When the Canadian U-20 Rugby team takes to the field in Portugal from May 12-24 there will be a distinct Thunderbird flavour to the squad.
Competing for the U-20 World Rugby Trophy will be UBC's own Phil Berna, Karsten Leithner, Cali Martinez, Theo Sauder, Andrew Coe and Harjun Gil. While each of the six players chosen have international experience with the Canadian U-17 team, Gil is the only one returning from last years U-20 squad which finished seventh. This crop of youngsters is the latest in a trend of UBC rugby players representing Canada at international events.
“There’s been a bit of a tradition over the last two or three years for a number of UBC athletes getting selected,” said UBC rugby manager Dave Brown. “Obviously we’re very excited and very pleased to have six going this year.”
The U-20 World Rugby Trophy is essentially the B pool for the World Rugby Under-20 Championships with the winner of the trophy replacing the last place finisher of the championship the next year. The Canadian U-20s have never qualified for the championship. Their best finish being second place in 2013. However with a convincing win over the USA to qualify and a favourable group including Nambia, Tonga and Hong Kong, Brown is optimistic that this is the year the team breaks through.
“We’ve ended up in a very good group actually,” said Brown. “I think we’ve got a very good chance of getting to the final.”
For UBC, these players’ selection mark another affirmative sign that UBC’s Rugby program is growing stronger. It also provides the players with an immense opportunity to grow under the tutelage of the Rugby Canada.
“They’re in a very good environment for a short period of time.... They get a lot of individual attention from national team staff whether it’s coaches, psychologists, or strength and conditioning people,” said Brown. “I think kind of program augments what they get at UBC and it brings them back stronger and more confident in their abilities.”
With more players representing Canada year after year, the UBC Rugby program is being shown yet another positive sign as they work to become a consistent presence on the rugby scene. Along with sending six players to represent Canada this week, the remaining squad will look to secure the programs’ first Premier League Provincial Championship in over 50 years this Saturday in what has been an exceptional overall campaign for the program thus far.