British Columbia Rugby Union
 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1889 |
| President | Samantha Shorter [1] |
| Website | bucrugby.com |
The British Columbia Rugby Union (BCRU) is the provincial administrative body for rugby union in British Columbia, Canada. The BCRU consists of nine sub-unions and 65 clubs. It was originally organized in New Westminster in 1889 where Alfred St. George Hamersley, the former England rugby union captain and recent immigrant to Vancouver, and member of Vancouver Football (Rugby) Club, became the first President.[2] The same man is credited with founding the Amateur Athletic Club of British Columbia.[3] and previously had introduced the game of rugby to the youth of South Canterbury, New Zealand.[4] The current headquarters is on the west side of Vancouver.
British Columbia is considered a hotspot for rugby in Canada, as its mild weather allows the sport to be played year round.
The BCRU is responsible for organizing the British Columbia Premier League, the provincial men's club championship, and the Ruth Hellerud-Brown Senior Women's Premier Competition. It also oversees provincial representative teams which compete for national championships organized by Rugby Canada.
The BCRU also has a British Columbia Rugby Hall of Fame.
The BC Premier League[]
The BC Premier League is the highest level of amateur rugby in British Columbia. Many current and former Canadian internationals have participated in the league as well as number of high level foreign born players. The champions of the league's playoff system is awarded the Rounsefell Cup.
Participating Clubs (2018–19)[]
The BC Premier League is open to a maximum of 12 teams and features the following clubs from Vancouver Island, Washington state and the Lower Mainland.
| Team | Ground | City/Area | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnaby Lake | Burnaby | 1994 | |
| Capilano | North Shore | 1969 | |
| Castaway Wanderers | Windsor Park | Oak Bay | 1906 |
| James Bay | MacDonald Park | Victoria | 1886 |
| Meralomas | Kitsilano | 1923 | |
| Pioneer Park | Nanaimo | 1988 | |
| Ravens | Point Grey | 1974 | |
| Rowers | Brockton Oval | Vancouver | 1908 |
| Seattle Saracens | Starfire Sports | Seattle | 2014 |
| UBC Thunderbirds | University of British Columbia | 1906 | |
| UVIC Vikes | University of Victoria | 1963 | |
| Westshore Valhallians | Juan de Fuca | Langford | 1969 |
Province Wide First Division[]
Participating Clubs (2018–19)[]
The Province Wide First Division includes 6 teams from Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley.
| Team | Ground | City/Area | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbotsford | CFV Exhibition Park | Abbotsford | 1972 |
| Bayside Sharks | South Surrey Athletic Park | White Rock | 1987 |
| Duncan | 1962 | ||
| Port Alberni | 1979 | ||
| Sullivan Heights | Surrey | 1972 | |
| United | Tri-Cities | 2005 |
Province Wide Second Division[]
Participating Clubs (2018–19)[]
The Province Wide Second Division includes 11 teams, with reserve sides from clubs in both the Province Wide First Division and the BC Premier League as well as the following clubs from the Lower Mainland, the Thompson-Okanagan region and the Fraser Valley.
| Team | Ground | City/Area | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | 1928 | ||
| Kamloops | 1968 | ||
| Kelowna | 1969 | ||
| Langley | 1969 | ||
| John Hendry Park | East Vancouver | 1967 | |
| SFU Clan | Simon Fraser University | Simon Fraser University | 1965 |
Province Wide Third Division[]
Participating Clubs (2018–19)[]
The Province Wide Third Division is split into 5 conferences, the Mainland League, the Island League, the Okanagan League, the Kootenay League and the Interior League. The Mainland and Island leagues compete during the fall, winter and spring while the Okanagan, Kootenay and Interior leagues compete during the spring and summer. The champions of the league's 5 conferences play for the each Fall.
Mainland League[]
This league includes 12 teams, with reserve sides from clubs in the Province Wide First Division, the Province Wide Second Division and the BC Premier League as well as the following clubs from the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley.
| Team | Ground | City/Area | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chilliwack | 1978 | ||
| Richmond | 1957 | ||
| Don Ross Middle School | Sea-to-Sky Corridor | 1999 | |
| Maple Ridge | 1960 | ||
| Kitsilano | 1953 |
Island League[]
This league includes 4 teams, with reserve sides from clubs in the BC Premier League as well as the following club from Vancouver Island.
| Team | Ground | City/Area | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comox Valley | 1889 |
Interior League[]
This league includes 4 teams from the Cariboo, Skeena, Northern Interior and North Coast.
| Team | Ground | City/Area | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coast Mountain College | Terrace | 1974 | |
| Duchess Park | Prince George | N/A | |
| Williams Lake | N/A | ||
| Prince Rupert | N/A |
See also[]
- Rugby Canada
- Fraser Valley Rugby Union
- Vancouver Rugby Union
- British Columbia Men's Premier League
- Coastal Cup
References[]
- ^ About BC Rugby
- ^ Touchlines - The Magazine of the Rugby Memorabilia Society, Issue 43, April 2009 Archived 2013-07-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Debrett's House of Commons Volume: 1918, publisher: London Dean
- ^ The Sydney Morning Herald. - Feb 27, 1929
External links[]
- Rugby union in British Columbia
- Rugby union governing bodies in Canada
- Sports governing bodies in British Columbia
- Sports organizations established in 1889
- 1889 establishments in British Columbia