BC Rugby can confirm programming updates for the BC Bears U16-18 Boys and Girls XVs Programs competing this summer.

The BC Bears U18 and U16 Boys XVs teams will host the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy (EIRA) for an exciting two-match Series at in Vancouver on July 15-20. Game 1 will take place at UBC’s Gerald McGavin Centre on July 18, with Game 2 taking place at Burnaby Lake Rugby Club on July 20 as a curtain raiser to the Vancouver Highlanders Senior Men’s match against Germany.

The BC Bears U18 Boys will then travel to Chuckanut Polo Grounds on August 10 to face the Pacific Northwest Loggers in a return fixture, having hosted the Loggers last summer.

Due to the late withdrawal of Eagle Impact Girls Teams, BC Bears U18 Girls XVs Programming will now pivot to a Top 40 Training Camp at UBC on July 15-20, 2024, culminating in a two-match Blue vs. Gold Series. Game 1 will take place on July 18 at UBC, with Game 2 taking place on July 20 at UBC. The Training Camp will be selection-based and is for female athletes born in 2006-2008. The Camp will develop promising U18 female athletes ahead of the 2025 U19 Canadian Rugby Championships.

“Unfortunately, the Eagle Impact had too many athlete conflicts to field a strong enough opposition for our BC Bears Age-Grade Girls XVs teams and with no other suitable opposition to face, the Coaches and myself decided the best course would be to hold a Top 40 Development Camp focusing on improving skillsets and positional play. This format will allow us to cast a wider net on all those potential U19 Bears for the 2025 Canadian Rugby Championships, and give us the opportunity to grow and prepare athletes further with specialist coaches as well as introduce tactics and techniques needed by athletes for next level performance. There will also be the opportunity to see them employ what they learn in the camp with two Blue vs. Gold matches. This will put both these athletes and the Bears Program further ahead for next year’s CRCs by resourcing these athletes and giving them the time and direction to improve themselves at every level.” BC Rugby Technical Director John Tait.

Regrettably there will now be no BC Bears U16 Girls XVs programming this summer. However, U17 athletes are encouraged to participate at the BC Summer Games in Maple Ridge.

The BC Summer Games will see seven of the eight Zones competing in Rugby 7s for U17 Girls. This is an improvement already from two years ago with another zone being represented and will be a good development opportunity for players moving through the performance pathway and to experience a multi-sport games. This is part of the identification and selection process for the 2025 U18 Canada Summer Games which will also see a team traveling to the Global Youth 7s in December as preparation. Learn more about the BC Summer Games here.

“These games are an awesome event and experience to develop tournament skills and play with and against the best in BC. Many players have gone through these games that are now representing Canada. It is an exciting step in the development towards the Canada Summer Games.” BC Bears Girls 7s Program Lead Darcy Patterson

Following the conclusion of the 2024 PRCs, final BC Bears U16-U18 Boys XVs Teams and U18 Girls Training Camp Squads will be announced with selected athletes then invited to the respective preparation camps at UBC beginning July 15.

BC Rugby will release information on how to apply for BC Bears Subsidies on Wednesday, June 19.