BC Rugby is delighted to announce the BC Bears Senior Men’s Squad to compete at the 2023 Coast to Coast Cup in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on June 17-24.
The BC Bears Senior Men’s team will return to competition for the first time since the global pandemic at the 2023 Coast to Coast Cup, where they will face tough opposition from Atlantic Selects Rugby and the Toronto Arrows RFC Senior Academy.
Head Coach Curry Hitchborn (UBC Thunderbirds) and Assistant Coaches Christian Esterhuizan (Meraloma RFC), Jake Ilnicki (Williams Lake Rustlers) and Rob Bowman (Capilano RFC), alongside Phil Mack (Pacific Pride), have named the 26-man travelling squad for Nova Scotia. The squad was finalized following months of talent identification and last week’s Senior Men’s Blue vs. Gold Trial Match in Abbotsford.
Captaining the squad is Jesse Mackail (UBCOB Ravens).
“We had loads of interest from some out of the way places and we uncovered some real gems. We are running a young side with a few “old heads” to help steady the ship while passing on their knowledge. I want to personally thank all the Clubs and high schools who spent years developing these men into who they are today. The Coast to Coast Cup is a worthy challenge for them.” BC Bears Senior Men’s Head Coach Curry Hitchborn
The BC Bears Senior Men’s XVs team proudly wears playing kit manufactured and supplied by X-Treme Sports Gear, the official kit supplier to BC Rugby, for the 2023 season. The kit features the logo of primary program sponsor ONNI on the right chest.
BC BEARS MEN’S SQUAD – COAST TO COAST CUP
The BC Bears Men’s Squad travelling to Halifax:
- Lalit Bharadwaj – Burnaby Lake RFC
- Jesse Mackail – UBCOB Ravens
- Nicolas Willey – Kamloops RFC
- Reid Davis – Pacific Pride
- Teigan White – James Bay AA
- Mike Finnemore – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Matt Klimchuk – Pacific Pride
- Jalan Faris – Meraloma RFC
- Charlie Kinloch – Kamloops RFC
- Monty Weatherall – Meraloma RFC
- Demetri Patterson – UBC Thunderbirds
- Johnny Franklin – Capilano RFC
- Lenny Bonduou – UBC Thunderbirds
- Fynn Murphy – TWU Spartans
- Michael Moloney – Capilano RFC
- Cass Kocevar – Kelowna Crows RFC
- Theo Espagnol – Meraloma RFC
- Beaudry Leman – UBC Thunderbirds
- Asfand Saeed – James Bay AA
- Josh Halladay – TWU Spartans
- Zephyr Melnyk – Pacific Pride
- Sandon Gupta – UBC Thunderbirds
- Paddy Kirwan – Meraloma RFC
- James Biss – UBC Thunderbirds
- Rhys James – Kelowna Crows RFC
- Mostyn Findlay – James Bay AA
Head Coach: Curry Hitchborn (UBC Thunderbirds)
Assistant Coaches: Christian Esterhuizan (Meraloma RFC), Jake Ilnicki (Williams Lake Rustlers), Rob Bowman (Capilano RFC)
Athletic Therapist: Eric Marriott (Meraloma RFC)
COAST TO COAST SCHEDULE
The BC Bears will face the Atlantic Selects on June 17 before taking on the Toronto Arrows Senior Academy on June 21. The full schedule details can be found below:
June 17: Atlantic Selects vs. BC Bears – 6:15pm AST/2:15pm PST – Graves-Oakley Park
June 21: BC Bears vs. Toronto Arrows Senior Academy – 7:00pm AST/3:00pm PST – Wanderer Grounds
June 24: Atlantic Selects vs. Toronto Arrows Senior Academy – 7:00pm AST/3:00pm PST – Wanderer Grounds
The Rugby Network will livestream all games at the 2023 Coast to Coast Cup – more details can be found here.
Tournament passes and tickets for all games are available here.
SEND A KID TO THE COAST TO COAST CUP
Help hundreds of local youth receive free tournament passes for the 2023 Coast to Coast Cup!
The Send a Kid to the Cup Program allows the Rugby community to sponsor youth tournament passes at $15/pass for the 2023 Coast to Coast Cup. The youth passes are then distributed to local youth, including junior and high school Rugby players, who can attend all three matches for free.
Help the next generation of Rugby players – don’t forget to tick who you support when you are grabbing kids tickets!
Passes can be sponsored through this link.
How to Claim Tickets:
Sign up for local youth to claim their free tournament passes is live! Those interested in signing up for these passes can do so through this link. There is a limit of 1 ticket per person, so make sure you sign up for your ticket now! Tickets will be distributed to the emails provided in the form.
For any questions or concerns please email dylanaleck@gmail.com
BC Rugby
A: 2015 Main Street, Vancouver, BC | V5T 0J8
T: 604.737.3065
E: info@bcrugby.com
BC Rugby gratefully acknowledges that its offices reside on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
