Win and loss for Vikes in sevens finals

UBC Thunderbirds take men’s crown, but UVic women defeat cross-strait rivals

It is OK in March to use basketball references for just about anything. So it’s quite appropriate when Gradyn Bowd describes the University of Victoria’s “run-gun style” in rugby.

The Vikes wanted to be running and gunning to a fifth consecutive Canadian university men’s sevens title Saturday at Westhills Stadium in Langford.

The UBC Thunderbirds, who run a pretty fast rugby program themselves, had other ideas in upending the Vikes 17-5 in the championship game.

Brittany Waters’ UVic Vikes women’s team gained a measure of revenge for the host school by beating their cross-strait rivals from UBC to capture the women’s sevens national university crown.

The Vikes men not only come at you with distracting speed from all directions, they do so with a roster deep in international talent.

But the Thunderbirds, who have come on in recent years to become a factor in the B.C. Premiership, continued their rise by upending a powerhouse Vikes squad.

The UVic roster included the likes of Gradyn Bowd, who has eight caps for Canada in XVs, including four in the recent Americas Championship.

UVic Vikes teammates Ollie Nott, from Qualicum Beach, and Guiseppe du Toit, out of Shawnigan Lake School, were also part of that tournament for Canada, while Luke Bradley, from Port Alberni, has played for Canada in sevens.

Vikes such as Isaac Kaay and Lucas Hammond were given this weekend off to let them recover from playing for the host team in the Canada Sevens last weekend at B.C. Place.

The UVic alumni list is as starry as it comes in Canadian rugby and includes former Vikes greats Phil Mack of Victoria and Nathan Hirayama of Richmond, who are currently tied for the all-time career lead in points scored for Canada in international sevens tournaments.

“It definitely doesn’t hurt to be able to play outdoors year-round,” said Bowd, the five-foot-10, 205-pound outside-half.

“It helps lift the level of the program.”

That was one of the main reasons the native of Red Deer chose UVic after taking up rugby in Grade 9 at Lindsay Thumber Secondary School. It turned into a wise decision for the 24-year-old education major.

“I had surgery last year. If I stay healthy, I want to keep pushing for a top spot on the national team,” Bowd said.

“This is the age group that is that is putting in the work and aiming for the next World Cup [2019 in Japan].”

Not to mention 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in sevens.

“These university sevens championships here are a chance for Rugby Canada to see the young talent from across the country,” UVic coach Doug Tate said.

A lot of that seems to be concentrated at the host school.

It was the Vikes women who stole the show Saturday with the national crown.