VICTORIA - The University of Victoria men's rugby team beat Capilano RFC, 36-7, Oct. 21 in the team's last game of the fall season at Wallace Field.
 
The Vikes kicked off and immediately applied pressure in opponent territory, eventually regaining possession and gaining metres through hard runs from the forwards. Scrum-half Ethan Smith cashed in with an emphatic try from five metres out in the fifth minute for the 5-0 Vikes lead. 
 
UVic had several more chances but were hampered by penalties and handling errors, which Capilano took advantage of with a long breakaway that led to an offload for the try. The Caps then took a 7-5 lead with the successful conversion.
 
The game then settled in a bit, with both teams playing a physical style that resulted in several opportunities but no scores. In the 35th minute, the Vikes regained the lead when 8-man Jaxson Jones took it upon himself from 20 meters out to break through multiple defenders for the score, making the score 10-7 for Victoria after the conversion was no good. 
 
The Vikes followed up with a rumbling try from lock Merlin M'Cloud from a couple metres out; Rhys Patterson converted to make the score 17-7 and helping the home team end the first half on a high note.
 
The second half started with a renewed sense of energy from the visitors that kept the Vikes out of the end zone until centre Shane Rikley-Krindle chased down a kick after a run of loose play and turned it in to a try to extend the Vikes' lead to 24-7 after a Patterson conversion.
 
The Vikes were then trapped in their own end for almost 10 minutes as the Caps threatened time and again to score. However, a stout Vikes defense kept the visiting side out of the try zone.
 
As has often happened for the Vikes this season, the substitutes made an immediate impact in the second half and especially in the final 10 minutes of the game. In the 74th minute, the Vikes swung it to the corner and wing Graeme Norris stiff-armed a defender and scored the try from 10 meters out, giving the Vikes a 29-7 lead.
 
The game ended after centre Lockhart MacGregor broke through the opposing defensive line from half-field and sped the 50 metres for the try. Patterson converted to add two points and bring the final score to 36-7.
 
Next up, the Vikes head to the University of British Columbia for the second leg of the Wightman Boot, Oct. 28. Victoria captured the first leg of the boot race in 24-19 fashion at Wallace Field, Oct. 14.