More from Phil Meyer. This was definitely the summer of 2008.
Field of Dreams
Last week, on the westerly side of the Blue Bridge, President Tom Woods, assisted by Whitey Webb, Sam Weller, the two Robbins (Bad & Good – or is that Gord?), Herr Schmidt, the two Ramars (young & olde), Big E, Geoff Warden, “Heidi & the girls”, plus assorted other Bays and Woodsian clan members –ably assisted by Vancouver Island rugby-ites, of differing club persuasion - especially some CW-ians – added a chapter to Kinsella’s mythical tale in an Iowa cornfield - coming together to build a rugby pitch in three days, at Bullen Park in Esquimalt!
Unlike Kinsella’s Field of Dreams, rugby had been played here before, as a picture on page four of Saturday’s Canada Rugby Challenge program attests. In 1876, rugby’s First Game on Vancouver Island was played here – with images of now 132 year-olde ships anchored in Esquimalt harbour – hulls and masts emergent through the mists of rugby time - providing backdrop for a game between two military teams - members of the Royal Navy.
These are the grounds where rugby in Canada was born! From Esquimalt, following the rising sun to MacDonald and Windsor parks – to Cowichan, Shawnigan Lake, Nanaimo, Port Alberni – and a myriad of rugby pitches, north and eastward across Canada.
There are larger population centres across our nation – with rugby enthusiasts working hard to advance the game in each. Many of these were among the 3,400+ playing in or attending the weekend games.
But for this writer, Saturday’s experience was special – not in the number of fans attending – there have been larger crowds from time to time elsewhere – but in the intensity of the historic moment.
Here on this Island, we build rugby players and rugby teams! Some go on to great things in foreign lands – coming home to the Island to play still more when they are done. Others stay home, to contribute as players, coaches and administrators. All building rugby, family, club and community.
JBAA, the twenty-three time B.C. Champion, has a saying: “Once a Bay, always a Bay”. This is not a slogan. Rather it represents a goal to which all clubs on our Isle aspire! To borrow from a post-game Saturday comment by All-Black and French Barbarian Kees Meeuws: “This game of rugby is in our bones!
There was much to enjoy on the day – from Canada Olde Stars on the field – such as Eddie Evans, Mark Cardinal, Pat Dunkley, Gareth Rees, Morgan and Jeff Williams, Gregor Dixon, Jared Barker, Roger and Spence Robinson, Nik Witkowski, Jason Hartley, Rob Robson, John Graf, Scott Stewart, Big E, Fast Freddy and Winston Stanley – some of whom still play top rugby – all of whom have still got game!
And much to enjoy at half time – when eleven of Canada’s former rugby greats were presented with their Canada Caps – Gary Johnston, Eddie Evans,, Denny Sinnott, Mike Holmes, Rob Frame, Ryan Banks, Mark Cardinal, Marius Felix, Charlie MacLachlan, Ron McInnes – and Chuck Shergold, his aura still discernible to those of us who knew him, against the backdrop of this special rugby day – represented by his wife Wendy.
Glancing ‘round the park, at these rugby champions, at other rugby greats like Hans de Goede, Peter Clarke, Don Burgess and Tom Woods - and at rugby personalities in the happy crowd – this writer had a sense of Leaders of the Canadian Game, past and present, gathered together in Council and in Celebration.
The feature contest between Canada and the French Barbarians provided opportunity to see top players of the worldwide game – Kees Meeuws, David Auradou, Thomas Lombard, Anton Oliver, and Agustin Pichot among them.
Because most of the Canada players have played in the crucible of Island Rugby, each Island supporter watched his or her Canada players – and each took home their own measure of enjoyment and satisfaction. For this writer, sometimes accused of bleeding blue – the play of Bay for Life Jon Thiel, Aaron Carpenter and Ben Johnson – Sean White on the Canada bench, getting a sniff of the The Bigs on his 20th birthday – and Francis Yoon, pound for pound one of the best props in the Canadian game, being called up to play for the French Barbarians – gave me my own particular enjoyment.
As this great Canada Rugby Challenge moved toward it’s climax – with partying at The Local, and the House of Bays to follow – a happy rugby supporter, indistinct against the setting sun rushed up to me and asked:
Is this Paradise?”
“No”, I replied. “This is Esquimalt!”