VICTORIA - In a rematch from two weeks prior, the University of Victoria men's rugby team fell to the Rugby Canada Development Academy Pacific Pride, 29-15, in a wet and hard-fought match at MacDonald Park.
 
The Vikes forced a Pride penalty off the opening kickoff and capitalized with a Rhys Patterson penalty goal to go up 3-0 in the opening minute. 
 
Both teams then traded kicks in the middle of the field until scrum-half Chris Gamage took one for a run and broke through the Pride defence. After several skillful offloads, fullback Morgan di Nardo, in his first game for the Vikes, evaded multiple Pride defenders and sped in for the try. Patterson converted to make the score 10-0 for UVic.
 
The Pride ratcheted up the pressure and began to hold onto the ball for long stretches. After missing a penalty in the 20th minute, the Pride were able to get on the board in the 24th minute with a try to tighten the score, 10-5. 
 
The Pride notched two more scores to pull ahead in the last ten minutes of the half, with a try and convert in the 30th minute and a try in the 37th minute to make the score 17-10 at the break.
 
With the sun starting to come out, both teams started off with a renewed sense of energy in the second half, but it was the Pride who were able to take advantage of their opportunities first, turning a line-break near the Vikes 22-metre line into a try and convert to extend their lead to 24-10. They again scored in the 60th minute to make it 29-10.
 
The Vikes refused to back down, and in the last 20 minutes were able to hold onto possession and generate pressure with hard carries and effective set piece. The Vikes played a long stretch inside the Pride 22 and it was Jaxson Jones who secured the score with a diving try in the corner. The convert was unsuccessful, so the score stood 29-15 in favour of the Pride, which would end as the final score.
 
Despite the result, the Vikes will take some consolation from the improved result from the previous game against the Pride, which they lost 52-12. For much of the game the Vikes asserted their physicality, which was key as the muddy field and wet day made it more difficult to play fast and wide. 
 
The Vikes next play against Trinity Western University at Wallace Field Saturday, Sept. 30 in a rematch from two weeks before, which the Vikes won 45-14 in Langley, B.C.