The Sea to Sky Eagles Rugby League football club received an infusion of talent from the Capilano Rugby Club but couldn't harness the chemistry needed to win and dropped a 68-34 decision to the Bayside Sharks on Saturday (June 2) at Mamquam Elementary School.
Bayside got the lead early and led for the entire game, with the Eagles closing the gap to as little as two points several times. The Sharks had a 26-16 lead at the half and then cruised to the win.
Eagles head coach Ally Mac said he was pleased with his team's effort in the loss.
"This was a very physical game with lots of big, hard hits coming from both sides," he said. "It was great running rugby and the boys put in a very solid effort for a team that really only got to know each other one hour before kickoff."
The Eagles' new recruits from Capilano will remain on the team for the final game of the season. Sharks head coach Andy Blackburn said that the Eagles should be a force when the new talent becomes fully integrated into the squad.
"Once those Capilano guys develop they could be a strong side," he said. "It bodes well for the team's future and I see them beating Burnaby next week. If they keep their side intact, it could be a really strong team for next year, too."
Scoring tries for the Eagles were Glenn McKinnon (2), Terry Ward (2), Harmeet Chuti and Rob Bowman. Matty Upton converted five of six extra point kicks.
Mac praised the play of Upton and Ward and pointed to McKinnon as the man of the match.
"He [McKinnon] stood out for me with his extremely high work rate in both offence and defence," he said. "Chris Ealey also had a solid defensive game and ran great lines. Nolan Prevost made some excellent tackles and worked very hard, while Harmeet Chuti has improved in every game and was rewarded with a try."
He said the team needs to work on defence and fitness in the coming weeks to pick up the franchise's first win. This game marked the team's final home game of the 2012 season, as the Eagles will take on Burnaby Lakes in Surrey on June 17 to wrap up the season.
For more information on the B.C. Rugby League, visit www.bc.canadarugbyleague.com.
