VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds women's rugby team is set to open the Canada West season this weekend when they host the No.1 ranked University of Victoria Vikes at the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre on Sunday, September 9, at 1:00 p.m.
 
The match will also be the second Legends Cup game of the rivalry series. Last Saturday in the opener of the Legends Cup it was the UBC women's soccer team striking first with a 1-0 win to take the first two points of the series.


 
The T-Birds who enter the campaign as the fourth-ranked team by way of the Canada West preseason coaches' poll will be guided by first year head coach Dean Murten. Murten, who has a rich history of playing and coaching the game on both sides of the pond is a familiar face however as he's served as an assistant coach in the previous four seasons. The native of West Yorkshire, England and steps into the role previously held for the last five years by Rugby Canada Hall of Fame member Maria Gallo. Gallo, who is a full-time professor of Kinesiology at UBC will remain involved with the program as an assistant coach.
 
The 'Birds finished the 2017 Canada West regular season with a 1-3 record while going 0-2 in the post-season to finish fourth overall in CW. UBC is dealing with some significant departures but also welcoming some exciting additions. Leaving the nest is last year's leading scorer Brooke Bazian along with Mackenzie Carson, Alayna Scramstad and Delaney Aikens.
 


New recruits joining the blue and gold include fullback, Kally King out of the Canada U-18 sevens national team, lock, Emma Feldinger previously with Canada's U-18 fifteens national team and lock/prop Rori Wood from the BC U-20 provincial team.
 
Staying in the fold is third-year outside centre Madison Gold who will captain the Thunderbirds in 2018. The standout from Merville, B.C., played for Canada's Under-20 national team in the Tri-Nations Cup in Nova Scotia over the summer. Gold, scored a try in each of Canada's games against the United States and England (2).


 
"I am very excited to see where we're at with this squad," said Murten ahead of the opener. "We have some outstanding first year players that will get an opportunity to show their quality while being supported by some great returning players."
 
Murten is expecting a tough test to begin the season from the visiting Vikes squad.
 
The UVic team has lots of talented players that have both previously and currently are involved in national programs," continued Murten. "They are well coached and play a great style of rugby. We look forward to the physical challenge they'll bring and we must answer with the same physicality."
 
Following Sunday's opener UBC will host Lethbridge on Friday, September 14 with a 4 p.m. start.