VANCOUVER – The Thunderbirds begin their battle for provincial supremacy this weekend, as they face off against age-old rivals Victoria in the BC Rugby Premier League Semifinals at home on Saturday, May 2.
The 'Birds are coming off a first-round playoff bye after a strong regular season that saw them post a 12-4-1 record in conference play – second in the Premier League table. UBC is 16-7-1 overall in the 2025-26 campaign, and will look to extend their season another week with a win in their playoff opener.
"Aiming for the quarterfinal bye weekend was key, especially with exams running in the background at this time of the year," remarked UBC head coach
Didier Banse. "This is playoff footy and we need to be ready to deal with high pressure moments, we need to focus on the details that give us the edge in momentum."
The T-Birds have made it to the Premier League Final in three of the past four seasons, winning the Rounsefell Cup in both 2022 and 2023 but falling to the UBCOB Ravens last May. With the Ravens boasting the No. 1 seed and facing off against James Bay AA in their own semifinal, the 'Birds could potentially end up with a rematch if they were to make it to the championship final.
"There's motivation, no doubt," added Banse. "Falling short last year leaves a mark, one you don't forget too quickly. But it's not our focus. The group's stayed present and understands it comes down to getting this weekend right. Finals rugby is about discipline, accuracy, and composure. The hunger's there, but more importantly, there's clarity on what's required. The rest takes care of itself."
This Saturday will mark the fourth time that the Thunderbirds and Vikes have squared off this season, following their two Premier League matches in late September and early October, and the bronze medal match of November's Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship.
UBC won all three of those meetings, claiming the Wightman Boot and national bronze. But the Vikes have been hot over the last month, winning three of their final four regular season matches before pulling an emphatic 38-17 upset win over Westshore RFC in their playoff quarterfinal.
"Those games don't count for much now, to be honest," said Banse, referring to their matches against Victoria from earlier this season. "They give you a bit of context, but both teams have evolved since then. UVic are playing some very good rugby in the second half of the season and they've strung together some strong performances.
"For us, it's less about what happened in those games and more about being clear on what we want this one to look like. Semifinals tend to tighten up, space comes at a premium, so it'll come down to who manages that better."
The rivalry showdown is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. (PT) at the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre on Saturday. The match is free to attend and will also be streamed live on
YouTube.
