Sr. Men defeat Prairie Wolfpack in round 2 of CRC action

August 14, 2017

share

Blues Senior Men move to 2-0 at the 2017 Canadian Rugby Championship; Photo Credit to J. Ashley Nixon

(CALGARY, AB) - The Ontario Blues Senior Men opened up their 2017 CRC Campaign with a win 24-17 win over the Atlantic Rock. They landed in Calgary on Saturday to continue their Canadian Rugby Championship (CRC) campaign.
After arriving in Calgary for the remainder of the 2017 CRC season, the Ontario Blues Senior Men’s team was set to face off against the Prairie Wolf Pack in game two of this year’s tournament at Calgary Rugby Park.
Ahead of game two against the Wolf Pack, Blues Head Coach Chris Silverthorn made some adjustments to the roster that beat Atlantic Rock on July 22. Additions to the Blues 23-man roster for game two included Marcello Wainwright (Saracens), Mitch Richardson (Stoney Creek), Andrew Coe (Markham) and Paul Ciulini (Aurora).

It was a bright, sunny and windy Sunday without a cloud in the sky at the Calgary Rugby Park, as the Ontario Blues look to add a second game to the win column of their current 1-0 record. The opening half was a lot of back and forth action between both sides. The Blues and Wolf Pack traded possessions, phases, tackles and set piece situations.

After an early Wolf Pack offside inside Ontario territory, the Blues kicked for touch, gaining significant field position well inside the Wolf Pack 22-metre line. Ontario executed a perfect lineout, going off the top to Blues scrumhalf, Andrew Ferguson, who got the ball moving through the hands of the backline to set up winger Dan Moor. He ran a hard crash line in for first try of the contest (11’). Ferguson split the uprights to give the Blues an early 7-0 lead.
Following the Blues go ahead try in the 11th minute, the Blues were put on their heels as a pressing Wolf Pack offense was hungry to even things up. A dynamic Ontario defense vigorously stopped the Wolf Pack offense after multiple phases inside their own half. This forced the Wolf Pack to knock the ball forward on the Blues goal line, turning the ball over to Ontario. After a clearance kick out of bounds and into the Wolf Pack end, the Blues were forced back into another defensive sequence of phase play. An aggressive Wolf Pack offense continued to gain ground, creating an overlap inside Blues territory before the ball was knocked on once more. The Pack took advantage of a Lucas Rumball yellow card to put points on the board. Up a man, the Prairie team slotted a kick to put the Wolf Pack within 4 points.

After stringing together multiple phases of flow rugby being down a man, Blues flyhalf Shawn Windsor took the ball at pace before dishing it off to a supporting Kainoa Lloyd who crossed the goal line untouched to put Ontario up 12-3 (29’). Ferguson hit the convert to make it 14-3 with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

Off the very next kickoff, the Blues took ball to ground to set up a clearance kick. However, Andrew Ferguson’s box kick attempt was blocked by an itching Wolf Pack defense, giving the Wolf Pack a scrum inside the Ontario half. Shortly after the turnover, the Pack were quick to score, placing the ball underneath the sticks and converting on the kick to make it a 14-10 game with time winding down in the opening half (32’).

Shortly after the next kickoff, a structured Blues defense stole possession of the ball and maintained possession deep inside Prairie territory. After playing pick and go rugby up to the Wolf Pack 2-metre line, the Blues swung the ball out wide to flyhalf Shawn Windsor before feeding a streaking Kainoa Lloyd, as he jumped into the line and took the ball off Windsor’s hip and in for the score (35’). Ferguson slotted the conversion, giving the Blues a 21-10 lead nearing half.

A Wolf Pack penalty for not releasing gave Ontario possession of the ball inside their own half. This provided the Blues the opportunity to kick for touch. 15-metres from the Wolf Pack try line, the Blues set up a lineout. Off the lineout, the Blues pack took the ball to ground, mauling their way up the pitch to open up space for an attacking Blues backline. Ferguson spun the ball out wide and into the hands of winger Kainoa Lloyd, who powered his way through the Wolf Pack defense to complete the hat trick (39’). Ferguson split the uprights to give the Blues a 28-10 lead after the first half.

Half Time | Ontario Blues: 28 Prairie Wolf Pack: 10

The second half started off with both teams trading multiple sequences of offensive phase play before the Blues got on the board. Andrew Ferguson ran in a try untouched (59’). Ferguson didn’t convert a tough kick, but the Blues held a 33-10 lead at the 60-minute mark.
A struggling Prairie offense found great difficulty in trying to gain ground up field – as a hard-nosed Blues defense kept the Wolf Pack from getting the ball past half. Ontario’s line speed on defense forced a Wolf Pack turnover, ultimately leading to a Shawn Windsor try (64’). The Blues led 38-10 with 15 minutes remaining.

A pressing Blues offense marched their way down the field into Wolf Pack territory before turning the ball over on the 5-metre line. After a Wolf Pack knock on at mid field, Blues winger Kainoa Lloyd picked up the loose ball, put up a kick and chased the ball down into the Wolf Pack try zone. Lloyd beat the Wolf Pack defender in an all-out foot race before touching the ball down to score his fourth try of the contest (70’). Ferguson nailed the conversion, putting Ontario up 45-10 late in the game.

After a sloppy restart, the Blues sent up a desperate clearance kick within their own half – giving the Wolf Pack possession at the midfield range. Down four tries, the Wolf Pack franticly attacked the Blues defense with hard crash lines and active support runners.  After many phases of forward ball inching up to the Ontario try line, Wolf Pack centre Mozac Samson put the home side on the board with a late try – as the Blues led 45-17 with just over five minutes left on the clock (73’). A gritty Wolf Pack offense was determined to bring this game within arms reach, as they marched the ball down into the Blues half with minimal time remaining on the clock. Ontario gave up another try late in the contest, but it was too little, too late. The Ontario Blues defeated the Prairie Wolf Pack by a fulltime score of 45-22.

Full Time | Ontario Blues: 45 Prairie Wolf Pack: 22

The Blues add another tally to their win column, giving Ontario a 2-0 record moving forward at the 2017 Canadian Rugby Championship.

The Blues play a strong British Columbia side next. The match is set for this Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at 7:00pm ET from Calgary Rugby Park. It will be streamed LIVE at www.facebook.com/rugbycanada.

For full schedule, standings and scoring leaders, go to www.canadianrugbychampionship.com.


ONTARIO BLUES SR. MEN vs. PRAIRIE WOLF PACK - AUGUST 13, 2017

1. Rob Brouwer, Lindsay RFC (Captain)

2. Eric Howard, Brantford Harlequins

3. Tom Dolezel, London St. Georges

4. Hank McQueen, Balmy Beach RFC

5. Mike Sheppard, Stoney Creek Camels

6. Peter Milazzo, Toronto Saracens

7. Lucas Rumball, Balmy Beach

8. Andrew Wilson, Crusaders

9. Andrew Ferguson, Crusaders

10. Shawn Windsor, Stoney Creek Camels

11. Kainoa Lloyd, Mississauga Blues

12. Josh Campbell, London St. Georges

13. Andrew Coe, Markham Irish

14. Dan Moor, Balmy Beach

15. Rory McDonell, Brantford Harlequins

16. Andrew Quattrin, Aurora Barbarians

17. Pat Lynott, Bytown Blues

18. Ryan Surgenor, Bytown Blues

19. Paul Ciulini, Aurora Barbarians

20. Marcello Wainwright, Toronto Saracens

21. Mario Van Der Westhuizen, Guelph Redcoats

22. Mitch Richardson, Stoney Creek Camels

23. John Sheridan, Markham Irish

STAFF

Chris Silverthorn - Head Coach

Cory Hector - Assistant Coach

Mark Winokur - Team Manager

Chris Kelly - Athletic Therapist

Rodin Lozada - Video Analyst

Dr. Chris Gallimore - Team Doctor

ONTARIO BLUES - CANADIAN RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

July 22, 2017 vs. Atlantic Rock - KO 4pm ET (24-17 Win)

August 13, 2017 vs. Prairie Wolf Pack - KO 3pm ET (45-22 Win)

August 16, 2017 vs. BC Bears - KO 7pm ET

August 19, 2017 vs. TBD - KO 7pm ET/9pm ET

CANADIAN RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP - PAST CHAMPIONS

2016 - Ontario Blues

2015 - Prairie Wolf Pack

2014 - Ontario Blues

2013 - Ontario Blues

2012 - Ontario Blues

2011 - Ontario Blues

2010 - Atlantic Rock

2009 - BC Bears

ABOUT THE ONTARIO BLUES

The Ontario Blues program is the high performance representative program for male and female rugby players in Ontario. Rugby Ontario is represented at the provincial level by the Ontario Blues High Performance program. The program includes representative teams from Under-15 to Senior in both Women’s and Men’s Fifteens. Specifically, the program is designed to develop and showcase rugby players for Canadian representative national teams.


ABOUT RUGBY ONTARIO

Rugby Ontario is the provincial sports governing body responsible for the organization of rugby in Ontario. Our mission is to establish a stronger identity for rugby in Ontario by promoting the sport’s core values and by fostering a culture of inclusiveness and excellence on and off the field of play.

To learn more, visit https://www.rugbyontario.com/


WANT MORE INFORMATION?

Dylan Meredith

High Performance and Communications Intern

Rugby Ontario

dmeredith@rugbyontario.com


JOIN THE CONVERSATION


© 2022 Rugby Ontario. All Rights Reserved. Powered by SportLomo