The Martlet

The UVic men’s rugby team made a late comeback against rivals Velox Valhallians at Gordon Head pitch, moving their B.C. Premiere League record to 6-1.

The Valhallians, whose home pitch is connected to Wallace Field via a footpath, brought a punishing, physical style of play into the match with the faster, more athletic Vikes.

The match began slowly, as Velox was able to impose that physicality on the Vikes, keeping the pace to a grind. It was 27 minutes before Spicer scored the first try of the game. He converted, giving the Vikes a 7-0 lead going into the half.

Down 19-7 after Dean Budd recorded two tries and Dustin MacPherson recorded another for Velox, the Vikes found themselves backed into a corner by the physical Valhallians. Velox ran out the clock, until Keaton Styles touched down for the Vikes. After captain David Spicer’s conversion with two minutes remaining, the score was 19-14.

But it was a Velox error, a high-tackle penalty, that allowed the Vikes to take the match. With good field position following the penalty, Liam Murray crashed through for a try to tie the game. Spicer again converted, to give the gives the nail-biting victory, 21-19.

Spicer had three conversions on the game, while Dean Budd had two tries for Velox. Pita Savea converted twice for the Valhallians, who move to 3-5 in Premier League play, good for eighth place.

The win puts the Vikes in fourth place overall with 27 points, 13 points behind another cross-town rival, undefeated James Bay.