Dauphin presence strong on rugby sevens squads

The Dauphin Clippers rugby program is punching above its weight on the national stage.

Five boys and three girls from the program are headed to St. John’s, N.L., as part of the Team Manitoba contingent at the 2025 Canada Games.

It’s certainly impressive for a city of about 8,000.

“It’s kind of weird. It’s not surprising, but it is at the same time. It’s just a little weird population-density-wise,” said Will Miner. “It’s from starting at such a young age. The kids that are playing in high school now started when they were in Grade 3 … they’re starting young.

“It’s just years of experience and chemistry growing up together with your teammates.”

The city quietly, then loudly, emerged as a rugby powerhouse in the province over the past few years, in part thanks to the Parkland Pirates Rugby program, which was established a few years before the COVID-19 pandemic to introduce kids to the sport well before most athletes take it up.

As a result, Miner, Matthew Zurba, Oliver Dandeneau, Joseph Lopez, and Scott Gower, a McCreary native who went to school in Dauphin, bring a lot to Team Manitoba.

“The Dauphin guys bring a bit of that mentorship to the rest of the team,” Miner said.

“The guys we go up against, it’s their first year, and a lot of tips and tips are able to be passed down from the Dauphin guys … from the Brandon guys that have played with us for a long time too, but the Dauphin guys bring a lot of experience to the team.”

The Canada Games added female rugby sevens in 2022, but it’s the first time it has featured the male game.

Manitoba is in Pool A, taking on Saskatchewan on Monday at 7:42 a.m. CDT, then Ontario at noon and Alberta at 4:52 p.m.

It rounds out preliminary action on Tuesday against New Brunswick at 11:47 a.m.

While it’s a new experience for every province, Miner has an idea of what to expect.

“We’re a lot of the same kind of people,” he said of Team Manitoba.

“It’s called ‘crash-mouth rugby’ … Compared to Quebec, Ontario, the Maritimes, or anywhere else, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are big hitters on the rugby field. They’re a lot of big farm boys. One thing Manitoba will have is a lot of strength compared to the rest of the places, but maybe a little less speed.”

Those who know the sevens game — a wide-open sport compared to the standard 15-a-side sport — know speed is a major factor. A few big runs can completely change a game, especially since they consist of just two seven-minute halves.

Miner admitted it’s been a big adjustment for him.

“I came just playing as a forward, so I was a bigger guy,” Miner said. “I was a smaller, bigger guy, but I was still not used to having to run up and down the field, to run a couple of miles in seven minutes. It’s definitely a big endurance difference to the game. Skill-wise, I wouldn’t say there’s a huge gap.”

The team also includes Brandon’s Riley Pitcairn-Freiheit and Boissevain’s George Vorster.

MANITOBA GIRLS SEEK

IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

Manitoba had a tough Canada Games debut in Niagara, Ont. The province finished dead last, scoring just one try in preliminary action before losing a consolation semifinal 32-5 to Saskatchewan and the ninth-place game 27-10 to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Dauphin Clippers trio Felicity Sahulka, Paityn Bourgouin, and Kiersten Vanderkerckhove have dished out a similar treatment to just about every team they’ve faced over the past few years.

Their high school team dominated both rugby sevens and 15s, so they’re confident they can help Manitoba.

“I hope we really give them a show and show what Manitoba has done and how we’ve improved a lot, especially as a team,” Sahulka said.

“We’re going to try our best and hopefully put a shoulder into them.”

Sahulka added the tryout process was nerve-racking. It included a first round of cuts back in April and another just after high school ended in June, narrowing down to the travelling roster of 12.

The team has a heavy dose of Westman talent, also including Brandon’s Kypling Black, Oak River’s Karas Munz and Elle McLean, and Rivers native Madi Vandal to go with four Winnipeggers.

Sahulka said the rural players bring a different edge.

“We definitely work harder, and I think we act like we want it more and try to put ourselves out there,” Sahulka said, adding Dauphin’s high school record put the girls on the Manitoba coaches’ radars.

“It definitely helped people notice us, especially coaches, to look into us, how we play as players, and how all three of us from Dauphin have played together.

“We’re so excited … especially that we all worked very hard for it, especially coming from a small town like Dauphin.”

Manitoba opens Pool B action against Saskatchewan on Monday at 6:58 a.m., plays Ontario at 10:16, and then Quebec at 1:34 p.m.

It rounds out preliminary play Tuesday at 8:36 a.m., against Prince Edward Island.

The quarterfinals are on Tuesday afternoon, with semifinals and medal/placing games on Wednesday.

Sahulka’s mindset for the week is simple.

“Definitely just work together as a team to become one,” Sahulka said. “You don’t want to try to stick out as an individual. We’re in this together.”

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