By Dan Marshall

Nanaimo Hornets seek third rugby championship this season as semi-final looms

Apr 27, 2017 | 10:44 AM

NANAIMO — Semi-final Saturday is all set for BC’s Division 1 rugby playoffs.
 
The Nanaimo Hornets will host the Bayside Sharks at 2:45 p.m. at May Bennett Pioneer Park.
 
Bayside (based in Surrey) is coming off a 47-25 win over Abbotsford last weekend while the Hornets are coming off of a three week layoff.
 
Nanaimo coach Clive Stocks said his team had a high-tempo practice this week but it still may take some time to bang the rust off.
 
The Hornets coaching staff was able to watch some video of Bayside’s quarter-final match and Stocks says they have picked out some tendencies.
 
“They had a couple of backs who looked quite sharp. They counter most rucks, they put a lot of people into the rucks so we have to be careful there,” Stocks said.
 
Nanaimo is now vying for a third championship this season.
 
They’ve already captured the Times Cup and the Cowichan Cup but Stocks says all of the focus is on Bayside, even though another title would rank this campaign as one of the greatest in the club’s more than 125-year history.
 
The other Division 1 semi-final on Saturday features Surrey against Meralomas.
 
If Nanaimo is successful in their semi they’ll travel to Exhibition Park in Abbotsford for the BC final on Saturday May 6.
 
Stocks and the Hornets are hoping to get a big crowd out for the upcoming playoff game, which is part of a Nanaimo vs. Bayside doubleheader.
 
There’s an over 40 masters level match at 1 p.m. Saturday before the main event begins.
 
Win or lose, Saturday will be the final home date for the Division 1 Hornets in what’s already been a tremendous season.
 

dan.marshall@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @danmarshall77