 226 points for and 95 points against. Plus the MacDonald Park home field advantage. Prediction: Bays by 7.
UVIC Vikes 22 @ Capilano 31
So Caps lay claim to 3rd spot and a likely meeting with the Lomas in the semis. Vikes missing some starters such as Hirayama and Spicer. The depth of the Caps program shows through.
Who will finish 3rd this season and host the 6th place team. Perhaps not a big advantage in the playoffs since the 5th and 6th place teams will be very equal in strength. But the winner will likely avoid the Bays in the semis if they win this weekend. Caps at home will be extra tough, the Vikes have their top guns back from 7s duty. Caps play a methodical, grind type of game, the Vikes are more run and gun. Depends a lot on how the Caps control possession. Prediction: Vikes by 2.
Velox Valhallians 8 @ UBCOB Ravens 28
Surprised by the margin of victory in this one as the Valhallians have put themselves out of the playoff picture while Ravens and CW battle for the final playoff spot.
A big game for both teams as they fight for the 6th and final playoff position. The winner definitely the favourite to make the playoffs, the loser will have to wait and see. An interesting side battle as Currie Cup meets Air New Zealand Cup. South African Warren de Bruin with Currie Cup experience playing in the centres for the Ravens and Super 14 and Air New Zealand Cup player Dean Budd playing in the loose forwards for the Valhallians. This one is too close to call. Prediction: First Draw of the Season.
The Premier standings look like this with three weeks left in the regular season: Bays 40, Lomas 36, Caps 30, Vikes 27, Bayside 21, Ravens 19, CW 19, Velox 18, Cowichan 12, Rowers 9, Burnaby 4, UBC 3. The Bays and Lomas are looking like safe bets for home field semi-finals. Vikes and Caps will battle it out for 3rd spot on April 10th with the winner likely taking 3rd and the loser 4th spot going into the playoffs. 5th and 6th look open to four teams: Bayside, Ravens, CW and Velox with the teams that can go 3 for 3 in April likely to take the final two playoff places. Bayside have to get past Lomas, CW past Caps, Ravens past Vikes while Velox's big match will be against Ravens on April 10th.
Rowers 0 @ JBAA 75
Well this was a thumping as expected, what wasn't expected was the Div 1 result where the Rowers won 22-19. Bays remain on top in the Premier.
What to say about this one except it's a potential "Ouch" result, a lot to a little. Bays have been putting up large numbers on opponents, at home against the #10 team. Miracles can happen, maybe the Bays will get complacent, not likely. Prediction: Bays by 15.
Cowichan 13 @ Castaway Wanderers 44
A bonus point win for CW in Premier while Cowichan take a Div 1 victory.
Premier results
CW: 44 Tries: Tim Crooks (2); Ken Goodland; Paul Buckley; Seamus Gay Converts: Ander Monro (3); Matt Buckley Penalties: Ander Monro (2)
Cowichan: 13 Tries: Louis Gudmunseth; Andrew Wood Penalties: Andrew Wood
Div 1 results
CW: 24 Tries: Conor Wade; Clayton Thornber; Bruce Watson (2) Converts: Luke Straith (2)
Cowichan: 39 Tries: Jake Teufel (2); Darin Olson; Tyler Cook; Jordan Bowcott; Doug Fraser Converts: Sean Williams (3) Penalties: Sean Williams
Cowichan is the sort of team you want to play on the road as they seem to gather extra strength at home. This time they're visiting Windsor Park, Cowichan have been giving some of the top teams a scare, almost stealing a scalp here and there. CW are looking at the 6th and final playoff spot so have plenty of motivation. Prediction: CW by 6.
Bayside 18 @ Capilano 31
A bonus point win for Caps, the Sharks backline didn't seem to show up.
This could be a preview of a quarter-final matchup. The Caps playing disciplined, control rugby while Bayside have a potent backline when all their players are healthy. Prediction: Caps by 3.
Meraloma 63 @ Burnaby Lake 0
The Lomas finally flexing their muscle and putting some points on the board. The Bays v Lomas game will be a great one.
Lomas Premier 63 to BL 0 Lomas 1st 90 to BL 0 Loma Premier Women 24 to Velox 15 Lomas 3rd 26 to BL 20
Another possible mismatch with #2 facing #11 in the standings. Lomas haven't lost yet this year and although they don't put up the numbers like the Bays and Vikes they have one of the best defensive numbers. Prediction: Lomas by 12.
UVIC Vikes 21 @ Velox Valhallians 19
Well what to say except Velox found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Ahead 19-7 midway through the second half and they went into a shell and decided to play defensive rugby. Then penalties, yellow card and Vikes jumped ahead with two converted tries. Whistle blew shortly after and it was a happy Vikes squad who celebrated the come from behind heroics.
This could be the game of the weekend as the Vikes would be clear favourites with all their numbers but they're missing Mack, Hirayama and Duke to the HK7s effort so this game is up for grabs. Velox sitting in #6 could put a stamp on the final playoff spot with a win today. Prediction: Valhallians by 2.
UBC Thunderbirds 15 @ UBCOB Ravens 58
Ravens won both games, 20-17 for the 1st Div and 58-15 for the Prems.
T-Birds are winless this year, Ravens motivated to make distance between themselves and the last relegation spot, also in the hunt for that last playoff spot. Prediction: Ravens by 8.
Weekend Results: Bays Crush T-Birds; Lomas Put Vikes to Sword; Ravens Fly Past Rowers; Valhallians Conquer Lakers; Sharks Wound Castaway Wanderers; Caps Out-Grunt Piggies
