Vancouver Highlanders

Last updated
Vancouver Highlanders
Full nameVancouver Highlanders
Union Rugby Canada
Founded2023;1 year ago (2023)
Location Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Region British Columbia
Ground(s) Burnaby Lake Rugby Club
CEOCurry Hitchborn
Director of RugbyRandall Barton
Coach(es)Tom Larisch
Captain(s) Josh Thiel
Top scorer Takoda McMullin (39)
Most tries Melani Nanai (4)
League(s)Rugby Players Challenge Summer Series
2024n/a
Official website
vancouverhighlanders.com

The Vancouver Highlanders are a semi-professional rugby union team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. [1]

Contents

History

Founded by Curry Hitchborn and Ralph McRae in 2023, with their first game coming in June 2024 a double header against the Barbados national side and a Canada Select 'XV'. Ralph McRae is the financial backing of the club. [2] Players who sign on will be guided to play for local clubs during the regular British Columbia season, as the Highlanders will play in the traditional rugby off season not playing in a conventional rugby league instead playing on the Rugby Players’ Challenge Summer Series. [3] [4]

2024 season

Regular season [5]

DateOpponentHome/AwayLocationResultRef.
28 June Flag of Barbados.svg Barbados Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 44–12 [6]
28 June Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada Select 'XV' Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 44–33 [6]
20 July Flag of Germany.svg Germany Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 30–26 [7]
3 August Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil XV Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 77–7 [8]
17 August Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada XV Home Burnaby Lake Rugby Club 23–38

Current squad

Squad for 2024 Rugby Players’ Challenge Summer Series

Props

  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Cole Kelly
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Griffin Phillipson
  • Flag of France.svg Theo Espagnol*
  • Flag of Ireland.svg Conor O'Flaherty*
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Payton Teneycke
  • Flag of Barbados.svg Simeon John
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ed Wallin
  • Flag of England.svg Finlay Kennedy*

Hookers

  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jacob Bossi
  • Flag of England.svg Sam Mace
  • Flag of England.svg Josh Olver

Locks

Back-row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Outside Backs

  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Noah Bain
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Lenny Bondudau
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg D'Shawn Bowen
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Nico Leonard
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Alastair Marshall
  • Flag of England.svg Nick Blain
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Takoda McMullin
Key
  • Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold.
  • * denotes players qualified to play for Canada on dual nationality or residency grounds.

Club staff

Rugby Department [9]

RoleName
Director of Sports Operations Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Randall Barton

First Team Coaching [9]

RoleName
Head Coach Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Tom Larisch
Assistant Coach Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Bill Chamberlain

Notable players

Internationals

See also

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References

  1. "Vancouver Highlanders Official Website". 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  2. Americas Rugby (2024-06-27). "Vancouver Highlanders set to kick off inaugural Series". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  3. Johnstone, Patrick (7 November 2023). "Vancouver finally gets a new-look rugby team". The Province. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  4. "Rugby Player's Challenge" . Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  5. "Vancouver Highlanders 2024". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  6. 1 2 Americas Rugby (2024-06-29). "Highlanders celebrate win over Canada Selects in club debut". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  7. MarkB (2024-07-21). "Vancouver Highlanders v Germany - July 2024". BC Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  8. Americas Rugby (2024-08-04). "Brazil XV Humbled and Pummeled by Vancouver Highlanders". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  9. 1 2 MarkB (2023-12-06). "Vancouver Highlanders - December 2023". BC Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-08-09.