The Port Alberni Black Sheep play host to Westshore in a makeup B.C. Rugby Union Div. 1 men’s game on Saturday, Feb. 3.
The Black Sheep’s second half resumed Jan. 13 with a 49–27 loss to James Bay (JBAA) on Jan. 13, followed with a 22–17 win over the Norsemen at home on Jan. 20.
On Jan. 27 the team travelled to the Lower Mainland to watch Canada play in a World Cup rugby qualifier (Canada lost by nine points), and went to Simon Fraser University to play a friendly game before heading to B.C. Place to watch the national match. Port Alberni won 43–0 despite the weather and last-minute changes to the playing field.
Simon Fraser University had received a dusting of snow followed by freezing temperatures on Friday, so the field had been changed. “Just as we were pulling in on the ferry we got a call that they moved it one more time,” Black Sheep head coach Jas Purewal said.
“It was a miserable day—really cold and wet, but the field was okay. It was a good little run-around.”
It gave the Sheep an opportunity to keep active as they continue with the second half of their season. They are looking for a spot in the B.C.-wide Div. 1 playoffs, Purewal said. “For us it really boils up to the two games against Cowichan,” he said.
“The story of the whole second half is we need to perform well in those two games. Whoever wins those games goes to the No. 2 seed in the B.C. playoffs.”
In the first half of the season the Black Sheep and Cowichan Piggies traded wins against each other, but Cowichan earned a bonus point in their win. Teams in the B.C. Rugby Union receive a bonus point if they score four or more tries in a game, or if they lose by less than seven points.
Kickoff this Saturday against Westshore is 1 p.m. at the Black Sheep rugby club, at the top of Argyle Street.
SCRUM NOTES…The Black Sheep are in Nanaimo on Feb. 10 for a seven-aside tournament…The Black Sheep host Comox Kickers Div. 3 team in a Cowichan Cup match on Feb. 17, with a 1 p.m. kickoff.