Bryan Ray

CO-FOUNDER / EDITOR / NORTH AMERICA ... has been writing about Canadian rugby since 1998 for various publications. Also talks sports (and sometimes other things) on CBC Radio. Former player of 20+ years, coach, and senior referee.

Canadian Overseas Pro Update

As the European club season reaches a close and Super Rugby leans towards the playoffs, it’s time to look back and see how Canada’s overseas contingent fared in the 2018-19 campaign. Only a handful of Canadian internationals are currently based in the Southern Hemisphere – Tyler Ardron the most prominent. …

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MLR Playoff Race – Who Needs What

The final week of the Major League Rugby regular season is upon us and the playoff race could not possibly be any closer. One team is in – the San Diego Legion – while four vie for the three remaining Semi Final spots. Remarkably, all are equal in points. Toronto, …

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MLR Preseason a Work in Progress

The final stages of the of Major League Rugby preseason are fast approaching and with the regular season a little over two weeks away communications departments could afford to pick up the pace a little bit. This past weekend saw three matches take place, and there are five scheduled for …

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RWC Repechage – Who will Canada pick?

The clock is ticking loudly now. In less than one month’s time Canada will be fighting for their World Cup life in the Repechage against Kenya, Germany, and Hong Kong. Selection for the three-match competition will be almost as important as the flagship event itself. Much of the squad, likely …

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Major League Rugby adds Ontario Arrows for 2019

The wait is over, the deal is done. Canada has its first professional rugby union team. Following months of negotiations the Ontario Arrows were officially welcomed to Major League Rugby by league commissioner Dean Howes at a meeting in New York on Friday. An announcement from the team and league …

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Arrows aiming for Major League future

Canadian rugby fans will orbit around the backyard this weekend to celebrate the nation’s 151st birthday. The hot topic for ‘cue-side conversation will no doubt be thoughts on the future as a winless June test series fades into memory and eyes turn to the World Cup Qualifiers in November. For …

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A Spain Appeal – The Case for Common Sense

Belgium, Romania, and Spain are out. That is what we were effectively informed when World Rugby released the findings of the independent Judicial and Disputes Committee into the eligibility breaches during the Rugby Europe Championship. Given all three had been found guilty of fielding ineligible players in matches that doubled …

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The Wild West

This is what it’s supposed to look like. So, how do we watch? That graphic doesn’t look right. If you could just zoom out a little… Hold still damnit! Water breaks? What a try! Irish, English, a Frenchman with a whistle. Fijians. Canadians. Pedrie Wannenburg. Vamos Cóndores! Dumb penalty. Dumb …

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Hurricanes to help Arrows with Professional Plans

On Wednesday the Ontario Arrows made waves with the announcement that they have formed a partnership with one of Super Rugby’s most iconic franchises – the Hurricanes. Based in Wellington on the southern tip of New Zealand’s North Island, on the face of it the two franchises couldn’t be further …

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Spain now under Player Eligibility Microscope

The extraordinary situation emerging from the Rugby Europe World Cup qualification has taken yet another turn. On Sunday it was confirmed that Belgium had fielded an ineligible player against Germany, and in fact it has since come to light that a second Belgian player is also in question. Who that …

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