BC Bears U19 & U17 XVs Return From Ontario

BC Bears U17 & U19 XVs return home after tour.

The BC Bears U19 and U17 XVs Teams returned home from Ontario as the 2026 Canadian U19 Rugby Championships and 2026 O’Neills Challenge Cup concluded.

At the 2026 CRCs in Guelph, the BC Bears had to settle for silver in both the U19 Men’s and U19 Women’s competition. After amassing three victories each against Atlantic, Alberta and Quebec throughout the week, Sunday’s Final fixture against the Ontario once again acted as the Championship decider for both programs.

The Bears U19 Women came agonisingly close to making it back-to-back CRCs Championships under Head Coach, Jake Thiel, and Assistant Coach Scott Hunter. The Bears defended valiantly but two tries in the final two minutes from Ontario sealed a 17-7 victory for the hosts. Prior to 2025, the Bears U19 Women’s Program had not won a game at the Canadian U19 Championships; the program has now won one Championship and one silver medal in the past two years.

The BC Bears U19 Men battled hard but ultimately succumbed 44-12 to a strong Rugby Ontario Blues team, inspired by a fantastic performance from their captain and No. 10, Jack Gore. For the Bears U19 men, it marked a third-successive silver medal showing at the national championships.

The BC Bears U17 Boys and Girls Programs contested the 2026 O’Neills Challenge Cup alongside their U19 counterparts at the University of Guelph. The shares were spoiled as the Bears and Ontario Blues celebrated one Series victory apiece.

The BC Bears U17 Girls lifted the O’Neills Challenge Cup for the second successive year after achieving a 2-1 Series win in their three matches against the Blues. The BC Bears U17 Boys battled the Blues all the way, winning Game 2 to force the decider, but were denied a second successive Cup win in an intense final game.

Full results and match videos are below.

All photos courtesy of Matthew Martin and Oscar Warburton.

BC Rugby would like to thank all our sponsors and partners for their continued support of Rugby in BC: Pomerleau, Malahat Skywalk, O’Neills, CTMS Travel Group, Hub, GFL, Purdey Group, The Limona Group, Holiday Inn Express, Coastland Wood Industries, Keycorp, Wales McLelland Construction, JBW Commercial, NAC, Pacific Plumbing, Heading & Refrigeration, Chandos and Copcan.

BC BEARS U19 XVs at the 2026 CRCs

BC BEARS U19 MEN CRCs RESULTS

July 22: BC Bears 59-12 Atlantic Rock

July 23: BC Bears 55-3 Alberta Wolfpack

July 24: BC Bears 57-17. Rugby Quebec

July 26: BC Bears 12-44 Rugby Ontario Blues

BC BEARS U19 WOMEN CRCs RESULTS

July 21: BC Bears 12-0 Atlantic Rock

July 23: BC Bears 51-0 Alberta Wolfpack

July 24: BC Bears 63-5 Rugby Quebec

July 26: BC Bears 7-17 Rugby Ontario Blues

All match videos for the 2026 CRCs can be viewed here.

BC BEARS U19 MEN’S SQUAD

Benard Bjorndal – Abbotsford RFC

Ben Shepherd – UBCO Heat

Dallin Westerlund – TWU Spartans

Daniel Turvey – Kamloops Raiders RFC

Davis Heppell – TWU Spartans

Dexter Tornquist – Queen’s University

Elijah Palov – UBC Thunderbirds

Evan Carlson – TWU Spartans

Everett Pinkoski – Kelowna Crows RFC

Ewan Webber-Smith – UBC Thunderbirds

Finn Murphy – McGill University

Gavin Kelly – UVIC Vikes

Grady Watt – NIVRU

Greg Putterill – Pacific Pride

Holden Sawatzky – UBCOB Ravens

Jack MacAlister – Queen’s University

James Walker – Langley RFC

Kai Reynolds – Kelowna Crows RFC

Kayden Dunn – Bayside Sharks RFC

Luke Prest – Cowichan RFC

Massimo Ruben – Salish Sea Warriors

Matthew George – Queen’s University

Michael Oughtred – UVIC Vikes

Ryelly MacDonald – Abbotsford RFC

Samuel Blundell – Pacific Pride

Simroy John – Pacific Pride

COACHES: Curry Hitchborn (Capilano RFC), Didier Banse (UBC Thunderbirds), Nate Mantle (Bayside Sharks RFC)

MANAGER: Ken McGovern

BC BEARS U19 WOMEN’S SQUAD

Abi Stanley – Vancouver Thunderbirds/James Bay AA

Amber Vallance – Abbotsford RFC

Amelia Handysides – Cowichan RFC

Angelina Boswell – Vancouver Thunderbirds

Anna Plate – Vancouver Thunderbirds

Asia Olynk – James Bay AA

Belle Rousseau – Vancouver Thunderbirds/James Bay AA

Briar Tait – James Bay AA

Charlie Hutton – CV Rapids Rugby

Claudia Vallance – Abbotsford RFC

Ellie Brandwood – James Bay AA

Emilie Sinclair – Langley RFC

Gwenlili Jones – University of Bath

Hailey Carroll – James Bay AA

Maja Olcen – Vancouver Thunderbirds/James Bay AA

Makella Smortschevsky – Capilano RFC

Marin O’Regan – Castaway Wanderers RFC

Poppy-Anne Elcock – Vancouver Thunderbirds/United Rugby

Raffielle Barrack – Cowichan RFC

Rhaea Geddert – Abbotsford RFC

Sasha McKee – Westshore RFC

Savannah Pelletier – Vancouver Thunderbirds/Abbotsford RFC

Sophie Hayes – Castaway Wanderers RFC

Sophie Weeks – University of Ottawa

Tayla Kempf – Abbotsford RFC

COACHES: Jake Thiel (UBC Thunderbirds), Scott Hunter (Abbotsford RFC)

MANAGER: Kelly Hanvey

BC BEARS U17 XVs: 2026 O'NEILLS CHALLENGE CUP

BC BEARS U17 BOYS 2026 O’NEILLS CHALLENGE CUP

July 20: BC Bears 21-37 Ontario Blues

July 22: BC Bears 26-14 Ontario Blues

July 25: BC Bears 12-27 Ontario Blues

BC BEARS U17 GIRLS 2026 O’NEILLS CHALLENGE CUP

July 20: BC Bears 26-19 Ontario Blues

July 22: BC Bears 24-21 Ontario Blues

July 25: BC Bears 20-24 Ontario Blues

All 2026 O'Neills Challenge Cup Match Vides can be viewed here.

BC BEARS U17 BOYS SQUAD

Austin Andrews – UBCOB Ravens

Beau Morgan – Meraloma RFC

Cameron Jones – Abbotsford RFC

Daniel Sawyer – Capilano RFC

Daniel Watkins – Abbotsford RFC

Dom Tapparo – Abbotsford RFC

Drayden Dhinjal – UBCOB Ravens

Evann Postma – Abbotsford RFC

Gage Kempton – Bayside Sharks RFC

Gavin MacDonald – Cowichan RFC

Hamid El Yousef – Abbotsford RFC

Kingston Smith – Burnaby Lake RFC

Landis Fulton – Salish Sea Warriors

Mason Balzer – Abbotsford RFC

Mattias Suleman – UBCOB Ravens

Michael Miller – UBCOB Ravens

Oliver du Toit – Capilano RFC

Quinlan Bjorndal – Abbotsford RFC

Ryley Storey – Abbotsford RFC

Santiago La Salvia – Castaway Wanderers

Spencer Black – Capilano RFC

Theo Schaddelee – Castaway Wanderers

Theo Young – Collingwood School

Tryton Haddad – Capilano RFC

Tuma Houston – Salish Sea Warriors

COACHES: Jamie McKenzie (TORA), Noah Pryce-Baff (Kats RFC), Patryk Zuk (Capilano RFC)

MANAGER: Ken McGovern



BC BEARS U17 GIRLS SQUAD

Alyvia Draney – Abbotsford RFC

Brooklyn Cybuliak – Abbotsford RFC

Chantelle Lambert – CV Rapids Rugby

Charlotte Agnew – CV Rapids Rugby

Chloe Baxendale – James Bay AA

Chloe Whittaker – James Bay AA

Claire Warsaba – Capilano RFC

Eliza Handysides – Salish Sea Warriors

Eli Guhl – CV Rapids Rugby

Elliott Martin – Westshore RFC

Emma Narraway – Salish Sea Warriors

Evelyn Anne Wilke – Salish Sea Warriors

Florence Elcock – United Rugby

Grace Martin – James Bay AA

Jayde Howard – CV Rapids Rugby

Laesa Tinworth – Abbotsford RFC

Lily Baxendale – Cowichan RFC

Louie McKenzie – CV Rapids Rugby

Penelope McKee – Langley RFC

Poet McRae-King – CV Rapids Rugby

Stella Ference – Salish Sea Warriors

Sydney Henderson – Abbotsford RFC

Sylvanah Belsham – Abbotsford RFC

Wendy Huynh – Abbotsford RFC

COACHES: Dean Murten (UBC Thunderbirds), Maria Gallo (UBC Thunderbirds), Julia Sugawara (TWU Spartans)

MANAGER: Kelly Hanvey