by Natalie Ramsay | Mar 26, 2023 | Game Reports
Both Comox Valley Kickers Rugby teams were on the road to Nanaimo this past Saturday. The Comox Valley Kickers Men’s team won 64-25 against the Hornets. Stephen Hextall had a standout game scoring four tries, with Devon Moore notching two tries and Nate Bice, Kai Mills, Sebastian Lambert, and Raffael Tonazzi adding one a piece. Converts were made by Kyle Hall (5) and JB Nikkel (2). “The players embodied the ‘next man up’ mentality. We were missing some key players this game, but it didn’t show. Nanaimo was a strong side, but we were able to follow our game plan of making our tackles, quick rucks and making plays,” says Coach Dan Mills. “Next week is a bye for us, which will allow our players to rest up and prepare for playoffs which start the weekend after Easter.” Playing against the Nanaimo Hornets, on their celebration of 25 years of women’s rugby, the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team lost 5-50. The lone try was scored by Daris Forberg. “It was a tough game. We couldn’t build any chemistry or momentum. We would work hard to advance the ball just to turn it over on the next play. Nanaimo capitalized on our errors to our detriment,” says Coach JP Lussier. “Division 2 is a developmental league and we played several versions of rugby throughout the season from 10- to 12- to 15-a-side rugby. We have a core of very talented and skilled players but need the consistency of numbers. I am hopeful that next season most of our players will return and we will be a more competitive side, building...
by Natalie Ramsay | Mar 19, 2023 | Game Reports
It was another doubleheader at Cumberland Village Park this past Saturday with both Comox Valley Kickers Rugby Teams hosting two teams from the mainland. The Comox Valley Kickers Men’s team faced off against Langley RFC and won 52-7. Tries were scored by Stephen Hextall, Ben Bekk, Raffael Tonazzi, Brandon Hudson, Justin Thomson, Derek McCubbin, Kai Mills and Jimmy Robertson with converts made by Nate Bice (3), JB Nikkel (2) and Kyle Hall. “Langley started off hot and scored on the opening kickoff. We were able to refocus and did not let them score again in the game. We played strong defense and made use of our opportunities to break free and go for some runs,” says Captain Brandon Hudson. “We have been improving every week. We are excited to face Nanaimo Hornets next week and finish the regular season on a high note.” The Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team hosted United and lost 15-32. Tries were scored by Sienna Stigant, Tyra Schaad and Lauren Sargent. “It was a vast improvement from last week’s game. We were able to play 15-a-side and looked more cohesive. United were strong in the sets but we held our own. We had a few unforced errors that United capitalized on but all in all, we were in it for the whole game,” says Coach JP Lussier. “With this loss, our record is 2-3 and we have a chance to go to .500 when we head to Nanaimo to play our last regular season game next week.” Next week both the men and women travel to face off against the Nanaimo Hornets at May Bennett...
by Natalie Ramsay | Mar 13, 2023 | Club Events
Comox Valley Kickers RFC (“Kickers”), a grassroots rugby club consisting of Senior Men and Women’s teams, unveiled their new jerseys this past weekend – their first in over 5 years. The new jerseys were custom designed through Lionheart Sports, a reputable multi-sport and lifestyle apparel brand based in Vancouver, BC and unite the club in black and maroon. The old jerseys are being sold with the proceeds going towards operating expenses with any additional leftover being used for tournament/practice jerseys. “It is great that both Kickers teams now have the same jerseys, in the same colors. It really showcases the camaraderie between the men’s and women’s teams, as well as the pride of being a Kicker. The club has a long history, but it was imperative to create a fresh narrative for the years to come,” says Natalie Nguyen, Co-Captain of the Kickers Women’s Team. The Kickers are passionate about promoting and developing the sport of rugby in the Comox Valley area with a focus on player development. Whether it be at the club level or representative honours at either the BC or Team Canada level, members of all skills and abilities are supported and an accepting and encouraging environment is provided for all to thrive in. The Kickers goal is to eliminate barriers for individuals to engage in sport, with rugby being one of the more affordable sports to play. All members pay annual fees which are used primarily to provide player insurance and medical coverage and to cover dues to the British Columbia Rugby Union and Rugby Canada. The Kickers would like to take the time to...
by Natalie Ramsay | Mar 12, 2023 | Game Reports
This Saturday has both Comox Valley Kickers teams playing at Cumberland Village Park. The Comox Valley Kickers Men’s team faced off against Brit Lions and won 52-24. With this win, they are now ranked #2 in the BCRU Division 3 Men’s League. Nate Bice scored a hattrick, with Nick Gilmour, Devon Moore, Sebastian Lambert, Steve Hextall and Derek McCubbin adding a try each. Converts were scored by JB Nikkel (5) and Kyle Hall (1). “It was a good, hard game of rugby. Brit Lions were strong in their sets, but we were able to hold our own. We really shone in our attack lines. Everyone was working hard. We were quick to the rucks, had support, and played aggressive,” says Captain Brandon Hudson. “There are only two more games left in the regular season and we have good momentum right now.” The Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team hosted James Bay and lost in a lopsided game, 22-96. Emma Jacobi and Natalie Nguyen both scored twice with Christina Speck adding 1 conversion. “It was a tough game. We haven’t played in the last 3 weeks due to scheduled byes and weather. We were rusty and it showed. As the BCRU Division 2 Women’s league is a developmental league, the variation of rugby played changes depending on how many numbers a team has. We were playing 10-a-side rugby which unfortunately is not our strong suit. Without the extra players, there is a lot of open field. We got beat outside; they were very fast, and we could not cover,” says Coach JP Lussier. “We will look to put this game behind...
by Natalie Ramsay | Feb 12, 2023 | Game Reports, Men's News, Women's News
The Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team hosted Langley RFC at Cumberland Village Park and won a convincing victory of 47-5 this past Saturday. Tries were scored by Emma Jacobi (2), Tyra Schaad (2), Natalie Nguyen, Jess Nikkel, Frances Nye and Sienna Stigant with two converts added on by Christina Green-Speck and Nikkel and Stigant adding one a piece. “We had a strong game. Our set pieces look good, and we really worked on flow. We were able to maintain possession for most of the game and were able to shut Langley down quickly on their possessions. We ran the ball well and showed big improvement from last week,” says Coach JP Lussier. “Momentum is building for our squad. We are seeing more consistent numbers showing up to practice and it really makes a difference when it comes to games. Our chemistry is continually improving,” says Co-Captain Natalie Nguyen. The Comox Valley Kickers Men’s team traveled to Vancouver for their first of three consecutive trips to the mainland. They faced off against Scribes RFC at Rupert Park and triumphed 54-5. Tries were scored by Nate Bice (2), Brandon Hudson (2), Jimmy Brazier, Sebastian Lambert, Derek McCubbin and Will Perry with Kyle Hall adding six successful conversions. “We were able to travel with solid numbers which is paramount for away games. We haven’t played against the Scribes before in league play so we were uncertain of what to expect. It was very close the first twenty minutes but once we settled into a rhythm, we started to pull away,” says Captain Brandon Hudson. Next week the men’s team are on the...
by Natalie Ramsay | Feb 4, 2023 | Game Reports, Men's News
At Cumberland Village Park, in the torrential downpour this past Saturday, the Comox Valley Kickers Men’s Team hosted the Nanaimo Hornets. The weather resulted in difficult playing conditions. The rain and wind resulted in a tighter field of play, with more tackles and simpler set plays. The game plan didn’t change though and the Kickers came up victorious with a score of 48-5. Nate Bice (2), Brandon Hudson, JB Nikkel, Joe Barker, Steve Hextall, Jimmy Robertson and Joe Goldes scored tries with Kyle Hall and Nikkel adding two successful conversions each. “I’ve very proud of the heart the men showed today. Nanaimo really challenged us in the first half and we rose to the occasion. In the second half, we possessed the ball for a good majority of it which resulted in being able to put more points up on the board,” says Captain Brandon Hudson. “We have been getting more consistent players out which has helped us gel as a team. Excited for the season ahead.” The Kickers Women game vs. Bayside/Surrey was cancelled. Next game day is Saturday, February 11th. The Kickers Men travel to the mainland to play against the Scribes at Rupert Park and the Kickers Women host Langley RFC. Both the men’s and the women’s teams are continually recruiting players. No experience necessary. Practices are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cumberland Village Park. Everyone welcome. For more information, please visit...
by Natalie Ramsay | Jan 29, 2023 | Men's News
James Dubois, a current player with the Comox Valley Kickers RFC has defied all odds. In 2020, James was diagnosed with cancer in his spleen which he subsequently had removed. A spleen will usually weigh less than a pound, but James’ spleen was so enlarged that it weighed approximately 7 pounds when removed through surgery. Not long after his spleen was removed, he found out that the cancer was very aggressive and was attacking his other organs, namely his kidneys and his heart. The heart is made of connective tissue and muscle cells that do not turn over very fast which is why heart cancer is extremely rare with an incidence rate of 0.002%. James did several rounds of chemotherapy. His body reacted well to the treatment, and he was in remission. One year ago, James was once again in a hospital bed at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, now in a cancer coma with a brain tumour that was attempting to spread. He was on death’s doorstep. With a strong will, he began chemotherapy again and eventually had a stem cell transplant in June of 2022. On Saturday, January 28th, 2023, everyone at Cumberland Village Park witnessed something special. James – now 53 years old – stepped on the rugby pitch and played his first game of rugby after having beaten cancer twice. Low and behold, as he wore the black and maroon for the Comox Valley Kickers, he played against Richmond RFC, the club from his hometown that he had previously played 20 years with. It was a beautiful day for rugby and the camaraderie shown...
by Natalie Ramsay | Jan 28, 2023 | Game Reports, Men's News, Women's News
The 2022/23 Club Rugby Season started up again this past weekend with both Comox Valley Kickers Rugby teams hosting Richmond RFC at Cumberland Village Park. As the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team had participated in regional play on the Island this fall, this was the start of the BC-wide regular season. The return to play showcased a mix of veteran players and new recruits and resulted in a dominating victory of 50-12 over Richmond. Tries were scored by Karli MacFarlane (2), Tyra Schaad (2), Sienna Stigant (2), Jenn Lund, Chloe Speed, with converts added on by Stigant (2), Christina Green-Speck (2) and Jess Nikkel. “We came out strong and put Richmond under pressure right from the start. Our defense was sound, and we made our tackles. We were able to string together plays on offense with support and that made a big difference,” says Coach JP Lussier. “This is a good start to our season, but we gave up a lot of penalties. There is definite room for improvement. We have a solid foundation to work with and will continue to build on it as the season progresses,” says Co-Captain Natalie Nguyen. The spring rugby season marks the continuation of the fall rugby season with the #4 ranked Comox Valley Kickers Men’s team upsetting the #1 ranked Richmond RFC in a landslide victory, 61-21. Brandon Hudson (3), Nate Bice (2), Steve Tien, Jimmy Robertson, Joe Barker and Sebastian Lambert scored tries for the Kickers with Kyle Hall adding 8 converts. “I’ve been putting off playing with the lads and I’m glad that they convinced me to do it. It was...
by Natalie Ramsay | Jan 12, 2023 | Club Events
Comox Valley Kickers’ webstore is open for orders until Friday, January 20th. Current players, alumni and supporters - this is the time to purchase gear and proudly wear the black and maroon around town, at the gym and on the field! View the store...
by Natalie Ramsay | Jan 3, 2023 | schedules
BC Rugby released and confirmed the spring schedule for all leagues this past week. The schedule looks to be 8 games of regular season play with 3 week of playoffs. As the Comox Valley Kickers Men’s team played in a BC-wide league this past fall, their results will carry forward to this season. For the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team, they played regionally this past fall and are now in a BC-wide league this season which means that they are off to a fresh...
