With teammate Wilson Huynh in support, Trew Petersen (right) of Vancouver's Sir Charles Tupper Tigers plays hard-hitting defence against the West Vancouver's Collingwood Cavaliers on Thursday in the Lower Mainland AA New Zealand Shield final at Brockton Oval. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Rugby

Charles Tupper Tigers: East Van’s last high school rugby program makes a stand, shows its pulse with New Zealand Shield appearance

VANCOUVER — Ray Dear and George Voros had an experience nearly 42 years ago which was impactful enough that last Thursday afternoon, each had found reason to be leaning up against the fencing surrounding one side of the pitch at Stanley Park’s Brockton Oval.

Carson Graham's Joseph Spooner (left) locks on to tackle St. George's Dillon Hamilton during the lates stages of Thursday's 93rd N.Z. Shield clash at Brockton Oval. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
South Delta's Andrew Kraft (left) was tough to tackle, scoring two tries as his Sun Devils lost 29-25 to Surrey's Earl Marriott Mariners in the Fraser Valley AAA Tier title match on Wednesday in Abbotsford. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Rugby

Mariners win marathon! Marriott battles sweltering heat, upstart South Delta Sun Devils to claim FV AAA Tier 1 rugby title

ABBOTSFORD — They may not be the strongest and they’re certainly not the biggest side in the decorated history of Earl Marriott senior boys rugby.

Luke Rainier-Pope, a senior centre with three-time reigning B.C. AA Tier 1 champion St. Michaels University School Blue Jags is tackled by the Rockridge Ravens during round one action of the BCSSRU's Stadium Series, April 6 at Burnaby's Swangard Stadium. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Rugby

Stadium Series ’18: Double-A dogfight resumes in capital city as reeling No. 1 SMUS Blue Jags prep for No. 2 Collingwood Cavs

VICTORIA — In the lead-up to Alumni Saturday and its traditional first XV rugby test on the campus of St. Michaels University School in the provincial capital is tonight’s precursor, the annual Captains’ Dinner.

As teammate Chase Marshall (left) looks on, South Delta's Jacob Kirk tackles Braeden Verleur of Robert Bateman during AAA boys senior varsity rugby match last Tuesday in Tsawwassen. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Rugby

South Delta rugby: Quite suddenly, spring is also a time to tackle as Sun Devils celebrate a new sports culture

TSAWWASSEN — Last season, perhaps the most talked-about game at the B.C. high school boys rugby championships was the opening-round Triple A contest between Abbotsford’s No. 2-ranked Yale Lions and the lightly-regarded South Delta Sun Devils.

Ethan Lucke of West Vancouver's Collingwood Cavaliers scored a trio of tries last Saturday in a win over Brentwood College at Swangard Stadium. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Rugby

Stadium Series 2018: Collingwood’s calling card? Speedy backs Lucke, Young turn on jets as Cavs avenge Final 4 loss to Brentwood College

BURNABY — The rains eased up just in time Saturday afternoon as the second day of Stadium Series 2018 kicked off at Swangard Stadium.

North Vancouver's Carson Graham Eagles (white) are the new B.C. Triple A Tier 1 rugby champs. (Photo by Rick MacDonald Photography)
Feature High School Rugby

Carson’s Eagles call on subs to soar, late surge leads to AAA Tier 1 BC title win over Yale

ABBOTSFORD — On the final day of the season, the proverbial gas tank is more often than not half-empty. The Carson Graham Eagles, however, showed how effective half-full could be, leaning on their reserves for some key second-half performances en route to the B.C. senior boys Triple A Tier 1 championship Saturday at Rotary Stadium.

It's another B.C. Quad A title for the Shawnigan Lake Stags and another tough loss in the provincial final for the St. George's Saints. (Howard Tsumura, Varsity Letters photo)
Feature High School Rugby

Why Shawnigan Lake’s Stags are the closest thing we’ve seen to a sure thing

ABBOTSFORD — Given both the quality of the opposition and the height of the occasion, it was a moment that served as a very pronounced reason why the Shawnigan Lake Stags are the closest thing B.C. high school sports has ever seen to a sure thing.