The Calgary Rugby Union’s third division is populated with such a raucous crew of wily greenhorns, wild-eyed globetrotters and grizzled grey warriors, the Banff Bears know on any given week they must be prepared to take on anyone.
So when CFL defensive back and two-time Grey Cup champ J.R. Ruffin torched the Bears for three tries in a 46-19 loss to the Calgary Canucks on Saturday (June 28) at the Banff Rec Grounds, the Banff side took it as another learning experience in an arduous season. The loss drops the Bears to 4-3 heading into a break week.
Ruffin’s quickness was head and shoulders above the rest of the field, as the back weaved seamlessly through holes in the Bears’ defence in the second half. The former Calgary Stampeder and B.C. Lion still ran more like a football than a rugby player, but it got the job done and silenced the Bears’ comeback efforts.
“He was a good player and you can’t give him space. We were trying to play the field and our kicks weren’t going where we wanted,” said veteran player Mark “Hoops” Hooper. “They had quick backs and if you give them space, you’re not doing yourself any favours.”
But even before Ruffin began to show off his CFL-style jukes late in the second half, the Bears brought out their best and worst for the Canucks.
“It was like the spaghetti western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” Hooper said. “It got to the stage where we started off running around like headless chickens. The desire was there, the energy was there, but we weren’t channeling it. We weren’t playing as a team. We were doglegging our defence... It wasn’t a pretty way to start a game.”
Ugly indeed. Chasing individual victories instead of a team game, the Bears fell behind by 28 points within the first 15 minutes of the half. But instead of rolling over and taking the loss, the Bears responded with some of the best rugby of their season.
“We told the team to calm down after the second try (against us),” Hooper said. “Take some deep breaths, look at what we’re doing. We had a good win last week. The energy and excitement was still there, and the middle 40 minutes was some of the best rugby we’ve played all year.”
The best rugby they’ve played all year turned into three quick tries, as the Bears found room on the outside to exploit the Canucks’ backs. When the Canucks pushed back, the Bears forward pack held them at bay, thanks to excellent communication within the forward pack, anchored by Cody Skrine.
But with the game still in reach, Ruffin strung together a series of brilliant runs to put the game out of reach.
The young Banff team (with an average age of 22) again took the loss as a learning experience. Hooper said the team is slowly coming together, but not as quickly as he had hoped. Fumbles and knock-ons are still an issue, especially early on in the game, so it’s evident the Bears will work on possession in the weeks ahead.
“We’re defending too much as a team. We need to hold onto the ball a little more. Sometimes it’s not about being gung-ho and making as many yards as you can. Sometimes it’s about slowing the game down,” Hooper said. “It’s a big learning curve for these players.”
Were it not for a handful of sloppy plays, Hooper said the game was much closer than the score indicated. The Bears proved to the Canucks they can match them try for try, hit for hit when they’re on their game.
“This game added a little confidence and taught them it’s about doing the right thing at the right time. Sometimes you have to play ugly rugby instead of sexy rugby. Sometimes you need a little grit in the pack to create the spaces wide for your backs,” Hooper said.
The Bears have the week off, although a handful of players will play in a Calgary Stampede sevens tournament this weekend. They are on the road for their next two games against the Rams and Canucks, and don’t play at home until Aug. 9.
