Joe Dolesau and Rory Love both ran in two tries to help lead the Burnaby Lake Rugby Club back into top spot in the fall men’s premier division.
The Lakers ran in eight tries in a dominating 47-19 win over newly promoted Vancouver Rowing Club at Brockton Oval last Saturday.
Burnaby Lake opened the scoring on an early penalty goal but quickly found the tryline following Micha Govorchin’s game-opening try.
Love then tallied his first try on a kick ahead into the end zone, but the Rowers answered with a similar turnover for a score at the other end. But it was all Burnaby Lake after that.
Evan Thomas jinked his way into end zone off a five-yard scrum and Cole McQueen, who had the backs attacking all game long, also scored before the interval.
“We’re starting to get there,” said Burnaby Lake head coach Kris de Scossa after the match. “The Rowers are a good team. … They don’t look like a team that has been away.”
But for most of the 90 minutes, it was Burnaby that was dictating play.
Back row forward Gurvinder Kalar got a well-deserved try off a McQueen break, while Love and Dolesau ran in three more scores on long runs.
The Rowing Club scored back-to-back tries midway through the second half, both off set pieces.
The win was a tonic for the Lakers, who lost 9-3 to the surging Capilanos prior to the long weekend break. Caps doubled James Bay at home 14-7 last weekend to improve to 2-3.
The win improved the Lakers’ record to 4-1, leaving the Central Valley side three points up on second-place University of Victoria. James Bay fell to 3-2, just four points back of the leaders.
“Everything is pretty close and the weather is a good leveler,” said de Scossa of the loss to Capilanos.
But losing a game can either bring out the best or worst in a team, he added.
“And that’s what happening to us,” de Scossa said.
