The Rugby Game

Rugby Reflections

2011-12-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!
As we approach the Christian Anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, I'd like to reflect on Rugby for a moment - Burnaby Lake Women's Rugby...
This Fall session of the Vancouver Rugby Union season, started, for the Premier at least, very much like the Spring Session of last season - it started with a win!
They have been at it since the first game of the Fall season in 2010. It is an impressive record to hold indeed.
With all the 'retirements, injuries, marriages and babies that came along to disrupt the continuity of the progress, Coach Walt Brandl 'borrowed' players from the Division 2 Team and molded them into Premier Players. Without skipping a beat, these players showed they are worthy of the call up and proved it by winning all their games leading up to the Finals.
Along the way they put up some very impressive numbers in defeating leading Lower Mainland Clubs like United, Meralomas, Capilanos and Bayside.
BLRC Premier Women were crowned the Vancouver Rugby Union Champs when they hosted the 'AnnaSchnell Cup' on a wet December Day beating Bayside with the lowest of scores and margin of the season.
We look forward to the Spring and hopefully we will get back some of the injured, the married and the retired to help boost the Team during the 'Spring' Season
Merry Christmas all!!

Burnaby Lake Women wins BC Championship

2011-05-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Burnaby Lake Rugby club Women's Premier Team ended the 2011 Rugby Season with an incredible 10 -0 run culminating in the lifting of the coveted Harris Trophy, beating Velox in the Finals 17 - 13.
After going undefeated all the way to the semifinal in the 2011 season, it was a quiet resolve by the Women to take it all the way this season. It started with a bang over Meralomas, winning 70-13 and ended at Klahanie Park with the Trophy. Along the way, games were played and won with a steely determination that displayed support and encouragement of each other while humbling the opposition.

Encouraging words spoken by a Team mate, in the middle of an opposition onslaught would turn the tide in our favour enroute to another victory.
The competition was always tough with teams like Meralomas, Velox, United, Capilanos battling for points throughout the season. In the end, it was the ladies from Burnaby Lake that drank from the Cup.

The forwards, led by Captain Katie Larson, dominated the play throughout the season, ably supported by Corinne Jacobsen, Kim Donaldson,Brenna Glover and converted scrum half Lauren Tagg. The loose trio of Laura Harmse, Deb Capps and young Kevenza Murphy were devastating on the Field. Laura, a founding member of the Ladies program, led by example throughout the season. With the two young guns following her around, it was always a guarantee that no member of the opposition will be given a day off.
The Backs, led by 'retired' Maria Gallo, was always a threat whenever they get the ball. From their first touch on February 5th, a pass from a ruck by Lauren Tagg to Maria, against Meraloma, to the final play of the season - an itercept by Melissa Miyazaki for the winner against Velox on May 7th, there was never any doubt that these group of ladies were going to get it done when needed.

The rallying cry during the play off said it all for this Team. "WE KNOW WHO WE ARE" a term coined by Head Coach Walt Brandl,underscored the fact that it really did not matter who the opposition was, the game simply had to be played and it had to be won. It also showed confidence without being arrogant, great personal efforts while playing as a Team and celebrating achievements with humility.
A great season has been celebrated, now we look forward to the next one. Some of the girls will take the Summer off, some will fulfill their various Provincial and National obligations and some will be playing 7's rugby with the BLRC Lighthouse 7's Team. We will meet again in the Fall to start another journey.

Burnaby Lake Women's Coaches Name Teams for the Weekend

2011-02-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

The BLRC Women's Coaches have named two very competitive Teams to go to battle at different ends of the Lower Mainland this weekend.
Ian Trevor's Division 2 Team goes East to take on John Morgan's Ridge Meadows at Thomas Haney High School grounds and Walter Brandl takes the Premier Division west to battle defending Champions Capilanos

The Coaches were quite pleased with not only the turnout on Thursday night, but also the commitment level at practice. Practice had to be moved to the gravel field, something we have not done in a while, due to the snow that blanketed Burnaby on Thursday afternoon.
But the ladies, led by Katie Larson for the Prems and returnee Michelle Young for Div 2, got right into it!!! Retired stand-off Anna Schnell showed up to run the backs and they were sizzling on a cold and wet evening. Apparently all she needed to show up was a small cup of Hot Chocolate. We'll make sure both Captains come to practice with Hot Chocolate for her!!!

The line up for Div 2 will be without the loosies. But it will be a good one still
Malak Dalati anchors the loose side and the Fedewa comes in on the tight side. Krystal Steel, who will play anywhere, as long as she is on the Field, is in the middle of the Front Row this weekend. I am already feeling sorry for the opposition. Newcomers Shelby Mattin and Sandy Smith will complete the scrum behind them.
The backs are led at scrum half by a deceptively fast Anh Tran and she will be passing the ball to a 'just as fast' if not faster Santos.......ANGEL Santos. MJ Galbraith and Captain Michelle Young will be looking to 'crash' through the middle but will be passing to Cst. Suelyn Wirth for some Law enforcement on the left wing or fast Abby Tacal for some speedy Gonzales type runs on the right. This backline is Fast and Furious!!!.....awesome. At Fullback is the ever reliable Devon Luca who reads the game better than she reads 'The Communist Manifesto'

The Prems - well they are the Prems....nuff said!!
Front Row: Corinne Jacobsen Lauren Tagg Kim Donaldson, not necessarily in that order but lethal nonetheless. They have all represented our fair Country. Kim and Corinne went to England for the World Cup, Lauren went to the Bahamas and dipped in the Ocean for the first time......while also playing Rugby. Some girls have all the Luck.
Brenna Glover and captain Katie Larson will complete and manage the Engine Room. Laura Harmse, who warms up before every warm up, will lead an aggresive and furious pack of loosies and will be backed up by hungry ball hunters Kevenza Murphy and Debb Capps. Did I mention that they are a furious and hungry pack of hunters...... of the Rugby ball? Sugawara is back, .....also nuff said. Dr. Gallo is at 10, retirement is way behind her now. Kary Steele is on the inside and Melissa Miyazaki is on the outside. Don't get these three angry - they can kill you by just staring at you!!
The wings are patrolled by Jean Lehtinen on the left and Erin 'vegasvegasvegas' Jang on the right. Do not be fooled by their smile, they will run past you while you're thinking of an appopriate response.
Lindsay Bernrot will be relied on to stop anything that survived Kary's tackle. She completes the line up at Fullback
These guys killed Meralomas 70 - 13 two weeks ago. They are awesome. Drop everything and come and watch them!!!

2011 Spring Season is Upon us

2011-01-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

The BC Rugby Union 2011 Spring Season starts this weekend, January 29th, with all three Men's Team visiting Meralomas for the two Clubs' Annual Palmer Cup.
Burnaby Lake Men did very very well in the first half in all three divisions, but will be going into the Spring side of things without their inpirational Head Coach Kris De Scossa, who has accepted the Head Coaching job with the Welsh National Women's Program. We wish him the very best in his new endeavour. But he has left behind a group of very motivated and inspired boys to carry the flag in his absence.
Practice has been going really well, even while some are still recovering from the Holidays Hangover and have forgotten the way to the practice field.
The Women are also doing well at practice led by the youthful Head Coach Walt Brandl and new mom Katie Larson. They will visit Connaught Park on February 5th and will take two Teams down to pit their skills against Brittany Waters and her girls. The two Premier sides have had some good games lately and the upcoming encounter should be another one to mark on the Calendar as a 'not to miss' one. They will then meet again on March 26th to settle any unfinished business before the season is over.

Let the fun begin!!!

The Battle of the Hill Looms

2010-07-16T15:01:00.000-07:00

On the eve of the Big Battle to win the Hill at Burnaby Mountain, the Lighthouse Teams are quietly confident that they will take the Highland 7's

Practice has been going well, though at times a bit frustrating as we get closer to the big climb up Burnaby Mountain. Frustrating mainly because we want to do well and maybe we're overdoing it.
But all will be forgiven when the Hill is conquered and the Trophy comes down to the Shores of Burnaby Lake.
Three teams will be vying for the different honors: Elite Men, Elite Women & Social Men, all itching to prove and show off what the Coaching Staff have been coaching them. As in all tournaments, changes due to injuries or personal commitments are inevitable. On the Elite Men's side, injuries to Scott Plummer and Doug Breadon being away opens the door for Alex Roberts and Brandon Fairs to get back in. Also joining them is Steve Battie who played really well at the Vancouver 7's. The usual suspects are there still, and it should be a good battle on the Highland.
The Women's Division will also see some new faces as a few Canada Reps will try to prove that they can also do 7's. Julia Sugawara, Dr. Maria Gallo and Anna Schnell joins the team this weekend. It should be interesting as the two finalists fromn the CAN AM 7's want to meet again to settle the score in the Finals. But the Lighthouse Women's Captain, Melissa Miyazaki has other plans for them. Velox is also there to change some plans as well as hosts SFU.
But Captain Mel is saying to her Platoon, "Let's paint that Hill Blue & White"
KAUKAUWA!!!

BLRC LIGHTHOUSE 7's Prepares for Second Leg of Series

2010-06-25T07:42:00.000-07:00

The Burnaby Lake Lighthouse 7's Program enters the weekend with a series of games at the Vancouver 7's tournament.

Kicking this weekend of 7's Rugby off are the BLRC Lighthouse U16 boys. They are playing at the Vancouver seven a side tournament. Their game kicks off Friday afternoon at 4pm at the Brockton Oval in Stanley Park.
Coach Sanaila Dawai has been running the Boys hard at Burnaby Lake twice a week and the combination is coming along well. It should be an exciting tournament for everyone as we start to see the preparation for the 2016 Olympics take root with these kids. They will be in their prime and be experienced and '7's smart' by the time the Olympics rolls around.
This should be an afternoon not to be missed as we see our upcoming 7's players strut their stuff.

Saturday morning will see the seniors at the same venue. Defending Champions BLRC Lighthouse men's, led by captain Bruce Rauqe, will once again try to fend off challengers like Valley High, a Team stacked with national 7's Reps. They lost to this team at the Buccaneers 7's two weeks ago and will be looking for some redemption.
The Youngbucks Team tried so hard last year to win at least one tournament against BLRC Lighthouse, but to no avail. They too are in this tournament and will be looking for their own redemption. Other Teams to watch will be the South Sea Wanderers, Bayside Amabassadors, Meralomas, Abbotsford and of course hosts Vancouver Rowing Club. If you're a fan of Rugby's abbreviated code, you should be salivating by now!!!
The Women's draw looked very promising earlier on but it has taken a left turn as two teams have pulled out. BLRC Lighthouse Women is not worried about this at all as they have been preparing well for this one too. Having collected 21 points from the James Bay tournament, Mel Miyazaki and her crew look forward to adding more by the end of the day, to put some distance between them and Velox, who are sitting at 17 points.
BLRC's second Men's Team sees their first tournament this weekend, with a game on Saturday and the rest on Sunday. It should be worth the price of the ticket alone to come and watch Angus Fisher, Brandon Fairs and the ever-exciting Allan Tang light up the field with their blazing speed!!!
Come........it's time to cheer on the BLRC Lighthouse Teams at Brockton this weekend!!!

KAUKAUWA

BLRC Lighthouse 7's With Mixed Result on the Weekend

2010-06-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

The BLRC Lighthouse Women's 7's wins first Summer Tournament while Men bows out in the Finals

The Ladies were crowned Champions by President of James Bay 7's Tom Woods and presented with $1000 worth of Jerseys, a plaque and will have their Team name engraved on the Huge trophy donated by Morgan Williams the National Men's Caoch of the Rugby Canada 7's program.
The men's Team bowed out in the Finals to a Star-studded Team Valli High, a team filled with National Team members and carded Canadian players on the verge of joining the National Team.
The efforts put in by both the men and the women's teams clearly sends a message to the Clubs and Teams participating in this year's BC sanctioned 7's series that Burnaby Lake Rugby Club is serious about the 7's program at the Lake.
Before the women played their first game of the day, Coach Bruce Rauqe and Assistan Roko Kapaiwai inisisted that they play hard, fair and have lots of fun during the tournament. Obviously, due to the lack of 7's experience and performance at practice the previous two weeks, coaches and Manager Mike Devlin just wanted the ladies to enjoy the experience and to witness and soak in the competitive environment of the 7's circuit.
But after the first game against Cowichan, it was evident that the ladies were not just here to learn the game, they were here to win it.
Led by Captain Melissa Miyazaki, who scored a tonne of tries in the tournament, the ladies sent a very clear message to the oppositions that they were serious about this thing. They piled on points in every game. However, Velox showed them how it is supposed to be done in the last game of Pool Play, and when the final whistle was blown at 4.23pm, they were at the short end of the stick with their first loss. Spirits were quickly lifted when they were informed, they are in the Finals and will be playing against Velox again.
Tough decisions had to be made by Coaches and Manager on the best personnel to put on the field to go against a Team obviously stacked with Women with good 7's experience.
The Finals was won in a tough battle with BLRC Lighthouse crowned champion at the end of it, but the process of getting was a thing of beauty. Nerves of steel were displayed in the last 5 minutes of the game and it was an exhiralating feeling to feel, especially when only in the previous two weeks, the first practice was an excercise in total chaos and confusion!!
We can all exhale now and not worry anymore.......the girls are good to go the rest of the Summer with high expectations.
The boys also had their good share of wins and losses - two of them to the same team, the star-studded Valli High, led by National 7's Rep Phil Mack who led his Team with confidence and by example. Mack's Team beat our Men's Lighthouse team convincingly in Pool Play, but were lucky that time was on their side in the Finals winning the Finals 31-26.
Captain Bruce Rauqe led by example, and was targetted by all the opposing teams during the day. He clearly showed that even at 37 years old, he still got it. In the end, it was not enough as Valli High took the Trophy home. Now it is time to regroup as both the Men and Women's program attempt to take the Oval at Stanley Park June 26th in the 2nd leg of the series - the Vancouver 7's

2010 BC Summer 7's Season Starts at James Bay

2010-06-10T06:44:00.000-07:00

The 2010 BC Summer 7's season starts June 12th on the Island as James Bay kicks off what promises to be an exciting Summer of 7's Rugby in BC.
With the Sport now included in the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro,it is starting to take on a life of its own as Clubs, Provinces and Country develop programs for kids to learn the finer details of 7's Rugby. BC Rugby is no different as some Clubs participating in the Summer Series are featuring Youth 7's.
At the shores of Burnaby Lake, preparation has been going well as we try to get our share of wins. We are also getting really serious about our Women's 7's program and will be entering all the tournaments this year. Training has been fun not only to run, but more importantly, to watch. It had started with total confusion, as very few girls had played organised 7's before, but is slowly getting there. Girls are starting to recognise the difference between 15's rugby and 7's rugby and the mentality is starting to switch. We're introducing a few plays we think should help in getting some momentum as we enter the first tournament at James Bay. We hope to do well and learn from this experience.
They are definitely in the right place as they are learning from some of the best players in the abbreviated code. They practice with the BLRC Lighthouse Elite Men's Team, led by Head Coach Lesi Korobasaga and assisted by Dual 7's International Bruce Rauqe. Helping as well is Joe Nakaira Dolesau, who has decided to take a stab at wearing the Canadian National Colors instead of the Fiji jersey. Joe had been in the Fiji 7's training squad this year, but has decided to come up to Canada and share his talent and knowledge with us at the Lake. He is also hoping to do the same with Canada 7's should they need his service. He is here for good.

To keep our minds refreshed, the Teams went Bowling Monday night, just to get everyone to get to know each other better and to share some laughs as we get ready for the first tourney.

Bruce Rauqe and Melissa Miyazaki have been named Captains of the two teams playing this weekend and the 2nd Men's Team will be playing in the next tournament, which will be at Brockton Oval June 26th........more to come on that later. First we take the Island, then we take the Oval!!!

KAUKAUWA

2010 BC Summer 7's Series about to Start

2010-05-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

As we enter the Final weekend of the BC Rugby Union 2009 - 2010 Rugby season, we are also approaching the begining of the 2010 BC Summer 7's Series.
Teams are aready gearing up for what is looking to be a very busy and competitive 7's season.
The first BC sanctioned tournament is the James Bay one on June 12th and the last tournament will be in Cowichan on the weekend of Sept 4 - 5th. Inside these two Bookends will be Vancouver 7's at Brockton Oval,CAN AM 7's, SFU Highland,the International 7's in Abbotsford,Lighthouse 7's at Burnaby Lake,Capilano, Bayside7's to name a few. There are Social 7's events as well.
This year promises to be very competitive, as all tournament hosts try to attract good teams. Those that are serious about their 7's will want to participate in these tournaments. The format is different this year as well, as BC Rugby has decided to awards points, much like the irb World 7's series.
The other major attraction this year is the inclusion of the Women's series. Any tournament that wants to be counted as a BC 7's stop, must include both Elite Men's and Elite Women's games in their draws. Any team that wants to qualify for points must enter at least four of these tournaments.A very good move indeed since 7's Rugby is now an Olympic sport.
We at the shores of Burnaby Lake are also getting ready. The Men have already started their practice and the Women will start May 25th. There is a lot of interest due to the success of the Burnaby Lake Lighthouse 7's program last year. More players have committed to playing this year and the inclusion of a few seasoned 7's players will only boost the preparation and confidence of those already in the Lighthouse program. We're already 3 months into our U14 and Junior 7's program so the message is being delivered and heard loud and clear.
Our Women's 7's is being revamped in a major way and we're adding resourses and expertice to it to boost its development and progress.
Practice is at the Lake Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm. It immediately follows the Juniors practice, which starts at 6.30pm

Premier Women's Team against United Announced

2010-03-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

Roko Kapaiwai

The BLRC Women's Rugby Coaching Staff have announced a Strong Line Up to tackle United RFC at home this weekend

The Coaching Staff of the Burnaby Lake Women's Rugby Program have announced a strong line up to match up against United RFC on the shores of Burnaby Lake Saturday morning.
Kick Off is 11.30 in what should be an exciting encounter. The last time these two met, it was a lopsided 53 - 7 win to Burnaby, with Stevie Schnoor crossing for United's solitary try. They will be looking for some redemption on Saturday.
The line up sees a few changes from the Team that beat VELOX last week, some due to injuries in the backline, but a notable one is in the backrow. It is a positional change that promises to wreak havok on United
Romping stomping Marie-Eve Brindamour, nicknamed Bruce(no relation to the Towering Bruce on the Men's Premier side but a Tower nonetheless) is at Openside Flanker!!! This position is usually filled by Laura Harmse who is always a pest to the opposition, making a nuisance of herself without any regard for her safety. Kinda like Richie McCaw in some ways.
Front Row sees the usual suspects tormenting the opposition. I've called them Roses &Thorns before, Kim Donaldson the rose between thorns Brenna Glover and Corrine Jacobsen. They had their way against Velox last week and should be a good platform again on Saturday.
Behind them are literally four locks in Marley Harris at 6, Jody Dobush at 4, Emma Hadfield at 5 and Towering Marie-Eve at 7. Anchoring this powerful pack is Ms. Harmse

The Backline sees a few changes due to some injuries. The eveready Kary Steele slots in at inside Centre due to the broken finger injury to Dr. Maria Gallo. Deb Capps takes over from Daamiann Skelton who terrorised the VELOX backline with her blazing speed last week. She has a tweaked back, but is on the bench. The backs is again being anchored by Julia at 9 who distributes to Captain Schnell, they work very well together, these two. Tanya Hamilton is on the other wing and Devon Luca guards the backfield.
Be at the field on Saturday at 11.30 to witness some entertaining Rugby!!!

The full line Up is:
1. Brenna Glover
2. Kim Donaldson (vice-captain)
3. Corrine Jacobsen
4. Jody Dobush
5. Emma Hadfield
6. Marley Harris
7. Marie-Eve Brindamour
8. Laura Harmse
9. Julia Sugawara
10. Anna Schnell (captain)
11. Deb Capps
12. Kary Steele
13. Mel Miyazaki
14. Tanya Hamilton
15. Devon Luca

Shannon Fedewa
Dammian Skelton
Erin Clement
Allice Schandler
Sue-Lyn Wirth
Becky Querido
Krystal Steele

Another Hard Fought Encounter Between the Valkyries and Burnaby Lake

2010-03-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

By Ian Trevor

March 20, 2010 saw Burnaby Lake hosting the always tough Velox Valkyries in Premier Women’s action.

The two clubs have a rich tradition of hard fought games, scoreline notwithstanding, and with Burnaby having had their match vs. the Lomas postponed the prior week due to a late field closure and the unavailability of a backup field, there was an added air of anticipation to the match.

Velox achieved dominance on the island in the first half, and Burnaby was relishing the challenge that Velox would present.

Indeed, from the first opening kick off, defence was the order of the day. Velox hammered hard in the centres, and openside flanker Shannon Kane made her marauding presence felt early and often. Burnaby captain Anna Schnell responded. Field position became the order of the day, and between Anna and Inside Centre Maria Gallo, Burnaby was able to kick to open space behind the Velox backline giving the forwards an opportunity to contest lineout ball in the Velox half.

Burnaby opened the scoring when a set piece within sight of the 22 gave Anna Schnell space for a well weigthed chip kick over the defensive backline that right wing Daamiann Skelton was only too happy to run onto and collect for a try in the corner, converted by Anna Schnell. Velox roared back with furious work at the breakdown. Burnaby attempted to match Velox’s ferocity, but were unable to do that, and comply with the views of match day referee Leon Britz. This would start a pattern where Burnaby were doing well when going forward and retaining ball, but when the turnovers occurred the penalties would come.

Burnaby was able to string together enough continuity to work it’s way down to the Velox 22 and with a ball being spun wide to the right Kim Donaldson found herself on the wing with Daamiann Skelton supporting on the outside. Daamo was surplus to requirements on this one, as Kim dotted down for the second Burnaby try.

Velox again started to work their way back in, but a combination of good defensive pressure by Burnaby and an errant pass in the Velox centres saw Mel Miyazaki pick up an interception and sprint nearly half the field to touch down by the posts for the games third try. Anna Schnell converted. Again Velox stormed back, this time pressure was turned into points as repeated penalties inside the Burnaby 22 for hands in, offside and not releasing yielded a converted try for the visitors.
Burnaby and Velox also exchanged penalty kicks during the half leaving the halftime score at 22 – 10 for Burnaby Lake

The first half also saw the unfortunate departure of Maria Gallo with a broken finger. Maria has national team duty beckoning in the summer and we all wish her a speedy recovery in time for the Women’s World Cup.
As with the match vs Capilanos two weeks prior, halftime was about adjustment and re-focus. The challenge was to reset on defence, and ensure that Burnaby was compliant with the laws at the breakdown. With Kary Steele already on for the injured Maria Gallo, Lindsay Bernrot was welcomed back to the premier fold at fullback. Tanya Hamilton took a well earned rest after deputizing on the left wing in the first half. Devon Luca moved over to the left wing in Tanya’s place.

Burnaby came out flying in the second half. The intensity levels were cranked up and peace was made with the man in the middle. Sterling effort up front and at the breakdown from Kim Donaldson and Emma Hadfield made life difficult for the Valkyries, while the extra injection of pace and creativity from Lindsay Bernrot provided an added dimension to the Burnaby backline attack.
Five more tries would be added to the score sheet as the Burnaby forwards consistently secured quality possession for Julia Sugawara to provide Anna Schnell with a steady diet of quality ball for the midfield and outside backs.

As befits a club of Velox’s character their effort and commitment never waned. However the closest they would manage to a second try was a Jess Dovane scamper from midfield that just failed short of the Burnaby line. Marley Harris was able to track the Velox centre down from behind for a try saving tackle. This was the icing on the cake for Marley as she had a very strong game, both in attack and in defence.

Final Score: Burnaby 47 – Velox 10

Scorers

BLRC

Tries:

Kim Donaldson

Marie-Eve Brindamour

Anna Schnell

Melissa Miyazaki (2)

Daamiann Skelton (2)

Devon Luca

Converts
Anna Schnell (2)

Penalty
Anna Schnell

VELOX

Tries
Marlene Donaldson

Converts
Amanda Campbell

Penalty

Amanda Campbell

Burnaby Lake 2nd Division Women's Team Opens up BLOBS Day with a Win over the Lomas

2010-03-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

By Katie Larson

The Burnaby Lake 2nd Division Women’s team fielded an eager and talented side against the Merelomas 2nd Division side on Saturday morning earning the first of two wins for the women’s program on the day.
The game was opened with a strong showing by Burnaby’s side retaining possession for multiple phases of play. Eventually the forward drives were able to suck in enough Lomas players to open up some space in the backline for outside center Deb Capps sprint in from the 22 for the first try of the day.
The Lomas responded with some solid cycling of the ball which caught the Burnaby defence off guard and led to a break by the Lomas scrum half. The Lomas speedster sprinted up the side line, but Capps was able to cut her off and make the try saving tackle.
Burnaby got right back on track with scrum half Lauren Tagg picking off the back of the breakdown and darting her way through the Lomas defence to cross the try line.
The scoring gates really opened up in the second half when fly half Lindsay Bernrot switched positions with inside center Heather Weldon. Weldon’s consistent movement of the ball sprung Bernrot through gaps multiple times allowing her to score three times. Shannon Fedewa also chipped in a try, while Erin Clement finished off an excellent forward charge up the field to touch down. Clement, new to Burnaby from Ottawa, has been an excellent addition to the Burnaby women’s program with her solid scrumming work and ability to adapt in any position. She also surprised everyone on Saturday with her kicking of 4 conversions.

The Lomas were able to sneak one try past Burnaby as Amy Grath received a penalty try for taking a high tackle making the final score 43- 7.

Burnaby Scorers

Lauren Tagg

Lindsay Bernrot (3)

Deb Capps

Shannon Fedewa

Erin Clement (1 try, 4 conversions)

Merelomas Scorers

Amy Grath

Burnaby Lake Girls Beat Japanese National Women's Team

2009-09-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

It was an evening of jubilation on the Shores of Burnaby Lake last night as the current BC Women's Rugby Champs took on the Japanese National Women's Team and won in the last minute by ONE POINT!!!
What an end to a beautiful hard fought game.

Team captain and current National Women #10 Anna Schnell scored the first points with a penalty but was quickly countered with two quick tries and a convert by the Japanese Ladies to go up 12 - 3.

The smaller Japan girls(at least they looked small) were very quick to the breakdowns and strong in the scrums, winning at least 5 tightheads and numerous steals in rucks and mauls. Fans of Burnaby Lake on the sidelines were quickly losing their fingernails as they struggled to come to grips with the number of lead changes and the way their ladies were being womanhandled by the ladies from the Land of the Rising Sun. It does not usually happen to these girls.

Second half started well for the locals after a quick chat by the coaching staff, and guest player Emily Young from our neighbors in Kamploops suddenly found the ball in her hands and sprinted around her opponent for an uncoverted try. I couldn't keep up with who scored when as there were about three lead changes during the game - only that Burnaby was down by six with about a minute left....Yikes!!
Emily came through again as she again found herself with the ball and again ran around her opponent to score. Everyone on both sides waited anxiously for the convert and when Ms Schnell slotted it through between the uprights and the final whistle was blown, the local ladies and their fans jumped with joy and the visitors hung their heads in disappointment. But this was anybody's game right to the final second!! Japan, ranked 13th in the World vowed to do better on Saturday against BC, Burnaby Lake, ranked nowhere in the world, jumped to 12th.........I think.

Most of these ladies will probably never play against a National side again so this win makes it very memorable for them.

KAUKAUWA!!

Burnaby Lake Women Tests Strength & Talent Against Japanese National Team

2009-09-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

The BC Womens Premier Provincial Champion, Burnaby Lake Rugby Club, will play the Japan National Women's Rugby Team Wednesday afternoon at the Burnaby Lake Fields. Preparation has been going well and Monday night they were helped at practice with a srimmage against their own Third Division Men's Team. It was a full on Rugby game, Men against Women and the Women's Captain, Anna Schnell, was heard later commenting to her troops that it was the best practice they've had so far. It was interesting to watch as Assitant Coaches, Emma Hadfield and Ian Trevor ran them through different phases. Scrums in particular, were fun to watch as Tighthead prop Alice held her own against Jeremy Jarvis, a veteran on the Burnaby Lake Men's squad.
Lineout jumps produced mixed results, which would mean a closer attention needs to be paid to in this area.
The girls are pumped!! The squad includes some former and current National and Provincial reps, and for some of these girls, this is an opportunity not to be missed, as it is probably the only time they will ever get to play against a National Team. It will be an exciting afternoon indeed for all involved and those of us on the Management side are just as pumped as those who will be on the field playing in the Blue & White Color of BURNABY LAKE RUGBY
KAUKAUWA!!!!!

BURNABY LAKE WOMEN OPENS SEASON WITH WIN AMID CHANGES

2009-09-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

The new season has brought about a multitude of change at Burnaby Lake. With Mike James in charge of the BC Bears, the coaching staff at Burnaby Lake has shifted to more of an overall club focus.

Change is never easy, and on Saturday the Burnaby Lake Premier Women’s team took a big step towards getting the changes behind them. To paraphrase the head coach of the Burnaby Lake Premier Women's team, Walt Brandl, what we did or didn't do in the build up doesn't matter, what matters is what we do now.

Burnaby-Bayside games are always competitive affairs, regardless of the result, as there is a wealth of respect on both sides of the pitch and sidelines. While the result on the day (40 - 3 for Burnaby) may seem lopsided, Bayside had their opportunities, and as always battled to the final whistle.

The first 20 minutes saw the two teams feeling each other out with the field position and possession shifting back and forth, and Bayside in the lead from a penalty kick. Further effective kicking from the Bayside fly half kept Burnaby hemmed back at times, until the back 3 made some adjustments. Once those adjustments were made, some effective counter attacking through Devon Luca, Daamo Skelton and newcomer Maggie Pitts helped Burnaby get itself out of trouble.

As the game grew, the Burnaby pack, lead ably by Kim Donaldson and Laura Harmse, began to assert itself in the set pieces and at the breakdown creating the platform Lauren Tagg would need to ensure that captain Anna Schnell would receive the ball she needed to engineer the attacking process. Tries for the day were tallied by Anna Schnell with two, Mel Miyazaki also with two, Daamo Skelton and Erin Jang tallying one each. A total of six tries with Captain Schnell converting 5 of them to add to her contribution on the Scoreboard.
Next up for Burnaby is Japan on Wednesday Sept 23rd at the Club. This will be an exciting moment for the women, and for some players, a once in a lifetime opportunity to play against a National team.

Posted with contribution from Coach Ian Trevor

The Abby Sevens is Here

2009-07-24T23:16:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Shores of Burnaby Lake.
One more sleep and we will be converging on the grounds of Rotary Stadium in Abbotsford, for the innaugural International Sevens Tournament. This will be the first time International Teams will lock horns with Domestic Clubs to see who has more snort. Kenya, Canada and the West Indies are the International Sides playing in this tournament and will be up against top domestic Clubs such as hosts Abbotsford, Bayside and Burnaby Lake Lighthouse. There are teams from our neighbors down south here as well as we all try and win the coveted almighty buck on offer.
But more importantly, it is a chance to play against some big names in sevens rugby.
Burnaby Lake has been quietly preparing for this under the tutelage of duo-international Senirusi(Bruce) Rauqe, their Captain. Things were clicking well during their last run on Thursday; Friday afternoon was a chance to meet up for a game of 'touch' rugby with their neighbors, the Pacific Islanders, who will be playing at the Domestic Tournament.
There is really nothing more to say at this point except to wake up in the morning and stroll over to Rotary Stadium for a day full of Sevens Rugby

!!K A U K A U W A!!

The Kenyans Are Coming

2009-07-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

Mark this date on your Rugby Calendar..........July 25th!!!
Tell the girlfriend/wife you're helping your Boss move and it will take all day
Tell the boyfriend/husband you need to go comfort an old girlfriend who's feeling down - and won't be back till Sunday morning.
Tell the Boss you're sick, but because you've run out of sick days, you're calling in Dead.
But if all the abovementioned humanoids play or like Rugby....then drag their carcasses over to Rotary Stadium in Abbotsford for a day full of exciting Sevens Rugby!!! Just say "You're coming with me so let's go"

The occasion is the first ever International Sevens Tournament involving both International Teams and Domestic Clubs. Teams from Kenya, West Indies, Canada Select, the Pacific Islanders are just some of the teams with speed to burn and talent to showcase. The Kenyans alone should be worth the price of two tickets.
Of course the main target on the local scene lately has been our beloved BURNABY LAKE LIGHTHOUSE!!....THEY SHOULD BE WORTH FOUR TICKETS!!
They have only won the two tournaments they've entered - Rowers and SFU Sevens.

The President of the Abbotsford International sevens had watched two games at SFU and was so impressed with the boys' play he has called to confirm that we will be playing on the International Tournament instead of the Domestic version.
What this means is we will be running against the long-legged Kenyans who, after watching some of the World series sevens tournaments they've played in, I'm sure run faster than gazelles. No worries, we have coyotes in Burnaby that can catch them!!At least a couple of them have legs longer than the Kenyans.

The Team is preparing well. Captain Bruce Rauqe has been running them hard. Focus this week has been on fitness and next week they will go through ball handling and the different phases of the game. Some of the boys are tied up with work but have promised to do fitness work on their own.
Manager has been encouraging those that grace the shores of the lake on Tuesdays and Thursdays to join in on their practice so he can pick the best Twelve for the tournament. It is a biggie and we need the best coyotes available to catch the gazelles of Kenya and the Canadian Wild Geese and whatever birds, critters animals - either with four or two legs - and bring the spoils to the shores of Burnaby Lake!!
So, if your Partner or Boss likes Rugby bring them along. If they don't, use the excuses mentioned above.

July 25th is to be marked on the Calendar and excuses need to be divised and planned now!!

KAUKAUWA!!!

We will We will ROCK YOU!!!...............

2009-07-06T15:19:00.000-07:00

The weekend has come and gone, I hope that nobody has lost a few days of their lives, what with all the weddings and partying in Kamloops!!! At least somebody was having fun. Out here on the coast, we were up at Burnaby Mountain having a picnic - with some Sevens Rugby thrown in for good measure. It was the 27th Annual SFU Sevens Tournament, and what a day it was. Lots of solid Rugby hits, nailbiting moments and just sheer jubilation as the Burnaby Lake Lighthouse Sevens Team was crowned champion for the second time in as many tournaments. YES!!!
The day started with a win over arch-rival Youngbucks, followed by a nailbiting nervous game against the Brit-Lions. I think the boys underestimated the Brit-Lions and for a while there were some very tense and anxious looks on the faces of their strong fanbase watching from the sidelines. In the end, it was another win to the Lighthouse. The boys, for some reason, were playing immediately after the ladies from Seattle who called themselves the MUDHENS. They also decided to set up camp right next to the Lighthouse Tent and as soon as they finished their game, they would come by and said to the boys "we won, now it's your turn". By some luck of the draw, the schedule was like this until the final game. We played right after them - a good omen I think - so it was agreed that if we're lucky enough to be invited to next years SFU sevens again, we will set up camp right next to each other again.
After the game against Scribes, which was marred by very very poor refereeing, we found out that we will be playing against the Brit-Lions again in the semis. They were dispatched a lot quicker this time on our way to the finals- and another meeting with the Youngbucks, who took care of the LOMAS in the other semi.
After some words of encouragement from the MUDHENS, who had just won their finals, the boys took the fileld for the last time.
Midway through the first half, the Youngbucks were leading 15 - 0. Not a very good way to start the final but a look of calmness and quiet determination can be seen on the Captain's face as he jumped unassisted to steal a lineout and trotted upfield like a pony possesed before unloading to Asesela Vunituraga who ran through a couple of Youngbucks Jonah Lomu Style. After receiving the RED Card from the same referee at the Rowers Sevens, Sela was on his best behaviour up at the mountain. He took his aggresive style to the opposition by hitting them hard in tackles. At least one player from all the teams they played was given the HIT. It was crunching and loud, the loudest of which was the hit on one of the youngbucks backline boys. There was a chorous of awwwe from the sideline all the way to the beer garden as if they had been hit themselves. Poor guy was driven back at least five metres. Sela quickly got up and drove the other guy that got the ball out of touch!! It was a thing of beauty!!
Halftime score was 15-12 and after some longstriding runs from captain Bruce Rauqe, who ran like he was being chased all day by a woman in a long hat riding a broom, the final score came in our favour 22-12. Bruce scored 8 tries as he led the boys in Black & White to the final victory. They are now 2-0 in the tournaments they've entered so far. Not bad for a bunch of guys put together through the love of the game and are now having so much fun running around on the shores of Burnaby Lake!!

Next up is Abbotsford.

KAUKAUWA!!!

Burnaby Mountain Beckons

2009-07-03T00:51:00.000-07:00

Well, two more sleeps and we will be heading up the hill to Burnaby Mountain for the SFU RFC International Sevens. Can't wait!!!
After a two week layoff, it is time to put the boots back on, say goodbye to the girlfriend for a few hours and go do what rugby boys do on a Saturday - play some rugby. Sevens rugby!!
Practice was tight on Tuesday for the BLRC Lighthouse Team, but it came together on Thursday on the final run before kick-off. They're blooding in a few new faces as some of the suspected criminals from the previous week are attending the wedding of Katie Wells and the short Ausie with torn/worn runners - in Kamloops!! Congratulations you two!!
A total of 23 teams are taking part this year, and it should be fun checking out the opposition during pool play - whether your team is on the Premier, Social or women's division
That's right, we have women on this one showing off their moves and tackles.
Premier Mens should provide some hard competitive games as the Young Bucks would like to dethrone Burnaby Lake after their loss in the Rowers Sevens. Brit Lions have some Fijian boys on their squad so match No.21, at 12.20pm should provide some hard tackles and lots of flair. They'll be pitting their talents and experience against the boys in Barbarian Colors from Burnaby Lake.
Meralomas and the Scribblers should not be taken lightly either, they could be the darkhorses of this one. Meralomas have produced some exciting wins in the past!! As always in sevens, one mistake can take you out of the game completely, as Burnaby Lake displayed so well in the Rowers Final against Lionheart Selects. Being crowned champions in that tournament has put a big BULLS EYE on their foreheads as they are now the team to beat. But they have been preparing well so Bring It ON!!

KAUKAUWA!!

Burnaby Lake Rugby Storms Williams Lake

2009-06-25T00:03:00.000-07:00

A warning to Mothers and Fathers in Williams Lake.
Lock your sons and daughters in the house this weekend!!!
Williams Lake will be maulled and rucked by the pink-kitted Rugby boys and gals of Burnaby Lake as they plan on winning a buckle on this trip. Apparently, this ten-a-side tournament will be the action of the weekend and I hear that teams are coming from Alberta as well just to see the boys in pink!! They have decided to go in as Hawaiian Hula Boys, complete with frangipani flowers burned sublimatedly on their jerseys with wierd id's on their backs just to give the refs a headache. Some rookies, I'm told, will be wearing snockles/goggles throughout the day, even when playing. I know a couple of girls will be running around in nothing but their Fijian 'Sulus'. This should be interesting.
There is really not much to write about right now because the itinerary, schedules and activities of the weekend is being kept on a 'need to understand' basis for now.
We hope to share them with you when they return next week - hopefully with everything still attached. AND a buckle!!
In any case, mothers hide your sons and daughters!!!

SFU Sevens On The Horizon

2009-06-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

After the exitement of the Vancouver Rowing Club Sevens, I need a fix!!!
The BLRC Lighthouse Sevens Team took it easy the last few days to recover and let the body heal after our first tournament and win in the series. Practice starts again on Thursday in preparation for the next one - SFU Sevens.
I'm told there are 22 teams so far, so this should be a good test for us.
Some of our teammates will be attending a wedding that weekend so it gives the rest of us an opportunity to prove we can play this game too. Those that did not play much last week will be gunning for playing time on this one. Also, a few on the squad were playing U20 against Fraser Valley last week too, so they'll be eager to get on the field as well. Admir,Doug Breadon and Brendon Fairs should all be available and it will be exciting to see them play. Don't know if they can beat oldhorse Bruce Rauqe, who at 35 appears to still have the speed of a gazelle!!
He proved that on Saturday by running around his opponents on three occasions to score.
A week and a half to the next one and serious practice starts Thursday!!

!!K A U K A U W A!!

Burnaby Lake Wins Rowers Invitational Sevens

2009-06-21T23:34:00.001-07:00

Saturday June 20th marked the begining of the exciting BC Summer Sevens Series.
The Vancouver Rowing Club hosted six teams at Brocton Oval to kick off the sevens season. The day started off on a wet note, with the rain softening up the field before the tournament started. The sun came through when the Pacific Islanders and Scribes kicked off.
Then it was the Burnaby Lake Lighthouse against the Wizards.
Sanaila Dawai opened the scoring for the Lighthouse and they went on to win the game comfortably. The second game - against hot favourites Lionheart Selects, which had big sevens name in BC on their squad did not go well as the boys were left playing with only 5 players a few minutes in. This was after a little bit of 'How's Your Father' went on among the players, which resulted in one of the twins on the Team given his marching orders and the other half given a yellow for his indescretion. Needless to say the boys lost!!
They had to beat Scribes - again under controversial circumstances, to get back into the main competition. The match official(he reffed the 'RED CARD' game as well)declared Scribes had won it. Lighthouse's coach said his team won by two points and he has the Video to prove it. After calculating his scribbles, the ref said it was a tie game and they need to play 'sudden death'
Twenty seconds in, Iokimi Vunituraga, the taller and skinnier half of the Towers Twin,touched down after a receiving a well timed pass from Sanaila Dawai, who was all over the field during the tournament. This meant that they will again face the Lionheart Selects in the Finals. After what happened in Pool Play, this was a final not to be missed as the boys in black & white were eager to make ammends.
Sanaila Dawai started the scoring again and when it was all over, Lighthouse had come out on top 31-19 to take the title and a sweet revenge.
This tournament was also an opportunity for the team to show what they had been learning during the last five weeks of training. A few of them showed up and did really well: Sanaila scored a lot and often, Bruce led by example and was always encouraging the new boys. His leadership kept the boys calm under pressure. Corey Turkington gelled really well with whomever he had on the field and he can be a good leader if given the opportunity. But the find of the tournament for BLRC Lighthouse had to be AARON GODDARD. He did not play much but when he did, he took it to the opposition!! And boy did he ram those Lionhearts at will!! The try of the tournament belonged to him when he sold the biggest dummy of the day to score close to the post. To top it off.....he has a ton of KAUKAUWA
A good win for the Burnaby Lake Lighthouse and they look forward to the next one in two weeks. SFU Sevens in calling - July 4th.
K A U K A U W A!!

Soon It Will Be Here

2009-06-19T01:06:00.000-07:00

The BC Summer Rugby Sevens is soon to be upon us!!!
The Vancouver Rowing Club Invitational Sevens kicks off the BC Summer Sevens series this Saturday, June 20th at Brocton Oval in Stanley Park.
There field is not as big as one would expect, but it will not dampen the spirit of those who have committed to participate in it.
There are six teams to kick off this season and have been split into two pools of three:
Pool RED - Pacific Islanders, Scribes, Youngbucks
Pool WHITE - Burnaby Lake Lighthouse, Wizards, Lionheart Selects
At the Burnaby Lake practice this week, a new word was added to their cheer, as they psyche themselves for the tourney: KAUKAUWA!!
In English, it means POWER or one's strength!!
It started as a joke by their Ontario import and Club President, Jeff McKay, after he had asked one of his Fijian teammates what the Fijian word for 'power'is.
Practice had been good leading up to their first tournament this year and they hope to do well - and maybe even win it. They were presented with their Tee Shirts after practice Thursday. Saturday cannot come soon enough.
Pacific Islanders, I hear, are also preparing well and are looking forward to Saturday as well. Lionheart Selects will be missing the services of one of their wingers this weekend after deciding to play in a sevens tournament in the middle of the night. It may have even been played in the dark and on astroturf, which added to the risk. Poor Furlong, he'll have to watch from the sideline.
Scribes, I hear have some good talent and experience on their side, so we will have to keep an eye on them.
Other than that it's a couple more sleeps.
KAUKAUWA!!

Fijian Rugby in Canada

2009-06-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

The Rugby loving Fijian Community in British columbia was treated to a Fijian flair of Sevens on the weekend, with two Fijian dominated Clubs playing a 'tune-up' game as they prepared for the upcoming Summer Sevens tournaments.

The two teams - Bayside Islanders and Burnaby Lake Lighthouse are made up mostly of Fijians living in the Lower Mainland, sprinkled with a touch of homegrown players who like to play Sevens Rugby.

The game was delayed by about 45 minutes as the Bayside Islanders, in true and typical 'Fiji Time' fashion, arrived at 11.45am instead of 11.00am.
It was agreed that we play 'wrap tackle' instead of the full contact, but as soon as the game started, that went out the window as adrenaline flowed freely and it was a typical full on Fijian sevens game. It was not long before the Burnaby boys, laced with speedy gonzales and an Ausie we call Gregan, touched down.......and the floodgates opened up. There were too many tires to count in the two games played and it was a very entertaining game for the die-hard fans who showed up to cheer on their team. Burnaby Lighthouse won with a cricket score!!!
The Burnaby boys and their Fijian teammates gelled well and were able to quickly find the gaps in the Bayside defence, which allowed them instant access to the tryline, which they crossed repeatedly.
Both teams now look forward to the Rowers Sevens on June 20th. They will both need to tighten up the loose ends and hope to put on a good show at the Rowers.

The Canadian Summer Rugby Sevens Series

2009-05-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

There are some confirmed Rugby Sevens Tournaments this Summer in Canada, mainly on the Western Region.
The Vancouver Rowing club is scheduled to go on June 20th, with a Prizemoney of $1500 to the winner. Simon Fraser University holds theirs on the weekend of July 5th, the same weekend that the Calgary Stampede International is hosting theirs. This will be followed by the CAN AM International on July 11th and the Abbotsford International Sevens on July 25th. I hear that those long legged Kenyans will be blazing around with speed and dust flying behind them on the grounds of Rotary Stadium. The Kenyans National Team have proven to be worthy players lately, having beaten World Champs like New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa in the current World Sevens Series. If they are indeed coming, that alone should be worth the price of the ticket.
I understand that the BAYSIDE SHARKS will be hosting one too, but there has been no mention of it on their website and it is difficult trying to contact someone who can confirm it.
Anyone else organising a tournament that we don't know about?
Please use this forum to let us know and pass the word around.
Another topic we should discuss is the prize money. Tournaments with good Prizemoney usually attract good comepetition and I think Clubs should seriously consider this to attract good teams that are competitive and serious about their Sevens game. Rugby Canada will benefit a lot from this in terms of exposing young talents to the game - especially those with speed to burn that love the standard Canadian physical approach to the game.
There is a Club in one of those Rugby playing countries in the South Pacific that started Sevens Rugby with the 1st Prize being a case of beer. I believe four teams showed up on a Saturday afternoon.........and Sevens was born to this Land. This Club now hosts the biggest Club Sevens Tournament in that country with the first prize of at least $10,000. By the way, the winner of the case of beer invited the rest of the teams and sat down to enjoy a nice Cold one with all of them. I believe Calgary recognises that and has come up this year with $5000. Well done CRU!! Do you think this can be done around the country here in Canada? I think BCRU can do it. There is also a lot of talent here locally that can put up a very good show, especially with that kind of money to play for.
Food for thought as we participate in this Summer's tournaments.
Good Luck to all!!!

Cheers,

The Fiji Experience

2009-05-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

The beautiful island nation of The Republic Of Fiji is a group of islands in the South Pacific, comprising of about 320 islands altogether. It gained its independence from the British Empire on October 10th, 1970.

The country started off pretty good in terms of its political, social and economical growth. Its first Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, worked very hard to move the country forward in all all areas of operation.

One of the biggest assets of the country was its attraction to the Tourism Industry. The country is blessed with beatiful beaches, mild tropical weather and abundance of sunshine. Resorts and Hotels as well as inexpensive 'backpackers' stops accomodate tourists and those looking to experience something different during their holidays. In the boom days immediately after Independence, Hotels and Resorts would be booked solid right throughout the Summer Vacation seasons and you will be hard-pressed to find rooms. People from as far away as Europe, North America and even the Asia Region were flocking in to the country to enjoy its hospitality, its people, culture and of course its beauty.

The country is experiencing a bit of a decline in 'tourist' numbers lately, mainly due to the economic situation across the world, but also the local political climate. The country has been embroiled in a political rugby game with the Military on one side and anyone who is against them on the other side. The Military's intentions and reasoning were supported and agreed to by many in the local political scene initially, but it appears that even the public is starting to question how long it will take to get a democratically elected government back in power to make decisions for the country.

Meanwhile tourists continue to visit this beautiful country, although, not as many as needed to boost the economy in that sector, at least.

Those that have visited return home with fond memories and wonderful stories to tell. Those that may be contemplating a day on one of those heavenly beaches might be asking if it is safe to go, given the political drizzle.

The purpose of this blog is to ask those of you that have gone to Fiji for business or holiday recently to share your experience with us so we can get a true picture of 'a day in the life' of the visitor.

Personal experiences - with the people, the hotels and an overall look at the country during the days, weeks you were there.

I am hoping that this would encourage those that are thinking of visiting to go, or at least be informed of the of what to expect when they go.

Thank you

2009-05-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Game of Rugby in Canada
How can we improve on the quality of the game at the Club level without putting too much strain on the players and administrators. A lot of thought and ideas, needs to be put in practice by the Management at Club levels to improve their clubs to competitive levels.
To do this, it requires the participation of everyone in the Club, from the newest member of the mini team the the oldest veteran that watches the game on Saturdays.
Programs need to be put in place to attract the curious and incentives should be in place to motivate those that are already in the Club.
I have been involved in Rugby in both Ontario and BC and a recurring problem we always have is how do we attract new people to join the Club and hopefully play on Saturdays. I am sure that this is an issue across the country, seeing that Rugby is a minority sport, compared to soccer and Hockey - at the mini grade level.
How do we compete against these two sports at this young age group?
As the rest of the country start their season, and BC takes a break, I am sure that there is some backroom discussions going on right now regarding this issue.
I am inviting all members of the Rugby Community to voice the comments and suggestions so we can at least pick those that we feel can work for our Clubs.
Please feel free to post your response, but let's be diplomatic and positive with it.