VICTORIA - The University of Victoria men's rugby team beat the Castaway Wanderers, 36-26 in their final game before heading to the Canadian University Men's Rugby Championships, Nov. 4 at Windsor Park.
The Vikes went down early in the game when CW scored a try from a meter out and converted for a 7-0 lead. UVic then scored three tries to their opponents' one to go into the halftime break with a 24-14 lead.
In the second half, both teams traded scores but CW never got closer than 10 points and the game finished with a score of 36-26. The Vikes were solid on defense all day and refused to give ground to a bigger CW team that was looking to showcase their physicality on a muddy and torn-up field.
UVic received tries from centre
Dylan Cleaver, wing
Graeme Norris, scrum half
Chris Gamage, fly half
Alex Gamage, and 8-man
Ryder Heaney-Corns. Norris scored two tries in the match, one after the Vikes swung the ball wide from a lineout to put it down in the corner and the other came after he stripped the ball from a CW player and ran in for the try.
The Vikes' backs had a strong day in general and were successful in the kicking game and applying pressure through their play and displayed their creativity when Cleaver scored off an
Andrew Easson kick pass and ran in untouched for the score.
The Vikes will next see action Nov. 15 in Langley, B.C. at the Canadian University Men's Rugby Championships, with games to follow on Nov. 17 and 19. In 2022, the Vikes went 2-1 at the national championships to finish in fifth place. The Vikes await announcement of the seedings and pairings for the 2023 championship.
WORTH NOTING
- Both Alex Gamage and Dylan Cleaver scored their first tries for the Vikes.
- Prop Nic Willey made his Vikes debut, coming in at the 77th minute.
- Flanker Lucas Okano made his first appearance for the Vikes in 13 months after an injury at the start of the 2022 season.
- Alex Gamage led the Vikes with 11 points from a try and three conversions.
