Vancouver, BC: For the first time in the history of the British Columbia Rugby Union, senior club teams will compete for 10 provincial titles handed out over two Saturdays in May. The championship series kicks off on May 7th, when tier one and tier three teams contest for five provincial titles.

At Klahanie Park in West Vancouver, the Canadian Direct Insurance Premier League, Ceili’s Cup League and Women’s Adidas Premiership champions will be crowned for the 2011 spring season. At Brockton Oval in Stanley Park, tier three teams will be competing for The Province League One and Two titles.

PROVINCIAL FINALS – SATURDAY, MAY 7

Finals at Klahanie Park, West Vancouver
12:00pm – Adidas Women’s Premiership – Harris Memorial Cup Final
Burnaby Lake vs Velox Valkyries

2:00pm – Ceili’s Cup Men’s Final
Burnaby Lake vs James Bay AA

4:00pm – Canadian Direct Insurance Premier League – Rounsefell Cup Final
Castaway Wanderers vs Meraloma Rugby Club

*General Admission Tickets at Klahanie Park are $15.00, $10.00 for Youth (Under 15 or with valid student ID Card)

Finals at Brockton Oval, Stanley Park, Vancouver
11:30am – The Province Men’s League 2 final
United vs Surrey

1:30pm – The Province Men’s League 1 final
United vs Port Alberni

*General Admission Tickets at Brockton Oval are $10.00, $5.00 for Youth (Under 15 or with valid student ID Card)

FINALS PREVIEW

Women’s Adidas Premiership – Harris Memorial Cup Final
Sat. May 7 – Burnaby Lake vs Velox Valkyries (Klahanie Park) 12:00pm
Heading into this weekend’s championship game against the third-seeded Velox Valkyries, the top-seeded Burnaby Lake Rugby Club appear to be the favourites having posted a perfect 8-0 regular season record. Burnaby maintained their form in the semifinals, trouncing fourth-seeded United by a convincing 34-5 scoreline to return to the title game for the first times since lifting the Harris Memorial Cup in 2009. The Velox Valkyries shocked the defending champs Capilano in last weekend’s semifinal encounter, running away with a 26-20 victory. Velox had posted a 4-4 record during the regular season and were beaten handedly by Capilano by an overall point total of 74-14 in their two matchups. Velox kicker Jane Cruttenden led all scorers in their pivotal semifinal match with a 16-point performance notching a try, three penalties and a conversion. This Saturday marks the first time Velox has returned to the Harris Memorial Cup final since winning the title in 2008. When Burnaby and Velox squared off during the regular season on March 12, Burnaby came away with a 21-5 victory.

Ceili’s Cup League Final
Sat. May 7 – Burnaby Lake vs James Bay AA (Klahanie Park) 2:00pm
The fifth-seeded James Bay Athletic Association will look to complete a rare three-peat on Saturday, when they square off against the second-seeded Burnaby Lake Rugby Club for the Ceili’s Cup League title, formerly known as the CDI Premier League Men’s First Division. James Bay has appeared in four straight championship games and were crowned champs in both the 2009 and 2010 seasons. James Bay was the only club sub .500 to qualify for the 2011 playoffs having gone 3-4 during the regular season, a record which included a 19-13 loss to Burnaby Lake on March 13th. The Bays peaked during the playoffs, however, upsetting the fourth seeded-UBCOB Ravens 35-20 in overtime of their quarter-final match before thumping the top-seeded UVic Norsemen 49-28 in last week’s semifinal. Burnaby Lake posted a 5-2 record and lived up to their second-seeding in the playoffs with a 22-20 semifinal victory over third-ranked Castaway Wanderers on April 30th.

Canadian Direct Insurance Premier League – Rounsefell Cup Final
Sat. May 7 – Castaway Wanderers vs Meraloma Rugby Club (Klahanie Park) 4:00pm
The top-seeded Castaway Wanderers and second-seeded Meraloma Rugby Club will scrum down on Saturday to battle for the coveted Rounsefell Cup, awarded to the elite men’s rugby program in British Columbia. Oak Bay’s Castaway Wanderers RFC returns to the championship game for the first time since 2002 when they last won the CDI Premier League. The Vancouver Island outfit captured the 2011 league’s top seed with a 6-1 record and followed up their impressive regular season with a 38-18 semifinal victory over defending champs University of Victoria Vikes. Led by former Canada Under-20 assistant coach Ian Hyde-Lay, the CW management has combined seasoned veteran leadership with a wave of national team recruits to turn their program into legitimate title contenders.

Kitsilano based Meraloma Rugby Club advanced to their fourth straight Rounsefell Cup Final after going 5-1-1 during the regular season and defeating the UBCOB Ravens 18-12 in their semifinal match last Saturday. The Meralomas boast their fair share of national team veterans in Brian Erichsen, Justin Mensah-Coker and 2009 BC Player of the Year Eric Wilson. Led by head coach Spencer Bromley, Meraloma has advanced to four straight championship games and were last crowned Rounsefell Cup champs in 2009. When the Castaway Wanderers and Meraloma squared off during the regular season on March 12, the Meralomas punched in a last-minute try to secure a 13-12 victory.

The Province League 2 Final
Sat. May 7 – United vs Surrey (Brockton Oval) 11:30am
United RFC were the only club in The Province League 2 to wrap up the season with a perfect 5-0 record leading their division with a staggering 47.8 points per game in offence. United stymied their opposition, leading the league defensively, allowing just 10.6 ppg. Their opponents in Saturday’s championship game will be the Surrey Beavers, a team that went 4-1 during the regular season. Surrey’s only loss of the season was a 58-0 defeat at the hands of United back on April 9th.

The Province League 1 Final
Sat. May 7 – United vs Port Alberni (Brockton Oval) 1:30pm
Coquitlam based United RFC and the Port Alberni Black Sheep qualified for The Province League One final with matching 4-1 records. United led the table with 21 points having posted five bonus points during the regular season. Their one loss was to the Black Sheep on April 16 when they were edged 24-22. The Black Sheep punched their ticket to the dance in the final game of their regular season, defeating the Kelowna Crows 35-18. Port Alberni’s only loss of the season was against the Surrey Beavers on April 2nd.

Note: The Men’s Okanagan Spring League 1 and 2 finals, Men’s Division III final, Women’s Big Kahuna Division One final and Women’s Langara Fishing Adventures Division Two final are scheduled for may 14th.