VANCOUVER – After successfully defending their crown and repeating as U SPORTS Women's Rugby national champions the UBC Thunderbirds return to the pitch this weekend to kick off their 2026 Canada West season Saturday afternoon against an all-too familiar foe in Victoria.
Fittingly, the nations No. 1 ranked T-Birds' campaign starts where their last one ended, against the No. 2 seed, Vikes after the rivals faced each other in each of the last two U SPORTS title matches.
"Any game against the University of Victoria is a challenging contest," said UBC head coach
Dean Murten. "The team has recently acquired several highly skilled senior players, and we must be vigilant, they are a formidable opponent that consistently demonstrates a strong competitive spirit. We must prepare for a demanding game that will require the full attention of every player for the entire 80 minutes. Any lapse in focus or relaxation against them will be detrimental to our success."
Last season, their battles were as close as could be, with each of their meetings decided by four points or fewer. The Vikes had UBC's number in the early going, winning both regular-season matchups before adding a third victory in the Canada West final to snap the T-Birds' streak of five straight conference championships.
The 'Birds however would buck that trend when it mattered most in the National Championship final - when the two powerhouses met once again on UBC's Point Grey campus in a thrilling bout that quite literally needed every play to decide the result.
With UBC trailing by three in the final minute,
Adia Pye came up in the clutch. The third-year wing hauled in a skip pass on the far sideline and found enough daylight to just cross the line for the game-winning try, ending the Vikes' perfect season at the last moment.
Now, the T-Birds have a long road ahead as it tries to scale the mountain once again and accomplish something that hasn't been done in more than 15 years – winning three national championships in a row. The last team to accomplish the elusive feat was the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, who lifted the trophy on the national stage each year from 2007 to 2009.
This edition of the 'Birds roster has seen some turnover and coach Murten is confident the new additions will have a chance to have an immediate impact.
"We have certainly graduated some key players, however, this also provides a great opportunity for younger players to step up and demonstrate their abilities at the highest level," added coach Murten. "The younger players need to believe in their abilities and perform at their best. The message is simple: it is not a sprint, and we do not expect to be at our best in game one. We must continue to improve game after game."
The new-look T-Birds will get their chance to showcase their talents this weekend as they head to the island for their season opener. Their search for history begins Saturday, September 5, with game time set for 1:00 p.m. PT at Wallace Field in Victoria.
