It was something of a who’s-who of the Peninsula rugby scene earlier this month at South Surrey Athletic Park, as the Bayside Sharks Rugby Club held it’s annual sevens tournament.
The popular event – which was held under sunny skies Aug. 9 – drew players of all ages, including Bayside players past and present, and alumni from South Surrey high school programs.
The 12-team seven-a-side event was split into three divisions – over-35, men’s social and high-school alumni.
In the over-35 showdown, the hosts from Bayside emerged victorious, led by club captain Dave Wareing and past Canadian international players Joe Haley and Adam Van Stavern, the latter of whom was, in the past, a longtime captain of the Sharks’ 15-a-side men’s premier squad.
Also competing in the over-35 division were the Semiahmoo Old Boys and the Rugby Guardians – a team of men and women from across the globe – as well as Docomo, a team from New Westminster made up of ‘old boys’ from Douglas and Pocomo clubs.
In the social grouping, the Fiji Blonde team captured the title, defeating Bayside in the finals, while the high-school alum division, which was a new addition to the annual summer event, saw Elgin Park claim top spot.
The Elgin alumni were led by Rupert Peers, Jeremy Bergan and recent grad Andrew O’Connor.
In the crossover final, between social winners Fiji and the Elgin crew, Elgin replacement player Jesse Train (who is actually a graduate of Semiahmoo) booted a conversion from the sideline to tie the game late, but Fiji Blonde scored four minutes into the overtime session to take the overall championship.
