Mike Fisher
Coach
Mike Fisher, or as his players call him, “Fish”, began playing the game of rugby at the age of 16 in 1963, at the Furness Rugby Union Football Club in Barrow-in-Furness, England. Mike was a shipbuilder by trade, and he immigrated to Ottawa in 1973 as a Naval Engineer, when contracted by the Canadian Navy to refit three submarines. Fish began his illustrious career coaching the Bytown Blues RFC, having been invited out by a fellow mariner.
Read MoreChris Groombridge
Builder
Chris Groombridge is a name synonymous with the Sarnia Saints Rugby Football Club, and the greater Southwest Rugby Union. Chris has been a captain, coach, secretary, treasurer and president of the Sarnia Saints and executive member of the Southwest Ontario Rugby Football club at various points since the late 1970s. His involvement in the sport of rugby, from his playing career through to his transition into a dedicated builder of the game and its culture, has exemplified the Core Values of Rugby.
Pat Hodgins
Builder
Pat Hodgins arrived in Ontario from Ireland in the early 1970s, joining the Irish Canadian Rugby Club as a player. While actively playing he also took a great deal of interest in the club’s growth and administration throughout the years fulfilling successfully most major roles on the Irish Canadian Rugby Club executive, including being elected club captain. Pat held the role of club secretary in 1975 and progressed to become the ICRC club president in 1980, a position he would hold eight times, including after the merger of the ICRC and Markham Rugby Club which established the Markham Irish Canadian Rugby Club (1980 / 2008-2010 and 2014-2016).
Read MoreJay Johnston
Builder
Jay Johnston’s contribution to rugby in Canada and Ontario spans over a number of decades and has been vital in many ways, particularly in the governance and financial stewardship of the game. As a participant, Jay was a longstanding member of the Ottawa Ospreys (formerly Indians) Rugby Club from 1974-1995, and later joined the Ottawa Senators Rugby Club from 1995-2002. Jay has taken on crucial leadership roles at almost every level of rugby in Ontario and Canada.
Read MoreFran Mason
Builder
Fran Mason has consistently been labelled one of the hardest working people in provincial and national rugby. Fran has played an active role in Ontario rugby supporting countless players, coaches, teams and rugby clubs since the early 2000s. Having never played the game herself, her foray into the sport was first as a volunteer with the Ontario Rugby Union.
Read MoreYeomen RFC (‘93-’02)
Team
The Yeomen RFC Men’s 1st XV team of 1993-2002 is the sole Team inductee in the Hall of Fame Class of 2023. The Yeomen, a club originally established in 1972 as the “York Yeomen” by a group of former graduates from York University, established itself as a prominent team in the Ontario Rugby Union men’s league.
Read MoreTony Godziek – Burlington Centaurs & Crusaders RFC
Aaron Carpenter – Brantford Harlequins
Dan & Mike Pletch – London St George’s
Lee Powell – Ottawa Irish & EORU
Steve Scott – Oakville Crusaders
At the end of each rugby year, Rugby Ontario and its community gathers to celebrate the recipients of the Annual Awards. Spanning athletes, coaches, match officials, clubs and volunteers, the Annual Awards are given to those who fulfill the nomination criteria and who encompass the values of rugby in Ontario.