All due respect to the mainland teams, but at 36 years old, nothing gets the rugby going in Kenny Goodland like the thought of Castaway Wanderers and James Bay in the Rounsefell Cup premier league final.
The heart-and-soul forward came off the bench on Saturday (April 21) to help his second-place Castaway Wanderers edge third-place Capilano 28-24 at Windsor Park in Oak Bay.
The win earns CW a spot in the May 5 semifinals of the Canadian Direct Insurance premier rugby league playoffs. James Bay also won on Saturday, 24-21 over Meraloma. It clinches first place for James Bay despite one game still outstanding. The win also secures home advantage for BaysB次元官网网址� semifinal.
James Bay will most likely face fourth-place Burnaby Lake (thereB次元官网网址檚 an outside chance Burnaby will leapfrog Capilano for third). CW can lock up a home date against Capilano by winning on the road against Burnaby Lake this Saturday (April 28).
With the two storied rivals sitting tops in the league, and in separate semifinals, there is a strong chance they could reignite the B次元官网网址�100 years warB次元官网网址� with the Rounsefell Cup on the line.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like nothing more,B次元官网网址� Goodland said.
It would also mean having the Island final here for the first time in two years, when the UVic Vikes won it at Wallace Field in 2010.
Wallace would likely be the location of the 2012 Rounsefell Cup match if both James Bay and CW qualify. If just one Island team qualifies, the final stays on the mainland, part of the cup's rotation.
B次元官网网址淔acing James Bay in the final would be pretty ideal,B次元官网网址� Goodland said. B次元官网网址淚f we could win that, I would seriously think about scaling back my rugby career.B次元官网网址�
Though the Bays defeated CW at Windsor Park last month, Goodland insists the loss wasnB次元官网网址檛 damaging.
B次元官网网址淚f you lose in the playoffs, thatB次元官网网址檚 crushing. But one of our strengths is analyzing and moving forward. The seasonB次元官网网址檚 all about the process, and there was no reason to come flying out of the gates.
B次元官网网址淵ou get in the playoffs and anything can happen.B次元官网网址�
After captaining CW to several middle-of-the-pack finishes in recent years, the wily No. 8 became part of a shared leadership group with the 2010-11 rebuild, one that led to a B.C. championship. Scrum-half Matthew Weingart returned to captain that squad and, this season, national front-rower Andrew Tiedemann has taken up the role, with Goodland and Weingart chipping in.
B次元官网网址淩eally, itB次元官网网址檚 always been (Tiedemann) this year,B次元官网网址� Goodland said, B次元官网网址渂ased on his level of commitment to the club going forward.B次元官网网址�
On the field, the B次元官网网址減rocessB次元官网网址� led by coach Ian Hyde-Lay is coming to fruition in time for the playoff run, Goodland said. National team second-rower Nanyak Dala and fly-half Ander Monro returned against the Caps. MonroB次元官网网址檚 kicking is a massive advantage for CW, evidenced when Monro relieved CW from heavy pressure by the Caps on Saturday.
The emergence of Dylan Jones has added depth in the back row, easing the load for the injured Goodland, who has come off the bench in the past two games.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l do whatever it takes to win another championship.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址橪omas eliminated
James Bay (12-1) did itself and the remaining playoff teams a favour by defeating KitsilanoB次元官网网址檚 Meraloma rugby club (6-6-1) 24-21 on Saturday.
The win clinched first place atop the CDI Premier League standings and a semifinal home berth on May 5, while eliminating Meraloma from the playoffs.
B次元官网网址淭he B次元官网网址橪omas are scary,B次元官网网址� Goodland said. B次元官网网址淭hey were getting better as the season went on.B次元官网网址�
James Bay fly-half Connor Braid (Oak Bay High) converted the game-deciding penalty kick to break the 21-21 tie, his fourth penalty conversion of the day.
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