Langley, B.C. - In a rematch of the 2022 Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship quarterfinals, this time it was the University of Victoria men's rugby team who asserted themselves in a physical matchup on their way to a 45-14 victory over Trinity Western University, Sept. 16 at Willoughby Community Park.
 
The Vikes started off with a physical and effective style of play that paid off quickly. A TWU knock-on gave the Vikes a scrum inside the opponent 22-meter line and after several hard runs by the Vikes forwards, Ethan Smith snuck in for a try under the posts and Alex Gamage converted to make the score 7-0 in the fourth minute. 
 
Eight minutes later the Vikes' pack again showcased their physicality when they mauled off a lineout from eight metres out and drove across the line to give hooker Jordy Auger his first try as a Vike. A successful Gamage conversion made the score 14-0. Throughout the game the Vikes were strong in the set-piece, repeatedly making metres off of the maul from the lineout and stealing several of the Spartans' lineouts. 
 
A UVic handling error resulted in a dash after the ball towards the try-line in which first-year fullback Matt Bennett was able to outrace the TWU wing to save the try. This set up a Spartan scrum on the UVic five-metre line, but the Vikes got the save as flanker Brendan Kim got a crucial breakdown penalty. However, the Spartans were able to get onto the scoreboard shortly after, as a disconnected Vikes kick chase gave TWU a try and convert in the twenty-first minute to make the score 14-7. 
 
The Vikes struck back quickly though, as Smith made a long run deep into Spartans' territory after receiving a kick. The Vikes inched closer after a string of hard carries by the pack and Smith finished off the sequence, breaking a tackle and receiving a push from his teammates for his second try of the game and third of the season. The convert was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 19-7 after twenty four minutes.
 
The temperature read 25 degrees at the start of the game and players began to show effects from the heat as the end of the first half neared. Both teams threatened to score a couple times afterwards but were hurt by self-inflicted errors in ball handling inside the opponent 22 to leave the score unchanged heading into half.
  
UVic came out of half-time with some renewed energy and put pressure on TWU. In the 47th minute, Smith quick-tapped a penalty from the TWU 40-metre line and took it almost all the way, but 8-man Ryder Heaney-Corns rumbled across the line for his first try of the season; the Gamage convert made the score 26-7.
 
Trinity Western responded with a long run off a Vikes clearance kick that cut through another poor kick chase to add a try and convert that tightened the score to 26-14. The territorial kicking aspect is one that the Vikes will hope to clean up in the upcoming week, but will hang their hats on their stout defense that repeatedly kept the Spartans stationary when they had the ball and scoreless on their trips into the Vikes' 22.
 
Several Vikes substitutions brought on some energy and they played a long stretch inside the opponent 22 which they capped off with some creative play from the backs and a Graeme Norris try in the corner that made the score 31-14 in the 70th minute. Norris, a winger, had a strong game and went for several long runs throughout the match when the Vikes were able to swing it wide. 
 
Shortly after, substitute scrum-half Chris Gamage broke through the TWU defense and then off-loaded to center Shane Rikley-Krindle for the try. A. Gamage converted once again and at the 74th minute the score stood at 38-14.
 
Four minutes later C. Gamage replicated his break-away off a scrum and this time off-loaded to substitute 8-man Jaxson Jones, who dove into the try-zone for his first try as a Vike. A. Gamage converted again for his fifth of the game and a final score of 45-14.
 
The Vikes' next match will be against the Pacific Pride on Saturday, Sept. 23rd at Wallace Field as they seek to notch their first win against the Rugby Canada U23 development team.
 
WORTH NOTING

• Smith scored two tries, bringing his total to three on the season for the shifty scrumhalf.
• Bennett and center Dylan Cleaver made their debuts for the Vikes.
• A. Gamage made five conversions and has now scored twelve points in the first two games.