Despite a weak start to the season, the UBC men’s rugby team is looking rock solid. They currently hold a seven-game winning streak after their most recent 32-14 win against the alumni team, the UBC Old Boys Ravens.
“I think the best thing that got us on track was the hiccup at the start of the season,” said co-captain Jorden Sandover-Best. “I think it put everybody’s mindset back on a winning mindset.”
The first game of the season in September ended in a 25-23 loss to the Ravens, followed by a 28-8 win over Capilano RFC the next weekend. In the first week of October, UBC dropped a 27-10 decision to Burnaby Lake RC. They have been on a winning streak since then. This included a 51-14 win against the University of Victoria Vikes for the fourth straight Wightman Boot title.
The fifth-year scrum-half attributes the shaky start of the team’s initial overconfidence. The ’Birds came out with a perfect record during the 2015/16 season, having won every single game.
“It was just a hiccup. When you go 20-0 during a season, you kind of think you walk over everyone,” said Sandover-Best. “When you get complacent — and that happened to us at the start — we felt we were better than we were.”
At the end of the last season, many veteran players left the team due to graduation. UBC head coach Rameses Langston believes that the ’Birds have adapted to the changing circumstances.
“Behind [the graduated players] is the next generation of leaders and outstanding athletes,” said Langston.
“For me, the shaky start that some see was actually just [the team] growing, developing, adapting and evolving.”
Langston sees the leadership of co-captains Sandover-Best and Connor Hamilton as having been key to the team’s success thus far.
“I can’t say enough about the job that [Sandover-Best and Hamilton] have done as a dynamic duo, but as friends as well and in leading this team,” said Langston.
“Very lucky to have those guys.”
The team has six more regular season games and two legs of the World Cup against the University of California Bears. Langston is hopeful that the team can maintain its current performance moving forward.
“Our athletes are used to a high standard expectation-wise and every time,” said Langston. “We challenge them to meet the next bar and jump over the next hurdle.
“They tend to rise to the occasion.”
UBC now holds an 8-2 overall season record and a 2-0 conference record. The team will play its next game against Capilano RFC on Saturday, February 4.