Vancouver Highlanders

Vancouver Highlanders
Full nameVancouver Highlanders
UnionRugby Canada
Founded2023 (2023)
LocationVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
RegionBritish Columbia
Ground(s)Burnaby Lake Rugby Club
CEOCurry Hitchborn
Director of RugbyRandall Barton
Coach(es)Tom Larisch
Captain(s)Josh Thiel
Top scorerTakoda McMullin (39)
Most triesMelani Nanai (4)
League(s)Rugby Players Challenge Summer Series
2024n/a
Official website
vancouverhighlanders.com

The Vancouver Highlanders are a semi-professional rugby union team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[1]

History

Founded by Curry Hitchborn and Ralph McRae in 2023, with their first game coming in June 2024 a double header against the Barbados national side and a Canada Select 'XV'. Ralph McRae is the financial backing of the club.[2] Players who sign on will be guided to play for local clubs during the regular British Columbia season, as the Highlanders will play in the traditional rugby off season not playing in a conventional rugby league instead playing on the Rugby Players’ Challenge Summer Series.[3][4]

2024 season

Regular season[5]

Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result Ref.
28 June Barbados Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 44–12 [6]
28 June Canada Select 'XV' Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 44–33 [6]
20 July Germany Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 30–26 [7]
3 August Brazil XV Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 77–7 [8]
17 August Canada XV Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 23–38

Current squad

Squad for 2024 Rugby Players’ Challenge Summer Series

Props

  • Cole Kelly
  • Griffin Phillipson
  • Theo Espagnol*
  • Conor O'Flaherty*
  • Payton Teneycke
  • Simeon John
  • Ed Wallin
  • Finlay Kennedy*

Hookers

  • Jacob Bossi
  • Sam Mace
  • Josh Olver

Locks

  • Donald Carson
  • Thomas Davidson
  • Kaden Duguid
  • Caden Wilson
  • Asfand Saeed
  • Brian Ndirangu

Back-row

  • Matt Klimchuk
  • Joe Locke
  • Ollie Nott
  • Saba Shubitidze
  • Jake Thiel
  • Relmu Wilson-Valdes
  • Callum Brown
  • Liam Kinghorn
  • Conall Henchy

Scrum-halves

  • Jacob Bourne
  • Keegan Neary
  • Reid Watkins

Fly-halves

Centres

Outside Backs

  • Noah Bain
  • Lenny Bondudau
  • D'Shawn Bowen
  • Nico Leonard
  • Alastair Marshall
  • Nick Blain
  • Takoda McMullin
Key
  • Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold.
  • * denotes players qualified to play for Canada on dual nationality or residency grounds.

Club staff

Rugby Department[9]

Role Name
Director of Sports Operations Randall Barton

First Team Coaching[9]

Role Name
Head Coach Tom Larisch
Assistant Coach Bill Chamberlain

Notable players

Internationals

See also

References

  1. ^ "Vancouver Highlanders Official Website". 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  2. ^ Americas Rugby (2024-06-27). "Vancouver Highlanders set to kick off inaugural Series". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  3. ^ Johnstone, Patrick (7 November 2023). "Vancouver finally gets a new-look rugby team". The Province. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Rugby Player's Challenge". Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  5. ^ "Vancouver Highlanders 2024". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  6. ^ a b Americas Rugby (2024-06-29). "Highlanders celebrate win over Canada Selects in club debut". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  7. ^ MarkB (2024-07-21). "Vancouver Highlanders v Germany - July 2024". BC Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  8. ^ Americas Rugby (2024-08-04). "Brazil XV Humbled and Pummeled by Vancouver Highlanders". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  9. ^ a b MarkB (2023-12-06). "Vancouver Highlanders - December 2023". BC Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
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