BC Rugby Responds to June 14 PHO Update

BC Rugby Responds to June 14 PHO Update

Following the official statement released on the BC Government website on Monday, we are excited to hear the province is set to move into Step 2 of its Restart Plan on June 15. We are encouraged by what Premier John Horgan and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said during Monday’s announcement and are awaiting publication of the updated PHO. Until the publication of the updated PHO, we will remain in Phase 3 of the Return to Rugby Plan (known as Rugby Restarted), which coincides with the Return to Play Guidelines from viaSport and Rugby Canada. All Clubs must have COVID-19 Safety Plans sanctioned by BC Rugby.   Reminder of What Can Be Delivered in Phase 3 Rugby Restarted Outdoor Rugby activities only Non-contact Rugby activities only Travel to Home Club only No use of changerooms, washrooms only No physical distancing required during intra-Club training and games No spectators...
BC Rugby Suspends All Sanctioned In-Person Rugby Activities in Response to Public Health Order

BC Rugby Suspends All Sanctioned In-Person Rugby Activities in Response to Public Health Order

From BCRU’s website: December 3, 2020 (Vancouver, BC) – BC Rugby has announced that all sanctioned in-person rugby activities are suspended in response to the published Public Health Order which suspends all indoor and outdoor sports for people 19 years of age and older and reverts all indoor and outdoor sports for minors to viaSport’s Return to Sport Phase 2 guidelines. With just three weeks until Christmas Eve, many Clubs were in their final few weeks of programming and the slide back to Phase 2 for minors would mean Clubs would have to reduce the number of players that could attend programming as well as adapt to the Order which has expanded the physical distancing required from two metres to three metres. “Rugby has worked extremely hard to design and implement robust COVID Safety Plans as well as adopting non-contact variations of our sport to reduce the risk rugby poses to the community,” said BC Rugby CEO, Annabel Kehoe. “This suspension continues our cautious approach, as well as supports all those volunteers that have done a remarkable job to keep our sport in compliance with these rapidly changing Orders, and give rugby families confidence of having a safe, yet small, holiday celebration given the extraordinarily difficult year we’ve all endured.” While BC Rugby has reported several rugby participants receiving positive test results for COVID-19 covering three of the five Health Authorities, there has been no indication that the individuals contracted the virus within rugby activities, or any community transmission has occurred. Allen Vansen, CEO of Rugby Canada said, “Rugby Canada supports the difficult decision by BC Rugby to suspend sanctioned rugby activities in response...
Fall 2020 Touch Rugby Rules

Fall 2020 Touch Rugby Rules

The Comox Valley Kickers Rugby Club is currently in the process of being sanctioned for Rugby Restart. This would mean holding in-person rugby activities that are done in a safe and responsible manner. Once sanctioned, the Fall 2020 season will be an interclub Touch Rugby League. BASIC RULES OF TOUCH• Game duration: Two 20-minute halves with a 5-minute half time. • Play starts and restarts at the centre with a “tap”. This is performed by moving the ball on the ground with the foot, free from the hands, and then picking it up. Penalties are performed using the same procedure. On both a re-start and penalty the defending team must retreat at least 10 metres • Six players are allowed on the field at any one time, with up to eight substitutes off the field. Reserves can be continuously substituted at any time from one side of the field • A touchdown is scored by grounding the ball on, or behind, the try-line. One point is awarded for a touchdown • A touch is legitimate and minimal contact between a player in possession and a defending player. A touch includes contact on the ball, hair or clothing and may be made by a defending player or by the player in possession. The referee is the sole judge of the touch and has the discretion to overrule a claim (so play to the whistle!). An attacking player may affect the touch by deliberately touching the opposition • When touched, the player in possession must place the ball on the ground at the exact point of the touch. Play is re-started...
Kickers Player off to National Championships

Kickers Player off to National Championships

Meet Lauren Sargent, captain of the Kickers U18 Women’s team.  Lauren started playing rugby a mere three years ago at Vanier Secondary School- and since then has helped in the growth of the Kickers Junior Girls Program, lead her high school team to a provincial championship, represented BC at the U16 level, Tsunami U16 and U18, BC Banshees at Vegas 7’s, and just recently the Summer Games team and the BC U18 squad . Lauren is a natural leader on the field as scrum half and says her favorite thing about the game is the atmosphere and the enjoyment of helping others succeed their goals. ” Its like a stress reliever, I always smile playing rugby, I love it. I could never stop” she says.  At 17 she has already been giving back to the sport she loves, refereeing younger games and lending a hand with our mini rugby programs. The BC U18 team will be heading to Calgary to compete in the National Championships August 4th to 7th, and hopefully bring home a gold trophy. Lauren and her team are excited for this opportunity and have been working hard, however representing your province isn’t free. Each player has been given the opportunity to raise money that will go directly to the cost of their contribution, and with a $100 donation your name or business name will be featured on poster of the BC Team put up all over the region. If you are interested in helping Lauren with her journey to success please contact her at...
U18 Men Take Provincial Title

U18 Men Take Provincial Title

On Sunday the Kickers U18 Mens rugby team won the British Columbia Rugby Union U18 Provincial Championship played at Oak Bays’ Windsor Park Field.  The game pitted the two best junior rugby teams on the Island –  Oak Bay’s Castaway-Wanderers and the Comox Valley/Campbell River Kickers. The game did not start off the way that the visiting team had hoped as they gave up two tries in the first 10 minutes of play and found themselves behind 12-0. The Kickers fought back and narrowed the gap to 17-12 at the half time whistle. The Kickers’ game plan was to use their superior size and wear down the smaller, yet very skilled Castaways team. “Our plan was to eventually wear them down and then capitalize with our bigger players controlling the ball and game.” said head coach Darren Munro, who was assisted by Jim Ebert. “The lads did an excellent job of sticking to the game plan and executing what we as coaches had set out for them.” The plan was working as the score was tied at 24-apiece with about 10 minutes to go and the Campbell River/Comox players controlling the ball and moving down the field. Even the best laid plans can go awry, however, and the ball squirted out the side of a ruck and the Castaways were away and running. The players defended valiantly but the Castaways were able to score and take a 29 -24 lead. “It seemed that the supporters and coaches were more nervous than the players were, because when the boys came to center to kick they had a very determined look on their faces...