Alberta Men’s Rugby Championship

The Alberta Men’s Rugby Championship games were held Saturday September 30th on a blue sky day at Ellerslie Rugby Park. The Antediluvians RFC representing Alberta North played the Calgary Cobras RFC, representing Alberta South, for the Davie Graham Cup, the Fountain of Youth, the Old Boys Rugby Cup.

Calgary had only 16 players, albeit most of their key core players, led by Scotty Thibeault their scrum half, and key organizer. They requested some extra players from the Antediluvians and ended up with 4 good ones. The Antediluvians RFC had 35 players, for a total of 55 old boy rugby lads dressed for action. The sidelines were packed with old and new faces.

The game started quickly with the Cobras using Adam Stamper (of Antediluvians Cardiff 2016 tour fame), on the wing to punch in a couple of trys, and by the end of the first quarter it was 4-0 Cobras. The Ante-D’s responded in the second quarter with Randy Nyvoll from the L-T’s and Rick Benning from the Grande Prairie Centaurs scoring.

Coach Woodie Power kept the boys focused. The third quarter had the Ante-D’s knocking on the door from the Cobras 5 meter line, but Jinxie, the standoff from Calgary made a great kick to clear the ball way back past the half way line, as he did several times in the game. The Cobras scored two more tries in the final quarter to clinch the game.

Thank goodness old boy rugby games always officially end in a tie! Davie Graham, the legend who started old boys rugby in Edmonton way back when beer was served in stubbies, presented the cup. The Fountain of Youth for all us old boy rugby players who still have the privilege and pleasure of playing rugby and enjoying the good company of all.

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