Powell River Otago Rugby Club will be hosting a 10-a-side tournament later this month, with four men’s teams already having signed up to participate, along with a women’s team.
Otago coach Jack Beardmore said the tournament will be held at Cranberry Field on Saturday, August 24, featuring full-contact rugby.
Beardmore said the goal was to get six men’s and four women’s teams to play in the tournament, and he is waiting for some confirmations of more teams.
“Part of the problem is it is still summer and everybody is busy with holidays,” said Beardmore. “West Shore is having a seven-a-side tournament the same weekend in Victoria. As always, geography has its detriments. If we end up with just five teams, so be it. We may have enough local players to field a second team, so we’ll see.”
Beardmore said the tournament is going to be a good time.
“It’s full-on rugby, but what you do is go with a five-man scrum, and you drop a centre and a winger, or a fullback. It’s definitely a faster game and obviously more wide open – not quite as open as sevens, but there’s more space than 15s.”
Beardmore said the players play two 15-minute halfs in the game, so it’s a half-hour game rather than the typical 80-minute game played by rugby 15s.
He said Otago is going to have a good side and he can see the locals winning games.
“In the end, however, it is about having a good time, and hopefully, nobody gets hurt.”
Otago is planning its regular great hospitality and there will be a beer garden at the field during the tournament for spectators who want to keep cool.
“We’re going to make it as enjoyable as possible for everybody,” said Beardmore. “We’ll have camping set up for anyone coming who wants it.”
This is the first rugby 10s tournament Otago has hosted, and the plan is to make it an annual event. Beardmore is hoping the tournament is a success and can be used to promote it so more teams come in the future.
Otago is calling this a kickoff tournament because most teams start their training at the end of August, so it is the beginning of rugby season, and 10-a-side gives participants the chance to play some real rugby.
Beardmore said rugby will be played all day on August 24 and he is hoping for great fan support. The following day, at the clubhouse, an international match between Canada and Japan in Vancouver will be televised.
“We’ll have the big screen on at the clubhouse and we’ll all be gathering together to watch that game, too,” said Beardmore. “Japan has really come on in rugby since they hosted the world cup.”
With the success of the women’s Canadian rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics, Beardmore said he is hoping some local women will be inspired to check out the Otago Rugby Club, which welcomes women to practice and play with the team. The team is currently playing touch rugby at the École Côte-du-soleil (former JP Dallos) field at 6 pm on Thursdays.
“We would love nothing more than to have some more women come out and participate,” added Beardmore.
Three of the team’s female players recently travelled to Nanaimo to participate in a seven-a-side tournament, along with some of the men’s team.
“They had a blast,” said Beardmore. “We have the makings of a good side.”
Beardmore said the team is attracting some new male players, who are also bringing their children to the touch rugby sessions. He said it’s mind-boggling how fast the children are learning the game.
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