Junior Rugby Team Falls In Heartbreaking BC Final

David Speirs

May 25, 2026

The junior rugby team played a tremendous game but came up just short as they fell 19-17 in the BC Final yesterday. It really was an outstanding performance against an Earl Marriott squad who had dominated every team they had played this year until the final against the Cavs.

Collingwood got out to a dream start when Marcus S powered his way over early in the game. Connor D added the conversion to make it 7-0. A terrific break down the left sideline almost led to another try. However, off an ensuing ruck, Connor knocked a drop-goal over to give the Cavs a 10-0. There has not been a meaningful drop-goal in years even at the senior level for Collingwood so this was truly a head’s up play by Connor.

The Mariners started to push back but the Collingwood defence was stout. Unfortunately, a marginal late-hit resulted in a yellow card which dropped the Cavs to 14 men. When the referee reached for his pocket to give another yellow card for a high tackle, the EMS comeback was on.

With only 13 Collingwood men on the field, EMS was able to push a tricky kick through that found ground. The resulting kick-chase led to a try and it was 10-7. Then just before halftime, the Mariners scored again to make it 14-10.

The Cavs had the wind in the second half and they made good use of it. Unfortunately, every time they secured a line-out deep in the EMS end, they lost the line-out.

The turning point in the game came when Stellen B quick-tapped a penalty from 5 metres out. The two EMS defenders certainly did not retreat to the goal-line which was technically required. Instead, Stellen was double-teamed and he could not get the ball down. What possibly could have been a penalty-try for Collingwood, which would have given the Cavs a three-point lead was instead a goal-line drop-out for EMS.

Late in the game, the Mariners put through a clever kick and scored a try to make it 19-10. The gallant Cavs scored on the last play of the game when Hugo B bashed his way through. But even with the conversion it was too little too late as Collingwood fell 19-17.

Coaches Hall, Murray and Catliff were incredibly disappointed for their players who put so much into this season and came so close to knocking off a really powerful team. The good news is that many of the key players on the team are in Grade 9 so the junior team should be competing for BC gold again next year.

Stellen B's cast on his wrist was taken off on Thursday. He was given a little trial run against SMUS on Friday and then he was brilliant in both the semi-final and the final.