Since a shaky start to the season, the Bow Valley Grizzlies have managed to surge their way into the Calgary Rugby Union playoffs on the back of seven straight wins.
The team played their final regular-season game on Sept. 10 when they thrashed the Calgary Canucks 34-15, avenging their earlier 24-20 loss this year (on June 4).
“It was awesome, definitely a good win by the boys after (the Canucks) beat us earlier in the season,” said Grizz head coach Tyler Hawes.
The victory means the Grizz (10-2) tied for first on 52 points with the Calgary Saracens, but because of a tie-breaker finished in first overall giving them home field advantage for their opening playoff game this weekend where they again face the Canucks.
“This is the third time we’ve played them this year,” Hawes said. “So we’ll see what happens. Lose and you’re out, so hopefully we can perform.”
Hawes formerly played for the Canucks, which has led some to believe there’s a stronger rivalry between the two clubs than any of Bow Valley’s other opponents but, it’s a theory Hawes is quick to play down.
“I don’t think it matters who we play,” he said. “Sure we’ve got a bit of a rivalry but maybe it’s more on their side than ours.
“The boys are eager to battle whoever’s in front of them and play some good Bow Valley rugby.”
The team has come a long way since the start of the campaign where a mixed bag of results with players not being on the same wave length looked like the club was in for a rough ride, but as Hawes says in hindsight, “we couldn’t have asked for a better season.”
“The boys have come a long way since the start of the year,” he said. “Our last game was a good measuring stick. To come this far has been fantastic, there’s been a lot of buy-in from the players and we’re playing a fun, exciting style of rugby.
“This is stage one done, and we’ll see how we get on in the playoffs. We just have to take it one game at a time now.”
The Canucks game is set for 6:00 p.m. on Sept. 17 at Mitford Pond.
