VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds produced an impressive 23-8 semifinal victory on Saturday to defeat Burnaby Lake Rugby Club and advance to the 2015 Rounsefell Cup Final.
The opening 20 minutes was a period of testing for both sides and visitors showed slightly more composure having competed in the previous two BC Finals. UBC gave up four penalties and turned the ball over on a further two occasions to give Burnaby hope. But when an exciting UBC counter attack from
Brock Staller,
James Thompson and
Neil Courtney at the mid-point of the half took plat to the Burnaby line, the pattern of the game changed.
It was flanker
Thomas Roche, who had an outstanding game on both sides of the ball, who made the next decisive break before offloading to prop
Paul Ahn who sent the supporting
Jorden Sandover-Best over the line. Staller converted and the Birds were in front 7-0. The next score for UBC came from a line-out in left field. The quick clean ball went to
Bryan Tyrer who made a half break before offloading to Thompson. Once behind the tackle line there seemed to be little doubt about the outcome and Thompson accelerated through and past the remaining Burnaby defence to score. Staller converted again to push UBC's lead to 14-0.
Burnaby got back into the game when a Sandover-Best clearance kick was judged to have been made outside the twenty-two meter line. The line-out was brought back and Burnaby won the contest before penetrating wide on the right to score in the corner to reduce the lead to 14-5. Just before the half, UBC wasted an opportunity to extend its lead when it failed to convert pressure on a series of line-outs close to the Burnaby line. The half ended 14-5 in favour of UBC.
The second half was notable for the Birds' great defensive effort. Burnaby attacked the midfield channels as well the fringes off the contact points but were met time and time again with resolute tackling from the UBC players. Staller's early penalty was cancelled out by a Burnaby penalty to leave the score at 17-8 for UBC. Staller added a further two penalties to stretch the lead to 23-8, pushing the Birds across the finish line and rewarding them for a place in the Rounsfell Cup Final.
The Canadian Direct Insurance Premier League Finals will be hosted by BC Rugby at Klahanie Park in West Vancouver on May 9 as the Thunderbirds will face their rival from the University of Victoria.
