VICTORIA – The UVic Vikes men's rugby team battled to the final whistle on Saturday afternoon, erasing a 12-point deficit to edge the Velox Valhallians 21-19.

In a highly physical encounter on the narrow Gordon Head pitch, the Vikes were forced to play a tighter attack and it took 27 minutes before Captain #David Spicer# barreled through for the opening try of the match. Spicer converted to give the Vikes a 7-0 lead heading into half time.

The second half saw a complete shift in momentum as the Valhallians fierce work at the breakdown put their visitors on the back foot. The home side ran up the score line with Dustin MacPherson running in a try before Dean Budd recorded a brace.

With some staunch defending in the final minutes, the Valhallians wore out the clock before multiple Vikes phases eventually saw #Keaton Styles# break through for a try. With two minutes left to play, Spicer's conversion had the Vikes within seven.

A costly Velox high-tackle on Vikes' winger #Willem du Plessis# allowed Spicer to put the Vikes in strong field position inside the twenty-two. After crashing the gates through multiple phases, the wall of Valhallians finally gave way as Liam Murray tied the game with a crucial try. Spicer capped off the comeback effort with the final conversion to see the Vikes squeak out a 21-19 win.

“Everyone kept going full pace and I didn't want to let the team down so I just went for it and ended up getting the score,” an exhausted Murray said after the match.

With the win the Vikes now move to 6-1 in B.C. Premier League play. Their next match will take them to the mainland to face off against the UBC Thunderbirds in the final leg of the 2010 Wightman Boot series.


UVic Vikes Scoring (21)
Tries: David Spicer, Keaton Styles, Liam Murray
Conversions: David Spicer x3

Velox Scoring (19)
Tries: Dean Budd x2, Dustin MacPherson
Conversions: Pita Savea x2