The Port Alberni Black Sheep Rugby Club’s season has come to an end with a semi-final loss against Abbotsford.
The Black Sheep made it to the B.C. Rugby Div. 1 semi-finals, but Abbotsford won the game 83-14 on Saturday, April 27. Despite tries by Port Alberni’s Ty Shannon and Cody McClary, the Black Sheep were unable to get past Abbotsford’s defence.
“Their defence was incredible,” said head coach Jas Purewal after the game. “We had lots of possession for the first half, but we couldn’t punch it in. It wasn’t that our guys played poorly—[Abbotsford] just looked outstanding on the day.”
It marks the end of the 2023-24 rugby season for the Black Sheep. It was a “challenging” year for travel with the team, said Purewal. Saturday was their sixth trip to the mainland.
“There’s adversity to face when it comes to travelling so much,” said Purewal. “For us, it’s always about player availability.”
Purewal says the team is hoping to get some younger players out on the pitch for next season.