ABOUT UBC RUGBY
UBC RUGBY ASSOCIATION
UBC Rugby adopted Rugby Canada’s core values of integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline, respect, sportsmanship and teamwork. In addition, UBC Rugby also includes leadership as a core value and supports the whole student as part of an empowering and transformative university learning experience.
President:
Greg Obertas
Thunderbird Council Rugby Representative:
Peter Bull
OUR VISION
Our aim at UBC Rugby is to be the best rugby development program in North America by maintaining a tradition of developing student athletes who achieve excellence both on and off the field.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
UBC Rugby promotes a wide range of opportunities and experiences for as many student athletes as possible. This is done with a program that fosters positive self-esteem, mutual respect and developing one’s life balance whether at work or recreation. While maintaining the highest standards of conduct both on and off the field, we instill a commitment to winning as a group. Our players understand that their progress demands commitment and work ethic in both their academic and athletic endeavours.
OUR ROOTS
Beginning in 1906, the very first year of post-secondary education in British Columbia, rugby and UBC have been synonymous. In the early years, there were famous victories against the other storied universities such as Stanford and matchups with international touring teams, the New Zealand Maoris among them. Rugby was such a fixture on the Point Grey campus that for many years UBC competed for the McKechnie Cup, BC’s Representative Men’s Championship. The annual ‘World Cup’ series against the University of California at Berkeley is nearing a century of competition and is the pinnacle of University competition. Then there are the standards set by the players - Gaul, McPhee, Spence, Moore, McTavish, Graf, Stewart, Burak and Manu - names that still ring loudly.
OUR MISSION
To assist the UBC Rugby Program through fundraising and operational expertise in the development of student athletes, both Varsity and club players, and Rugby as an inclusive spectator experience for the larger UBC community.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Rugby at UBC carries a fine tradition. While most other sports on campus are focused on inter-university competition, rugby remains focused on British Columbia Provincial Club competition. The reason is simple. BC rugby is consistently the best in North America. It’s no coincidence that tours from overseas rugby nations would stop in B.C. to play the UBC Varsity squad. Historically, the BC style of rugby was hard and tough. In more recent years, UBC has prided itself on being fitter, faster and more skilled than their opponents.
