Resilient Canucks win over Druids

Derek Arnold scores the first of his two tries for Calgary Canucks versus Strathcona Druids at Calgary Rugby Union Park on August 24, 2019. © J. Ashley Nixon

Calgary Canucks found their resilient spirit in Round 9 of the Alberta Cup to win over Strathcona Druids at Calgary Rugby Union Park by a score of 52-31. It looks like a wide margin but in reality, the Druids were in strong contention for much of this game, only to tail off at the end as a couple of their players got yellow carded and the Canucks found their form.

First Dragon

With the opening converted try plus a penalty, the visitors were up 10-0 after ten minutes. Derek Arnold, the Dragon, got the Canucks account going ten minutes later with a try under the posts. Corey Larribe, playing at fly-half, put over an easy conversion to close the gap to three points. But the Druids worked up a spell of controlling rugby with two tries, one of them an audacious full-field run by their full-back who intercepted the ball as the Canucks looked as though they might score. It was one of those tries that sometimes bottles up a team, but not the Canucks. Oliver White got on the score sheet as he cut in from the right-wing to score under the posts. Larribe converted again to and at half-time it was 24-14 to Strathcona.

Resilient spirit

The Canucks forwards got a pushover try five minutes after the restart, then the Druids got further ahead with a try and conversion to go up 31-14.  They went no further. The Canucks conjured up their resilient spirit and crated a five-try feast in the final half-hour of the game. Arnold got his second try, followed by five-pointers from Chad Spence, Richard Mignauld, Jake Bentley, and Matt Megaw. Larribe converted them all except one to end a fine game for the Frenchman with 12 kicking points.

Final score: Calgary Canucks 52-31 Strathcona Druids.

More photos

Please visit J. Ashley Nixon photography for more images from the game.