RUGBY 15s: Playoff Preview

Oct. 15, 2025 - The stage is set for the 2025 Canada West Rugby 15s Championships, which kick off Thursday afternoon in Edmonton, hosted by the Alberta Pandas at Foote Field.

Semifinal action begins with the second-seeded UBC Thunderbirds taking on the third-seeded Lethbridge Pronghorns at 1 p.m. MDT, followed by the top-seeded Victoria Vikes facing the host Alberta Pandas at 3 p.m. MDT.

Championship Sunday will feature the bronze medal match at 11 a.m. MDT, followed by the gold medal final at 1 p.m. MDT.

All games will be available to stream on Canada West TV - Powered by BioSteel.

West Coast Powerhouses Eye Another Showdown

The Victoria Vikes and UBC Thunderbirds have clashed in each of the past four Canada West gold medal games — and appear to be on track for another showdown this season.

UBC enters as five-time defending Canada West champions and are coming off a historic 2024 campaign, where they captured their first-ever U SPORTS national title, defeating Victoria in the final.

The Thunderbirds once again boast a dangerous attack, led by Adia Pye with 13 tries, and Charity Williams close behind with nine.

Victoria, however, has flipped the script so far this season, winning both head-to-head meetings against UBC. Both contests were hard-fought, defensive battles — a likely preview of what fans can expect should the two sides meet again on Sunday.

The return of Maggie McKinnon has been pivotal for the Vikes. The veteran leads the team with four tries and eight conversions for 36 total points in five games, while Carissa Norsten has provided her usual spark, pacing the squad with five tries.

Prairie Opponents Ready for the Challenge

Before a potential rematch can unfold, both west coast programs must get through two determined prairie challengers.

The Lethbridge Pronghorns surged into third place thanks to a strong finish, earning victories over both Alberta and Calgary to close out the regular season. They enter the semifinal full of confidence after a 55–14 win over the Dinos last weekend, where Charlie Helland scored two tries and Kayleigh Noel added three conversions.

Meanwhile, the host Alberta Pandas will look to ride home-field energy in their upset bid against Victoria. Kaitlin Tetteh-Wayoe, a basketball transfer from Simon Fraser University, has been a standout in her debut season, leading the Pandas with five tries.

Championship Info

All games will be streamed on CanadaWest.TV - Powered by BioSteel, with single game and championship weekend passes available.

Fans can follow the action via the championship website.

Tickets for both Thursday and Sunday games are available here.

2025 CW Rugby 15s Championships Schedule

All games hosted by the University of Alberta Pandas at Foote Field.

Stream all games on Canada West TV - Powered by BioSteel.

Semifinals

Semifinal #1: No. 3 Lethbridge Pronghorns (3-2-1) vs No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds (3-2)

Thursday, Oct. 16 - 1 p.m. MDT

Semifinal #2: No. 4 Alberta Pandas vs No. 1 Victoria Vikes (5-0)

Thursday, Oct. 16 - 3 p.m. MDT

Finals

Bronze Medal Game: Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2

Sunday, Oct. 19 - 11 a.m. MDT

Gold Medal Game: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2

Sunday, Oct. 19 - 1 p.m. MDT

2025 CW Rugby 15s Regular Season Standings