A local rugby team did friendly battle on home grass versus counterparts from a pitch as far away as possible and still be in Canada.
The Kamloops Rugby Club (KRC) hosted the Newfoundland Rock, (also known as the Rock Rugby Union U17 team) on Sunday March 24 in Kamloops to play a game that the KRC won 46 to 0.
The Newfoundland team arrived in B.C. on March 22 and was visiting as part of a YMCA exchange program that will see the Kamloops team heading to Newfoundland in May.
The KRC and the Newfoundland Rock rugby teams visited Wells Gray Park on March 25 as part of their tour in B.C., guided by mayor Merlin Blackwell from the District of Clearwater. The teams visited the three main falls in the famous park that boasts “Wilderness, Waterfalls and Wildlife,” enjoying a hotdog roast over campfires for lunch together and a lot of fun on the bus ride into Wells Gray and back again.
The KRC not only has team members from Kamloops but teammates from Barriere and Clearwater as well.
The visiting Newfoundland Rock finished out the week with another game in Kamloops on Wednesday, March 27 followed by a farewell potluck dinner at the Kamloops Rugby Club that evening.
The KRC said goodbye to the Newfoundland team on March 28 with many saying they are looking forward to seeing each other again when the Kamloops team flies back east to complete the exchange there May 18 to 23.