CALGARY – The 2021 Canada West Women's Rugby Final Four gets underway this week, hosted by the University of Calgary, with all games played at McMahon Stadium.
The action begins on Thursday afternoon, featuring the host Dinos taking on the undefeated UBC Thunderbirds at 2:30 p.m. All four games will be streamed live on Canada West TV, sponsored by Co-op.
SCHEDULE
Thursday, Oct. 28
12:30 p.m. Victoria vs Lethbridge
2:30 p.m. Calgary vs UBC
Sunday, Oct. 31
11 a.m. Bronze Medal
1 p.m. Gold Medal
HEADLINES
- This marks the 22nd Canada West Championships for women's rugby.
- UBC enters this year's Final Four as the defending champions, winning their first title back in 2019.
- That ended a three-year reign by Calgary, claiming the Canada West crown from 2016-18.
- In all, Alberta holds the most CW Women's Rugby titles with 10 (most recently in 2014). Lethbridge holds the second-most championships in CW history with six, followed by Calgary (three), while UBC and Victoria each have raised the banner once.
No. 10 CALGARY (3-3)
Last week: defeated Alberta, 24-0
- The Dinos enter this year's Final Four with a 3-3 record, climbing back into the U SPORTS national rankings this week at No. 10.
- Calgary is entering the postseason on a hot streak, sweeping the home-and-home with Alberta by a combined score of 58-10 over its last two games.
- Head coach Simon Chi is no stranger to success, posting a career record of 35-14-1 (.710) with the Dinos while leading the team to three consecutive Canada West titles from 2016-18.
- In 2019, Calgary kicked a penalty goal on the final play of the game to take down host Lethbridge, 8-7, in a semifinal before falling to UBC in the gold-medal match.
No. 3 UBC (5-0)
Last week: defeated Victoria, 44-10
- The Thunderbirds are the top seed in this year's Final Four as the lone unbeaten team at 5-0 on the year under head coach Dean Murten.
- UBC climbed up to No. 3 in the national rankings this week, their highest ranking in the last decade.
- Thursday's semifinal will be the first road game for the Thunderbirds since the season opener and the first contest outside over the greater Vancouver area all season.
- The T-Birds enter the Final Four with decisive advantages in the conference standings in both points for (241) and against (55).
LETHBRIDGE (3-3)
Last week: defeated by Victoria, 29-0
- First-year head coach Graeme Moffat has led the Pronghorns to an improved 3-3 record in his first year on campus.
- Lethbridge started the season very strong, sweeping Alberta and splitting the home-and-home with Calgary before dropping the final two games of the regular season on the road at UBC and Victoria.
- The Pronghorns have an experienced group of forwards, led by fifth-year and 2018 Canada West All-Star Abby Duguid.
- The team will look to improve off its fourth-place finish at the 2019 CW Final Four, falling in the semifinals to Calgary, 8-7, on the final play of the game.
No. 8 VICTORIA (3-2)
Last week: defeated by UBC, 44-10
- The Vikes finished the regular season with a 3-2 record under seventh-year head coach Brittany Waters.
- Victoria showed off a high-powered offence in its three wins, taking down Alberta, Calgary and Lethbridge – all at home – by a combined 109-10, including posting shutouts against the Pandas and Pronghorns.
- The team's two losses both came against rival UBC, falling 31-15 at home before a 44-10 defeat in Vancouver in the regular-season finale.
- Three Victoria players will miss this year's Final Four as they will be travelling with Rugby Canada's National Senior Women's 15s Fall Tour.
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