For the coach of a team that has just lost four straight games heading into the playoffs, Capilano Rugby Club’s Keith Reeves is a very confident man.
“Despite being a very experienced coach, I am eternally optimistic,” Reeves said with a laugh when the North Shore News caught up with him following the latest defeat, a tough 21-18 loss to Burnaby Lake Rugby Club Saturday at Klahanie Park to finish off the CDI Premier League regular season. In February the Capilanos were second in the league following a 3-1 start, but the four straight losses dropped them to sixth, setting up a playoff quarterfinal trip to Vancouver Island where they’ll face James Bay Saturday. The losing skid, however, hasn’t dimmed the team’s spirits or brought about any questions from within the club, said Reeves. That position is buoyed by the fact that all four games have been highly competitive, with the last three losses coming by a combined total of six points. Saturday’s loss was another heartbreaker with second-place Burnaby Lake earning two late penalties to tie the game and then win it.
“The crowd was great on Saturday, it was good to see Klahanie packed to the rafters," said Reeves. "I’m sorry we didn’t get the result, (but) rugby people can see the progress. I don’t feel any pressure. If you lose four games on the bounce at this time of the season, normally you feel some pressure. But I think everybody can see that the team is improving.”
The string of losses also coincides with a slew of injuries. Clement Vernozoul, the team’s primary goal kicker, has been out with a concussion since January and captain and backup kicker Chris Robinson has an ankle injury, leaving the team scrambling to find a consistent kicking game.
“Goal kicking has been a factor,” said Reeves. “Injuries have been a huge factor. In 30 years of coaching I’ve never known an injury situation like this. We’re completely decimated in the backs. I’m not making excuses, because the guys who’ve come in have done fantastically well.”
The Capilano club boasts a deep program with a strong first division team that just posted a perfect 8-0 record in regular season play as well as two third-division teams.
“It’s a good job we’ve got four good teams at the club because guys are moving up the levels because of injuries quite rapidly,” said Reeves. “I had virtually a first div backline on Saturday. So consequently, third div guys were playing for the first div. … The third div guys didn’t look out of place playing in the first div, and the first div guys didn’t look out of place playing in the prems.”
The team has been led by cousins Glen and Jeff McKinnon, said Reeves, with strong play from Connor Christopher, newcomer Alex Boyden formerly of Meralomas, and talented young prop Jordan Reid-Harvey, a former member of Canada’s U20 national team.
“The forwards have been great,” said Reeves. “Our forwards have been playing a high intensity, high pace offload game and it’s catching a lot of the bigger packs out. … We’re dominating teams in the pack. It’s just with injuries and stuff we’re struggling in the back a little.”
While a close examination of the results puts a spotlight on the four-game losing streak, Reeves said he’s much more interested in taking a wider view.
“We’ve got better and better and better each week,” he said. “You’ve got to think of the short game and the long game. It’s disappointing, some of the defeats. The loss particularly at UBC Old Boys was devastating – we should have won by 20. And on Saturday I wasn’t disappointed for me, I was upset for the guys because they absolutely worked their socks off. A couple of late penalties, a little bit of ill-discipline as they’re getting tired on Saturday gave them two penalties from the ruck that they kicked, drew level and then won the game with. I was disappointed for the guys. … Thinking of the long game, I’ve seen week-on-week progress.”
The late swoon, however, has handed the Capilanos a tough task in sending them to Victoria to take on James Bay. Rugby lore has always said that the ferry trip over to the Island knocks 10 points off the expected score for visiting teams.
“It’s not an easy journey, it does take it out of the guys,” said Reeves. “When you go on long trips like this it takes a little longer for the guys to switch on.”
Of course, Reeves is optimistic about his team’s chances. The sixth-place finish is actually fortuitous for the club, he said, because it means they’ll avoid undefeated juggernaut UBC until the final if they can make it all the way there. On Saturday Capilano will need to contain James Bay superstar Connor Braid, a national team mainstay who is recovering from a nasty facial injury, but the path is there to make a playoff run against teams that Capilano has matched up well with all season, said Reeves.
“It’s worked out better for us this way,” he said. “I think we can go to James Bay on Saturday and win, and then we’ll see what happens after that.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. Saturday at MacDonald Park in Victoria.
