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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.
| |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1889 |
| President | Samantha Shorter [1] |
| Website | bcrugby.com |
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 is the highest level of amateur rugby in British Columbia. Many current and former Canadian internationals have participated in the league as well as a number of high-level foreign born players. The champions of the league's playoff system are awarded the Rounsefell Cup.
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 Lake Sports Complex | Burnaby | 1994 |
| Capilano | Klahanie Park | North Shore | 1969 |
| Castaway Wanderers | Windsor Park | Oak Bay | 1906 |
| James Bay | MacDonald Park | Victoria | 1886 |
| Meralomas | Connaught Park | Kitsilano | 1923 |
| Pacific Pride | Starlight Stadium | Langford, British Columbia | 2019 |
| Ravens | Jericho Park | Point Grey | 1974 |
| Rowers | Brockton Oval | Vancouver | 1908 |
| Seattle Saracens | Starfire Sports | Seattle | 2014 |
| UBC Thunderbirds | Wolfson Field | University of British Columbia | 1906 |
| UVIC Vikes | Wallace Field | University of Victoria | 1963 |
| Westshore Valhallians | Juan de Fuca | Langford | 1969 |
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 |
| Cowichan Piggies | Herd Road | Duncan | 1962 |
| Nanaimo Hornets | Pioneer Park | Nanaimo | 1988 |
| Port Alberni Black Sheep | Port Alberni Rugby Park | Port Alberni | 1979 |
| Surrey Beavers | Sullivan Heights | Surrey | 1972 |
| United | Hume Park | Tri-Cities | 2005 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brit-Lions | John Oliver Park | Delta | 1928 |
| Kamloops Raiders | Exhibition Park | Kamloops | 1968 |
| Kelowna Crows | Parkinson Recreation Centre | Kelowna | 1969 |
| Langley | Crush Crescent | Langley | 1969 |
| Scribes | John Hendry Park | East Vancouver | 1967 |
| SFU Clan | Simon Fraser University | Simon Fraser University | 1965 |
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 Saratoga Cup each Fall.
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 Crusaders | Yarrow Field | Chilliwack | 1978 |
| Richmond | King George Park | Richmond | 1957 |
| Squamish Axemen | Don Ross Middle School | Sea-to-Sky Corridor | 1999 |
| Ridge Meadows Bruins | Thomas Haney Field | Maple Ridge | 1960 |
| Kats | Balaclava Park | Kitsilano | 1953 |
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 Kickers | Cumberland Village Park | Comox Valley | 1889 |
This league includes 4 teams from the Cariboo, Skeena, Northern Interior and North Coast.
| Team | Ground | City/Area | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrace Northmen | Coast Mountain College | Terrace | 1974 |
| Prince George Gnats | Duchess Park | Prince George | N/A |
| Williams Lake Rustlers | Williams Lake | N/A | |
| Prince Rupert Seamen | Prince Rupert | N/A |
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