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SATURDAY May 2, 2009

Cap report on the BC Finals

A common topic of conversation today was where are all the spectators? Yes the game was played at UBC which for many is not the most convenient location as it is on the point of Vancouver but perhaps the answer lays with the fact that many of the lower mainland clubs had scheduled games today and for many others that played in the CDI their season ended a month ago. Which brings me to the point of having a six team play off structure with a make up week off scheduled for the end of the regular season and then a bye weekend for the top two clubs might stretch things out a little too much for most. If it was not for the fact that the two largest clubs in the Province had two or more teams each in the finals Dick Cheney could have fired a shot gun and missed people which is a little exaggeration but not a whole lot as there would have been very few in the spacious stands of Thunderbird stadium. The Rugby was great in that each game was there for the taking and most games were not safe until the Referee blew their final whistle. In four of the five games today the total spread between the winners and the losers was a scant eleven points with seven of them coming from the one game.

For the Capilano RFC it had potential to be one of the greatest years of any club in the province with the Capilanos having four teams playing in all but one of the five B.C. Finals being held today. One thing is having a ticket to the Dance but it is another thing to be named the Prom king and Queen. The Capilanos may have had the most depth overall in the Province but it fell just short overall from pulling off records. All of the Capilano club sides were in the BC final excluding their Premier Men's team who although winning the league lost out to the Meralomas in the semi final. The day started with the Capilano second division Women's side in the Final against upstart Ex-Britannia lions. Lead by what must be the only Mother, Daughter combinations in Women's rugby Jed and Megan Griffith this is the first year back for the Brit Lions as they have taken the better part of a decade away from Women's rugby. Almost off the opening kick off player of the day Number 3 Tasha Cory of the Capilanos ended up in the Capilano back line and ran over the Brit Lions try line to put the Caps up 5-0. The Brit Lions came back a few minutes later and scored off a maul near the posts to go up 7-5. The Capilano front row of Asuka and Megan was outstanding today and were a threat with the ball any time they touched it. The Brit Lions however made fewer mistakes with the ball in hand and managed to hold on to the slimmest of leads to win the game 19-18 over the Capilanos. One note on the game was the Capilano coach had to leave the game early as the other Women's team was playing several blocks away at the Stadium in the Premier final.

Third Division saw the top two teams from last year line up against each other once again. Both Clubs have almost enough for two teams each at this level but were only allowed to dress 22 players today for the final. In a year that saw seven or more games won by default between these two teams the Meralomas and the Capilanos are just happy to play a game. Granted one is always happier to play the game and walk away the winner but everyone is here to play first and foremost. Last time these teams met the Capilanos won 8-3 and in the Provincial final last year it was the Meralomas that held on to a lead to take the 2008 BC Final. The first half was very close with the Caps slowly but surely adding to their points. 5-5, 8-5, 11-5, 16-5 and the half would see the Lomas eight points back of the Capilanos 16-8 and still very much in the game. However in the second half the Capilanos seemed to take the intensity up one more level and widen the gap and score four more try's in the second half to the Meralomas one. What was good to see however is both clubs unloaded the bench and everyone from both sides played in the Provincial final. Chuck Anderson and Danny Hatch stood out for the Capilanos while Courtney Samra for the Meralomas was a threat every time he touched the ball.

Rushing down to the Stadium, well actually it was more of a slow waddle the score was 3-9 in to the second half for Burnaby over the Capilano Women's Premier side. Defence seemed to be ruling the day with neither team being able to cross the others goal. Burnaby had managed to shut down Mandy Marchuck something no other club side had been able to do all year. The game seemed very well balanced for the most part and with a six point game still very much anyone's game for the taking. Well in to the second half Andrea Burke broke free down the sidelines and ran in to the Burnaby try line and under the posts with virtually no one close to her to get the first and only try of the game. With the score 10-9 it was a question of could the Capilanos hold on to a one-point lead for the next few minutes? It wasn't to be as the Capilano ladies took the dreaded penalty oh too close to their goal for the sure footed kicker of Burnaby who slotted her fourth of the day and give Burnaby the win 12-10.

Like in the Men's third division BCRU final it was the same two club sides finding each other in this years BC final. Both teams had slightly different looks to each from the previous year and excluding the marvelous Warrior Rob Robson I would think that both clubs had a younger look to each. It is my understanding that there were three Canada under 20 current players that started in the game. Perhaps with all the games going on between Wolfson field and Thunderbird stadium the Capilano side got the kick off time wrong. It seemed that James Bay kicked off and started the game on time and clearly on form while the Capilanos didn't start playing until five minutes had gone by on the clock. Almost from the opening kick off James Bay went on the scoreboard with a try, thanks to fullback Chris Trumpy. Right after that try it was Chris Trumpy again who opened up a huge hole and sent a teammate clear and free to go up 12-0 with maybe not even three minutes gone on the clock. This had the potential for a huge blowout but all be it a few minutes late the Capilano side showed up to play and struck back with three points of their own. Often success rests on destroying the enemy's ability to attack and there is truth that offence wins games but defence wins championships. James Bay whose stingy defence lead the league in the regular season and today too it may have forced the Capilanos to try things which might not have been the right choice in hindsight. To the Capilano credit they too shut down the James Bay team but more so Chris Trumpy and scored a very nice try of their own and was close several times to sending this game in to overtime but at the end of the day they didn't and the BCRU has a new first division champion this year.

The Capilano club had a great year with its teams having 36 wins and only six losses in the spring leagues and through having the best mini/youth programs it will have many more great seasons to build on in the coming years. The year-end awards night "the Night of the Bear" will.

Report by Craig Slay