Blues Senior Men fall just short of the comeback vs. BC in CRC Game 3, will still play for MacTier Cup on Saturday; Photo Credit to Rugby Canada
(CALGARY, AB) - The Ontario Blues Senior Men played the British Columbia Bears yesterday evening in what was dubbed as a warm up match for the Gold Medal game on Saturday. The Blues starting fifteen players were young - an average age of just 22.6 years old. The side was captained by 21-year old Pete Milazzo - the youngest captain in Blues Senior Men's history.
The young Blues side looked to have jitters at the beginning of the game, allowing the Bears to score early and often. After a penalty kick by BC's Guisseppe Du Toit and two tries from Aaron McLelland, the Blues frustration was quite obvious. Mike Sheppard and Dan Moor both found themselves in the sin bin, putting Ontario down by two men. BC took advantage, scoring twice before half time. Du Toit converted on both and the Blues found themselves in a 0-31 hole after forty minutes of rugby.
The beginning of the second half saw a couple changes to the Blues fifteen, as regular starting scrum half Andrew Ferguson ran out for the last frame and fullback Kainoa Lloyd also joined him. The two made an impact early on, with Lloyd putting together a few strong runs and Ferguson guiding the team down field.
It was Marcello Wainwright, who really made a difference early on in the second, as he touched down for two tries within the first 10 minutes of the half.
Moor continued the momentum after receiving a beautiful Wainwright offload to put the Blues within 12 points of the BC Bears.
Andrew Wilson added a try to get the BLues within five points, but an Ontario penalty allowed Du Toit to extend the lead to eight points.
The Blues charged down field and Wilson was able to score in the 78th minute, setting the scene for one more attempt to complete the comeback.
Ontario was quick to back to the kickoff. Andrew Ferguson missed the conversion attempt, but they needed three points anyways. The Blues once again marched down field. In a great team effort, the Blues entered BC half. After a couple Ontario passes, Andrew Coe ended up with the ball with no one to beat. He dived in for what the crowd and most fans watching from home thought was a sure try. It was all for not though, as the referee called a forward pass earlier in the phase and the try was disallowed. The final whistle blew signalling the Ontario Blues' first loss of the 2017 season.
The Blues will meet British Columbia again - this time in the Gold Medal match - to crown the 2017 MacTier Cup Champions. The match is bound to be exciting, after the show these two teams put on in Game 3.
The Gold medal match kicks off at 9:00pm ET from Calgary Rugby Park on Saturday, August 19, 2017. 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. BC BEARS - AUGUST 16, 2017
1. Pat Lynott, Bytown Blues
2. Andrew Quattrin, Aurora Barbarians
3. Ryan Surgenor, Bytown Blues
4. Paul Ciulini, Aurora Barbarians
5. Mike Sheppard, Stoney Creek Camels
6. Marcello Wainwright, Toronto Saracens
7. Peter Milazzo, Toronto Saracens (Captain)
8. Seb Pearson, London St. Georges
9. Mario Van Der Westhuizen, Guelph Redcoats
10. Mitch Richardson, Stoney Creek Camels
11. Dan Moor, Balmy Beach
12. Kyle Lagasca, Toronto Saracens
13. Andrew Coe, Markham Irish
14. Brandon McLeod, Aurora Barbarians
15. John Sheridan, Markham Irish
16. Eric Howard, Brantford Harlequins
17. Rob Brouwer, Lindsay RFC
18. Tom Dolezel, London St. Georges
19. Lucas Rumball, Balmy Beach
20. Andrew Wilson, Crusaders
21. Andrew Ferguson, Crusaders
22. Josh Campbell, London St. Georges
23. Kainoa Lloyd, Mississauga Blues
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 (31-34 Loss)
August 19, 2017 vs. BC Bears - KO 7 pm ET - MACTIER CUP FINAL
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?
Kevin Baxter
Communications Coordinator - Rugby Ontario
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