In mid-March the Williams Lake senior team is off to England and Wales for the school’s first ever overseas tour.  Games have been set up with Wimbledon College (London), Bishop Wordsworth’s School (Salisbury), Lawrence Sheriff School (Rugby, England) and Ysgol Bro Morgannwg (Barry, west of Cardiff).  The itinerary also includes visits to Twickenham Stadium, Windsor Castle and Stonehenge, as well some free time in London and the opportunity to be in Millennium Stadium for the Six Nations Wales vs Ireland test match.  That will indeed be a memorable experience.  Good luck to Coach Mike Levitt and the boys from Williams Lake.

This page will be updated soon.

Six weeks to 2009 Rugby Coaching Conference at RMC . Four weeks to receive the early discount . All clinicians are booked from England , U.S. , B.C. , Quebec, Ont. etc. Kieran Crowley , Lynn Evans , Gavin  Williams , Pete Steinberg , Guillermo Gulli , and Paul Connelly are preparing their sessions. 

A revised and updated website has the ability to take secure ,on line registrations and will have the 2009 Daily Agenda posted shortly. Go to www.coachingthecoaches.ca  for details.  There are registrants from B.C. to Nova Scotia. Book soon to ensure a spot.

Continue reading→

This page is currently being updated, please check back for more details.

UBC was the site for the inaugural tournament in the fall of 1971. Many changes have taken place over the past few decades, not the least of which is the staggering increase in the financial burden from the 1971 Donn Spence (Thunderbird rugby coach) “sponsorship” of the event. In 2006, a concern over player safety resulted in a longer period of rest between games, whereby game one was played four days before game 2 at various locations.

Anxious to expand its provincial championship program, the B.C. Federation of School Athletic Associations, as BC SCHOOL SPORTS was then called, appointed Bill Westcott commissioner. Only eight teams competed in this two-day event, but the competition was intense. In the championship final, Point Grey took advantage of a ten-man scrummage (which the laws then allowed) to force a Magee offside during extra time. David Whyte’s successful penalty kick gave Point Grey an 11-8 victory. During the early years there was both a fall and spring championship. Vancouver and Victoria had traditionally competed during the early part of the school year, whilst the newer schools outside of these areas chose to play in the spring. Growth in the sport, coupled with the pressure to crown only one champion, led to the adoption in 1979 of a single championship. Continued growth led to the dual championships for AA and AAA schools.

The AAA champion receives the R.P. Woodward Shield, named after the man who had been an icon in British Columbia rugby since arriving from England in 1887 at the age of 18. Woodward played, coached, managed and administered the sport for the next fifty years before retiring to the role of spectator until his death in 1957. Donated in 1957 by the BC Rugby Union, the Shield was initially competed for in an informal way, with the coaches of the Vancouver and Victoria champions phoning each other to arrange the game. Some years produced no game because the coaches were unaware of the protocol. That was certainly the case in 1966 when David Thompson School was the Vancouver winner of the New Zealand Shield. The AA championship began in 1991.

The annual championships have not been without a few “glitches” since the beginning. A British Columbia Ferry strike in 1977 caused havoc as tournament organizer Derek Hyde-Lay attempted to hastily fill spaces vacated by schools that had qualified but withdrew reluctantly. Trophies have gone missing, some permanently. Two sportsmanship trophies (named after Bill Westcott and Alan Worsley) and the original second and third place shields have never been recovered since being placed in the care of the winning schools. A province-wide teachers strike in 1987 forced the cancellation of the tournament, and in 1993 a Vancouver schools? dispute resulted in that zone being unrepresented.

With the reduction in available field space being imminent in 2010, a decision was made to move the final three days of the tournament to the Exhibition Ground in Abbotsford where, for the first time, a full slate of referees was available for every game. Kamloops Rugby Club, Brentwood College and St. George’s were the sites for the previous Saturday’s Round One games. Two private schools met in the AAA final when Number 1 seed Shawnigan Lake lived up to its ranking by defeating Number 3 ranked St. George’s at Rotary Stadium. In the AA final, Number 1 ranked Rockridge retained its position but only after receiving a scare from Number 7 ranked Collingwood. 

In 2008, Britannia with only seventeen players, qualified for the tournament for the first time and placed sixteenth. On Day 1, they played with only fourteen against fifteen, because three were attending a funeral service. In the fifteen/sixteen game on Day 4, they played most of the game with only thirteen players against fifteen, except when one received a yellow card. In the seven/eight game on Day 4, when both Ladysmith and Rick Hansen had similar jerseys, one player tackled his own team member when he was about to score.

In 2010, first-time participants AAA Argyle and AA Smithers gave a good account of themselves in finishing twelfth in their respective tiers. In order to assist Smithers and L.V. Rogers, both of whom had to travel much farther than the other thirty teams, adjustments were made to the Day 1 schedule.

In the AAA 2011 quarter-finals, Carson Graham rebounded after trailing 19-0 at half-time to defeat Earl Marriott and then, after leading 19-10 at half-time in a semi-final, they lost to Oak Bay who was defeated by Shawnigan Lake in the final. For the second year in a row, rain prevented the Opening Ceremonies from taking place. The Closing Ceremonies on the last day were shortened to allow spectators and players to see the second game of the Vancouver Canucks vs. Boston Bruins Stanley Cup playoff game.

In 2012, Shawnigan Lake became the first team to win the Woodward Shield four successive times when they defeated a gritty Carson Graham side. Five other schools competed in the Championship for the first time and, in spite of the BCTF job action throughout the province, both AAA and AA divisions fielded a full complement of teams. Pete Tyler completed his ninth year as announcer of the semi-final and final games.

Many highlights over the years are worth recalling, too many to document in this brief historical look at the history. Some of them are:

• Prince George being reduced to fourteen players for their 1988 final game 
• The goal-kicking “shoot-out” won by Princess Margaret in 1973  
• Merritt’s three return trips in 1992
• D.W. Poppy’s extra time drop goal in 1992
• St. George’s victory over favoured Oak Bay following a twenty-five minute injury delay in 1993
• The first Players Banquet introduced by Commissioner John Narbett in 1983  
• The 1975 entry fee of only $20  
• Senior and age-grade players who have represented Canada, including Rugby World Cup Captain Mark Wyatt from Oak Bay, as well as Gary Johnston who was Canada’s Head Coach from 1985-1989 and Assistant Coach from 2000-2003.
• Norkam’s 1983 triumph, after three second place finishes  
• Prince of Wales “threepeat” 1984-1986  
• Three officials for each game after 1998, and the revised tournament format in 2006, where other sites around the province were used for Day One games, and Friday was designated a ‘day of rest’.  
• More scholarships available to players
• In AAA, Kitsilano made it to the final 4 for the first and only time in 2002, whereas Carson Graham has made it every year from 2000-2007, winning it twice
• In AA, Rockridge has been the gold medal winner from 2004-2007

Since 1971, thousands of players, coaches and organizers have contributed to the ever-growing success of the annual tournament. Some players have gone on to represent their province and their country. All have participated in the true rugby tradition and have been worthy representatives of their school. May the tradition continue in years to come.

Doug Sturrock

---

Past Years of Provincial Championships

Year	AAAA	AAA	AAA Tier II	AA	AA Tier II
2018 – 2019	Shawnigan Lake	Earl Marriott	Lord Byng	Collingwood	Sir Charles Tupper
2017 – 2018	Oak Bay	South Delta	W.J. Mouat	Collingwood	L.V. Rogers
2016 – 2017	Shawnigan Lake	Carson Graham	Terry Fox	St. Michaels University	Glenlyon Norfolk
2015 – 2016	Shawnigan Lake	Yale	Elgin Park	St. Michaels University	L.V. Rogers

Since 1957 the RP Woodward Memorial Shield has been awarded to the top team in BC Boys High School Rugby. This team has been the winner of the AAAA Division since 2015-16. Prior to the creation of the AAAA Division to improve competitiveness, the Woodward Shield was awarded to the top team in AAA rugby from 1992 to 2015. Prior to 1992 when the BMO Shield was created for the AA Division, both AAA and AA teams competed for the Woodward Shield. In 2015-16 new Tier 2 championships were also created for both the AAA and AA Divisions, to improve the sport for all teams.

Year	AAA	AA
2014 – 2015	Shawnigan Lake	St. Michaels University
2013 – 2014	St. George’s	Rockridge
2012 – 2013	Shawnigan Lake	Collingwood
2011 – 2012	Shawnigan Lake	Brentwood College
2010 – 2011	Shawnigan Lake	Collingwood
2009 – 2010	Shawnigan Lake	Rockridge
2008 – 2009	Shawnigan Lake	Brentwood College
2007 – 2008	Carson Graham	Brentwood College
2006 – 2007	St. Michaels University	Rockridge
2005 – 2006	Carson Graham	Rockridge
2004 – 2005	St. George’s	Rockridge
2003 – 2004	St. George’s	Rockridge
2002 – 2003	Oak Bay	Collingwood
2001 – 2002	Carson Graham	Collingwood
2000 – 2001	Oak Bay	Collingwood
1999 – 2000	Oak Bay	Robert Bateman
1998 – 1999	Lord Byng	Collingwood
1997 – 1998	Shawnigan Lake	Collingwood
1996 – 1997	St. Michaels University	Aldergrove
1995 – 1996	Carson Graham	Highland
1994 – 1995	Semiahmoo	Glenlyon Norfolk
1993 – 1994	St. George’s	Langley
1992 – 1993	Oak Bay	Aldergrove
1991 – 1992	St. Michaels University	D.W. Poppy

Prior to the 1991-92 season, both AAA and AA schools competed for the RP Woodward Memorial Shield. From 1992 onwards, the top teams in AA rugby have competed for the BMO Shield.

Year	AAA
1990 – 1991	St. Michaels University
1989 – 1990	Oak Bay
1988 – 1989	Abbotsford
1987 – 1988	Semiahmoo
1986 – 1987	School Strike  No Competition
1985 – 1986	Prince of Wales
1984 – 1985	Prince of Wales
1983 – 1984	Prince of Wales
1982 – 1983	Norkam
1981 – 1982	Magee
1980 – 1981	R.E. Mountain
1979 – 1980	Oak Bay
1978 – 1979	Magee

In the 1971-72 school year, the BC Federation of School Athletic Associations (now BC School Sports) organized one provincial championship for the Fall of 1971 which was won by Point Grey. However, because different zones played rugby during different seasons of play, from the 1972-73 to the 1978-79 school years, there were two championships awarded each year, with one in the Fall and one in the Spring. From the 1978-79 school year onward, only one championship has been awarded and that has been in the Spring now for over 40 years.

Year	AAA
1977 – 1978	Fall 1977: Magee   |   Spring 1978: Victoria High School
1976 – 1977	Fall 1976: Magee   |   Spring 1977: Victoria High School
1975 – 1976	Fall 1975: Magee   |   Spring 1976: Lord Tweedsmuir
1974 – 1975	Fall 1974: St. George’s    |   Spring 1975: Oak Bay
1973 – 1974	Fall 1973: St. George’s   |   Spring 1974: Oak Bay
1972 – 1973	Fall 1972: Not played for   |   Spring 1973: Princess Margaret Sr
1971 – 1972	Fall 1971: Point Grey   |   Spring 1972: Not played for
From 1957 to 1970 the Victoria representative (Howard Russell winner) played the Vancouver representative (New Zealand Shield winner) in a game arranged by the coaches with the winner capturing the R.P. Woodward Memorial Shield, which has been awarded to the top team in BC Boys High School Rugby ever since. R.P. Woodward Memorial Shield for the Senior High School Rugby Championship of British Columbia In Deed and in Spirit He Personified True Sportsmanship
Year	AAA
1970	Shawnigan Lake
1969	Not played for
1968	Point Grey
1967	Brentwood College
1966	Not played for
1965	Sir Charles Tupper
1964	Not played for
1963	Not played for
1962	Not played for
1961	Not played for
1960	David Thompson
1959	David Thompson
1958	Lord Byng
1957	Lord Byng

---

Early History

Prior to the donation of the R.P. Woodward Shield in 1957, there was neither a formal nor an informal championship for BC Boys High School Rugby. This meant two other long-standing competitions, one in Vancouver and one in Victoria were every bit as important, have enormous history and in fact, they still take place to this day. These competitions (in the Lower Mainland) are for the New Zealand Shield and (in Victoria) are for the Howard Russell Trophy.

The New Zealand Shield was donated by the New Zealand Rugby Union during an All Blacks tour in 1925. It was originally given to the Vancouver Rugby Union and then turned over to the Vancouver and District Inter-High School Athletic Association (V and D) for schools belonging to that Association ie. Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, North Vancouver and Richmond. These school districts eventually formed their own athletic associations. In 1979 the Vancouver Secondary Schools Athletic Association withdrew from the Vancouver and District Inter-High School Association, thereby losing the chance for their schools to play for the Shield. When the Lower Mainland League for rugby was formed in the mid 1990s, the V & D turned the Shield over to the Lower Mainland League for competition. For Vancouver schools between 1971 and 1980, it was often considered more important to win the New Zealand Shield than to win the R.P. Woodward Shield, such was its significance. The Shield is now contested for by the Vancouver Sea to Sky Zone.

New Zealand Shield Champions
Aotearoa Shield
Presented by
The New Zealand Rugby Football Union
to
The Vancouver Rugby Union
for
The Senior Mainland High School Rugby Championship

1925  King George	1926  Magee	1927  Magee	1928  Magee
1929  King George	1930  King Edward	1931  Magee	1932  King George
1933 Lord Byng	1934  Lord Byng	1935  Magee	1936  King George
1937  Lord Byng	1938  Lord Byng	1939  Lord Byng	1940  Lord Byng
1941  Lord Byng	1942  Lord Byng	1943  Lord Byng	1944  Lord Byng
1945  Lord Byng	1946  King Edward	1947  King Edward	1948  Britannia
1949  Vancouver Technical	1950  Vancouver Technical	1951  King Edward	1952  King Edward
1953  Kitsilano	1954  Kitsilano	1955  Vancouver Technical	1956  Gladstone/Kitsilano
1957  Lord Byng	1958  Lord Byng	1959  David Thompson	1960  David Thompson
1961  Prince of Wales	1962  David Thompson/Lord Byng	1963  Magee	1964  Magee
1965  Sir Charles Tupper	1966  David Thompson	1967  Sir Charles Tupper	1968  Point Grey
1969  Sir Charles Tupper	1970  Point Grey	1971  Magee	1972  Point Grey
1973  Prince of Wales	1974  Point Grey	1975  Sir Charles Tupper	1976  Magee/Prince of Wales
1977  Magee	1978  Magee	1979  Magee	1980  Hillside
1981  New Westminster	1982  Burnaby South	1983  Burnaby South	1984  Burnaby South
1985  Carson Graham	1986  Burnaby North	1987  No competition	1988  Burnaby North
1989  West Vancouver	1990  Carson Graham	1991  Carson Graham	1992  Carson Graham
1993  Carson Graham	1994  Carson Graham	1995  Carson Graham	1996  Carson Graham
1997  Lord Byng	1998  Carson Graham	1999  Lord Byng	2000  Carson Graham
2001  Carson Graham	2002  Carson Graham	2003  Carson Graham	2004  St. George’s
2005  St. George’s	2006  Carson Graham	2007  St. George’s	2008  Carson Graham
2009  St. George’s	2010  Carson Graham	2011  Carson Graham	2012  Carson Graham
2013  St. George’s	2014  St. George’s	2014  St. George’s	2016  St. George’s
2017  St. George’s	2018  St. George’s	2019  St. George’s

The Howard Russell Trophy

Since 1930, the top Boys High School rugby teams in Victoria have competed for the highly coveted Howard Russell Trophy, which is named after Ernest Howard Russell. Affectionately known as “The Howie,” much like the New Zealand Shield in the Vancouver/Lower Mainland zone, it was the highest competition possible for teams based on Southern Vancouver Island until the R.P. Woodard Shield was dedicated in 1957 and the first Provincial Championship was held in a challenge format between these two zones.

Howard Russell was born in Douglastown, New Brunswick and was an accomplished rugby player at the half-back position in Queen’s University and was part of a Canadian Rugby Championship team in the 130 pounds weight division. He was a “Renaissance Man” with many talents who taught both Math and Choir at UBC where he also played rugby before teaching at Victoria College. While in Victoria he promoted rugby in the Victoria area and was a key “rugby pioneer” for high school rugby on Vancouver Island. In the early years “The Howie” was primarily a competition between Victoria High School and Oak Bay High School, which have won it 13 times and 45 times by 2019 respectively. In more recent years, a total of 9 different schools have won the Howard Russell Trophy, including St. Michaels University School, which has won it 16 times.

1930  Vic. High	1931  Oak Bay	1932  Vic. High	1933  Oak Bay
1934  Oak Bay	1935  Vic. High	1936  Vic. High	1937  Not played
1938  Oak Bay	1939  Oak Bay	1940  Oak Bay	1941  Oak Bay
1942  Vic. High	1943  Vic. High	1944  Oak Bay	1945  Oak Bay
1946  Oak Bay	1947  Oak Bay	1948  Oak Bay	1949  Oak Bay
1950  Oak Bay	1951  Oak Bay	1952  Vic. High	1953  Oak Bay
1954  Vic. High	1955  Oak Bay	1956  Vic. High	1957  Vic. High
1958  Oak Bay	1959  Oak Bay	1960  Oak Bay	1961  Oak Bay
1962  Vic. High	1963  Mount View	1964  Vic. High	1965  Mount View
1966  Mount View	1967  Mount Douglas	1968  Mount Douglas	1969  Claremont
1970  Claremont	1971  Claremont	1972  Claremont	1973  Claremont
1974  Oak Bay	1975  St. Michaels	1976  St. Michaels	1977  St. Michaels
1978  Vic. High	1979  St. Michaels	1980  Oak Bay	1981  Oak Bay
1982  Oak Bay	1983  Oak Bay	1984  Parklands	1985  Claremont
1986  Stelly’s	1987  Mt. Doug/Stelly’s	1988  Spectrum	1989  Oak Bay
1990  Oak Bay	1991  St. Michaels	1992  St. Michaels	1993  St. Michaels
1994  St. Michaels	1995  Oak Bay	1996  St. Michaels	1997  St. Michaels
1998  Oak Bay	1999  Oak Bay	2000  Oak Bay	2001  Oak Bay
2002  Oak Bay	2003  St. Michaels	2004  Oak Bay	2005  Oak Bay
2006  Oak Bay	2007  St. Michaels	2008  St. Michaels	2009  St. Michaels
2010  Oak Bay	2011  Oak Bay	2012  Oak Bay	2013  Oak Bay
2014  Oak Bay	2015  Oak Bay	2016  St. Michaels	2017  St. Michaels
2018  Oak Bay	2019  Oak Bay

---

AAA Most Sportsmanlike Team Award

The BCSSRU Most Sportsmanlike Team Award was first presented in 1991 and until 1993 there was only one winner selected. In 1993 both the AA and AAA Division winners were selected for the first time. From 2014 to 2018 the AAA Most Sportsmanlike Team Award was missing so it was not awarded and we are fortunate to have recovered it to help keep our history alive.

1991	Kitsilano/West Vancouver
1992	Magee
1993	St. Michaels University
1994	Shawnigan Lake
1995	St. George’s
1996	St. Michaels University
1997	Lord Byng
1998	Penticton
1999	Carson Graham
2000	GP Vanier
2001	West Vancouver
2002	Rutland
2003	St. Michaels University
2004	Lord Byng
2005	Fleetwood Park
2006	Magee
2007	Earl Marriott
2008	Lord Byng
2009	WJ Mouat
2010	Handsworth
2011	Robert Bateman
2012	Handsworth
2013	Semiahmoo
2019	West Vancouver

---

AA Most Sportsmanlike Team Award

1993	Pleasant Valley
1994	Ladysmith
1995	Ladysmith
1996	Merritt
1997	South Okanagan
1998	A.L. Fortune
1999	A.L. Fortune
2000	Prince George
2001	Vanderhoof
2002	Selkirk
2003	A.L. Fortune
2004	Sir Charles Tupper
2005	Kelowna Christian
2006	Sir Charles Tupper
2007	Kelowna Christian/Heritage Park
2008	Kalamalka
2009	Collingwood
2010	Norkam
2011	Sentinel
2012	Collingwood
2013	Not Awarded
2014	Not Awarded
2015	St. Michaels University School
2016	LV Rogers
2017	DW Poppy
2018	DW Poppy
2019	Byrne Creek

---

Past Years of Provincial Championships (Junior Boys)

2019	St. George’s
2018	Earl Marriott
2017	Shawnigan Lake
2016	Shawnigan Lake

---

BCSSRU Commissioners

2015 – Present	Walter van Halst
2005 – 2015	Stephen Rowell
1990 – 2005	Brian Lynch
1987 – 1990	Douglas Sturrock
1986 – 1987	Greg Ponsart
1980 – 1986	John Narbett
1978 – 1980	Claude Marsden
1977 – 1978	Tony Whitham*
1974 – 1977	William “Bill” Turpin
1971 – 1974	Bill Westcott*

* Deceased

---

BCSSRU Presidents

2015 – Present	Stephen Rowell
2014 – 2015	Walter van Halst
2013 – 2014	Stephen Rowell
1990 – 2013	Brian Lynch
1987 – 1990	Douglas Sturrock
1986 – 1987	Greg Ponsart
1980 – 1986	John Narbett
1978 – 1980	Claude Marsden
1977 – 1978	Tony Whitham*
1974 – 1977	William “Bill” Turpin
1971 – 1974	Bill Westcott*

* Deceased

---

BCSSRU Honourary Members

The BCSSRU Constitution and Bylaws state: Directors may admit to membership as an Honourary Member any individual who has given outstanding service to the Union.

In order to be considered the individual must satisfy two criteria:

1. Be of good standing in the community at large
2. Have made a long-standing contribution to secondary school rugby as a coach, referee, executive, tournament committee member, supporter, convenor or zone representative.

Past winners are:

1995	Derek Hyde-Lay*
	Peter Horn
	Claude Marsden
	John Marbett
	Mike Smith
	Doug Sturrock
	Tony Whitham*
1996	William “Bill” Turpin
1997	David Milne*
1998	Don Burgess*
1999	Marty Godsmark
2000	Brian Lynch
	Garth Henrikson
2002	Buzz Moore*
2003	Ian Hyde-Lay
2004	Paul Carnes
2008	Ken Erikson
2009	Blake Lewis
2010	Ian MacKay
	Stephen Rowell
	Dave Speirs
2013	Ian Busfield
	Pat Palmer
2014	Owen Schutz
2015	Al Hudson
	Ryan McWhinney
2017	Gary Johnston
	Dennis Quigley
	Henry’s Outdoor BBQ
2019	Kevin Ballard

* Deceased

---

BCSSRU Distinguished Coach Award

Presented for longstanding service and excellence in coaching rugby union.

2019	Barry Burnham
	Ron Burton
	Roger Hatch
	Paul Horne
	Spence McTavish

 

---

Tony Whitham Coaches Choice Award for Referee Excellence

Following the passing of Tony Whitham the BCSSRU membership voted to create an annual award for referee excellence which is chosen by the coaches at the conclusion of the Provincial Championships in the same way the referees select the Most Sportsmanlike team awards. The award is presented at the Coaches Dinner the following year to celebrate the recipient.

2018	Kevin Smith