One step backwards, two steps forward.
It’s a mantra the entire Banff Bears rugby squad has bought into fresh off a 52-7 home opener win over the Calgary Knights on Saturday (May 24) at the Banff Rec Grounds, as they reload their roster for a run at the Calgary Rugby Union title.
In order to support player development and ensure younger players get more playing time, the Bears dropped down from the second to the third division in Calgary Rugby Union play, allowing them to rotate more players through the lineup.
“Our biggest obstacle is commitment. We decided to drop down a division because of it. With rolling subs, we have a younger core of guys this year,” said new team captain Jeremy Woodcock. “It’s working well. Everyone is getting playing time, playing different positions and playing well.”
There are several reasons the Bears lose players as the season goes on, but two stand out. Many of their international players return home by the end of August, while others head off to school. Others quit the team due to a lack of playing time, which has handicapped the Bears in the past. Last season, despite a strong regular season, the Bears took an early exit from the playoffs when they showed up for a game with a mere 12 players.
“There is nothing more frustrating than taking the day off, travelling for two hours, then not playing,” Woodcock said. “A lot of our players work in the (tourism) industry and it’s tough to take time off. The call to drop a division was an executive decision. It was the right move and we’ll see more players in September staying with us.”
On Saturday, the Bears practiced what they preached, as several younger players took on larger rolls and held up defensively. The first 10 minutes of play occurred entirely within 10 metres of the Bears goal line, but the men held fast, which broke Calgary’s will early on. That allowed the Bears offence to ignite and roll out seven tries on the Knights.
“Our defence was our number one thing today,” Woodcock said. “Our record is pretty solid at home. Over the past five years, we’ve only lost a handful of games at home.”
The offence was spread out for the Bears. Shane Cranny scored two tries in the last game of his Banff rugby career before he heads to New Zealand. Sinclair Matthews, Lee Solway, Matthew Soukas, Carl Raybould and Chris Mehan also scored for Banff.
“Shane was phenomenal in his last game and Sinclair made all of his kicks except the last one,” Woodcock said.
Another advantage the Bears have in the third division is more home games. They play the Rams on May 31 at 2 p.m. at the Rec Grounds, and five of their next six matches are at home. Woodcock believes the games will get tougher as the schedule goes on.
“A lot of these teams have first division teams and they’ll do what they’ve always done – drop players down from the first division for the playoffs,” Woodcock said. “You gear up for a game whether its first division or third division.”
