Abbotsford rugby players join BC Bears for national championships

U17 and U19 competitions take place in Ontario from July 20 to 26

Abbotsford rugby players join BC Bears for national championships Published 3:55 pm Monday, July 13, 2026 Just over a week after teams from all across B.C. battled it out in Abbotsford at the Provincial Regional Championships, the BC Bears have now selected some of the top performers for their U17 and U19 rosters at this year’s national competitions. Girls and boys squads in each division will be competing in Ontario from July 20 to 26, hoping to bring back some shiny new hardware.

For the U17 teams, it’s the O’Neills Challenge Cup that’s up for grabs as both BC Bears squads return to the competition as last year’s champions. Joining the U17 BC Bears are 14 Abbotsford athletes, with the three-match rugby series against the Rugby Ontario Blues taking place at Guelph University from July 20 to 25. Also taking place at Guelph University is the 2026 Canadian Rugby U19 Championships, with the BC Bears women’s team coming back to defend their 2025 title.

If they can clutch another title win, they’ll continue a Cinderella story that saw the women’s team go from having never won a match at nationals to finishing on top at last year’s U19 championships. Meanwhile, the BC Bears men’s team will be looking to break free from a cycle that has seen them finish in second place in both the 2024 and 2025 championships. A total of seven Abbotsford players will be helping the BC Bears U19 teams at this year’s nationals, with the women’s team also including assistant coach Scott Hunter from Abbotsford RFC.

The U19 men’s head coach, Curry Hitchborn, said he’s excited to see what his group of players is capable of doing on the pitch. “Using the club, high school, and PRC tournament for selection, we were able to assemble a solid squad with a high competitive ceiling,” said Hitchborn. “It’s a solid blend of new faces and some returnees from last year that will help us perform to our very best over the course of the national tournament.”

Women’s head coach, Jake Thiel, said his team also features a good mix of new and returning talent. “We are looking forward to working with this talented group of athletes,” said Thiel. “This team is ready to get to work, hoping to build momentum as we head to Guelph.”

The total roster of Abbotsford athletes competing for the BC Bears at the upcoming tournaments includes: • Cameron Jones (U17 boys) • Daniel Watkins (U17 boys) • Dom Tapparo (U17 boys) • Evann Schutte (U17 boys) • Hamid El Yousef (U17 boys) • Mason Balzer (U17 boys) • Quinlan Bjorndal (U17 boys) • Ryley Storey (U17 boys) • Alyvia Draney (U17 girls) • Brooklyn Cybuliak (U17 girls) • Laesa Tinworth (U17 girls)

• Sydney Henderson (U17 girls) • Sylvanah Belsham (U17 girls) • Wendy Huynh (U17 girls) •

Benard Bjorndal (U19 mens) • Ryelly MacDonald (U19 mens) • Amber Vallance (U19 womens) • Claudia Vallance (U19 womens) • Rhaea Geddert (U19 womens) • Savannah Pelletier (U19 womens) • Tayla Kempf (U19 womens) The 2026 Canadian Rugby U19 Championships take place from July 21 to 26, with a full schedule and more details available at rugbyontario.com.