The Nanaimo Hornets men's and women's teams will both compete in Division 1 in the 2025-26 rugby season. Their next games are on Oct. 4 in Comox.  (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Dan Marshall

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NANAIMO — Rugby season has begun for the Nanaimo Hornets at levels.

The women’s team is practicing for their season opener in early October and the men have already played twice.

Hornets club president Brad Marshall said the men’s side has seen mixed results.

“Two weeks ago we played against UVIC for the men’s team and it was a bit of a struggle. We ended up losing that game. The first home game we had last week against CW was a good win for us. It put us on the right track for the rest of the games.”

The women’s team was supposed to play James Bay on Sept. 27 and the men are in a bye week but that opened up a hole in the schedule for a special event.

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Canada’s women’s rugby team is playing England in the World Cup final on the morning of Sept. 27 and members of the rugby club are planning to meet at the clubhouse at Pioneer Park to watch the game.

Both senior Hornets teams made it to the BC finals last spring but but when the women enter their new season they’ll be moving up a level.

Last season the Hornets were a Division 2 side and now they will be playing in Division 1.

“Without seeing how any of those teams perform in Division 1 it would be hard to say how we stack up right now,” Marshall said. “I have full faith in the women’s team and the amount of players we’ve had out is a good blend between some solid experienced players and some new girls coming through from our junior girls program. I think they’ll do well regardless.”

The men’s side will be playing Division 1 as well this season and Marshall notes they could still use some bodies.

The rosters are more filled out for the women and junior girls teams in the early season.

Games and skill development sessions for the young players are underway with upwards of 170 participants.

Marshall said the minis program continues to grow and has moved to a new night, on Wednesday.

“We moved nights because we couldn’t really accomodate actual games for some of the younger ages. I think it’s the best value for money that you can get for a sporting program and with your child being fed afterwards. I think we’re almost at that point where it would be hard to accomodate any more people on the field but that’s a good problem to have.”

The field and clubhouse at Pioneer Park are packed full of activity almost every day now that the season has started.

“Our men and our women practice on Tuesday and Thursday nights and our juniors are on Wednesdays after our minis practices. That allows some of our junior players to coach minis as well. Saturdays are usually game days for women’s and men’s and our juniors play on Sunday.”

Both the women’s and men’s Hornets play next on the road in Comox on Saturday, Oct. 4.

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