Inspired by Canada’s impressive performances at the 2025 Rugby World Cup, the next generation of rugby talent made their mark this past week as the BC Bears U17 Boys’ and Girls’ XVs squads were crowned the inaugural O’Neills Challenge Cup winners, edging Rugby Ontario in a tightly contested three-match Series.

New for 2025, the O’Neills Challenge Cup saw the BC Bears U17 XVs Programs tour Ontario for a set of showcase fixtures highlighting the country’s rising stars. The Bears opened the Series in style, defeating combined Toronto Rugby Union (TRU) and Eastern Ontario Rugby Union (EORU) sides on August 26, followed by a second win against South Western Rugby Union (SWRU) and Niagara Rugby Union (NRU) combined squads on August 28.

The final match on August 30 saw the Bears fall to Rugby Ontario All-Stars – a selection of the province’s top regional athletes – but with two wins from three, BC sealed the overall Series victory and lifted the inaugural trophy at Brampton Rugby Club.

Squads were selected following the 2025 BC Bears U17 XVs Training Camps at Shawnigan Lake School earlier in August, which saw the Bears host Whitgift School (UK) and the Alberta Wolfpack.

The full squad lists, results and match videos can be found below.

“This is a great development opportunity to see how this age band of athletes is tracking,” said John Tait, BC Rugby Technical Director. “Ontario will be an extremely challenging opponent with a significant, high-quality player base for them to select their teams from. We hope this will become an annual series of games between Ontario and BC, and that Rugby Canada will recognize the value of programming for this age band.”

Tait added: “Rugby can capture these athletes at this critical age when they choose what sport they want to pursue beyond high-school. Canadian Rugby needs to provide them an attractive pathway to develop, and having challenging, competitive games like these is a critical piece for that growth.”

“The BC Bears U17 Boys will undergo a comprehensive tour, focusing on individual roles combining towards the Team’s performances. We hope to build the players’ positional roles, understanding and mindset to grow them towards competing and winning at the next level, and ultimately showcase them to our National programs.” Leana Marton, BC Bears U17 Boys Head Coach 

“It has been a privilege to coach these young women as they push themselves and each other to become the best players – and people – they can be. The future of Rugby in BC, and in Canada, is strong. GO BEARS!” Will Ballard, BC Bears U17 Girls Head Coach

Our BC Bears teams proudly wear playing and training kit manufactured by our partner, O’Neills. Founded in 1918, O’Neills is renowned for its commitment to quality and innovation across the globe.