RUGBY: UBC favoured in bid for four-peat

Aug. 31, 2023 - Coming off a third-straight conference championship, it's no surprise the UBC Thunderbirds have once again been named favourites this season.

The T-Birds, who claimed their third straight CW trophy with a 24-12 win over the Victoria Vikes in last year's final, have topped the 2023 pre-season coaches poll with four first-place votes.

UBC's run of three straight titles has matched recent three-peats by Calgary (2016-18) and Alberta (2012-14).

Adding another championship would solidify the T-Birds' status as a dynasty, and would mark the first four-peat since Lethbridge won six consecutive crowns from 2006-11.

Standing in their way, however, will be a determined Vikes side and a trio of scrappy foes from the prairies.

After falling just short in last year's conference final, Victoria finished second in this year's poll and will be hungry to topple their west coast rivals. The team is seeking its first CW title since 2015 and will look to build on last year's 3-1-1 record. 

Vikes head coach Brittany Waters says her experienced team will rely on speed, fitness and their ability to play a fast style of game. 

Out east, the three Alberta based teams are keen to bring the CW Women’s Rugby Trophy back to the prairies. Calgary finished third in the poll, followed by Lethbridge and Alberta.

Dinos head coach Simon Chi says his team is ready to contend with a strong core of returners, plus an exciting group of recruits he believes are capable of contributing right away.

The Dinos get their first taste of action this Friday with a Battle of Alberta clash against the Pandas in Edmonton.

West coast foes UBC and Victoria open their campaigns on Sept. 9 in a CW championship rematch. The Pronghorns also open their season that day, visiting Calgary.

Regular season action rolls on through Oct. 14 before the spotlight turns to southern Alberta for the Canada West playoffs, hosted by the University of Lethbridge. Semi-final action takes place Oct. 19, with bronze and gold medal games following on Oct. 22.

View a complete team by team preview here.

RUGBY 15s ON CANADA WEST TV

Select rugby 15s games will be available live and on demand this season on the new look Canada West TV – the official streaming home of the conference.

2023 CW RUGBY 15s PRESEASON COACHES POLL 

Team - Points (First-place votes)

*Correction notice: A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to Alberta as having the most recent championship four-peat. Indeed the most recent string of at least four titles was Lethbridge, who won six titles from 2006-11. The story has been updated with correct information.