The Ontario Blues left no doubts as to who the best team in the 2016 Johnsonville Canadian Rugby Championship as they claimed their fifth MacTier Cup title in six years with an emphatic 50-21 victory over the BC Bears at Fletcher’s Fields on Sunday. It didn’t quite match the sweltering conditions of Thursday’s effort, but the humidity certainly took its toll on some tired bodies as the game wore on.

Early Blues pressure was converted to points by Andrew Ferguson with a simple penalty goal at six minutes. It wasn’t long before they were in position again, and a lineout from just inside the 22 metre line was hauled in by skipper Hank McQueen and his pack did the rest. A casual stroll ended with Eric Howard over the line and Ferguson’s extras from wide out made it an ominous 10 points in as many minutes.

The Bears settled into the game somewhat and Phil Mack sparked a hairy moment for the home side. Lining up at fullback after a late roster change, the 7s star took a mark from Derek Daypuck’s high ball and then sprinted through two defenders and out to halfway before chipping over the cover. Admir Cejvanovic looked to have won the race but knocked on as he slid onto the ball and a big left boot from Mitch Richardson got the Blues out of imminent danger.

A scrum penalty just before half-time gave Ferguson a chance to add another three but the kick rang off the uprights and the score remained 10-0 at the intermission. Hands on hips showed the fatigue that was already setting in on the big men of both teams.

Ontario came out the better side in the second half. BC handled the restart but were too ambitious in their own end and handed over possession with a knock-on. After 15 phases the Blues were on the doorstep and Mike Sheppard’s arms were just long enough to reach the line for their second try. Ferguson had no trouble with the conversion to make it a three-score game.

Guiseppe du Toit dropped a cheeky ball in behind the Blues defense to force a Bears lineout. The attack looked promising but Peter Milazzo was quickest on the ball and won a key penalty at the breakdown. It only took one phase from the ensuing lineout for the Blues to take advantage.

A sweeping backline move went all the way left to Kainoa Lloyd and the speedster blew past opposite Crosby Stewart with the half-tackle of Mack forcing him into touch. The ball stayed behind and in-field, however, and Daypuck was on hand to pick up the scraps and slide in for the score. An appeal for an obstruction call on a bit of shepherding by Dan Moor fell on deaf ears.

Hearts sank further just moments later when another du Toit chip ahead landed in the wrong hands. Johnny Sheridan snatched the ball up on his own 22 and skipped past a couple half-hearted tackle attempts before sprinting untouched through the parted sea to score a death blow for the Blues.

Right from the kickoff the Bears were under the gun yet again. Jordan Wilson-Ross ripped through the line and kicked over the fullback, and Richardson appeared to win the race for yet another score. This time the officials did not agree and after a short conference a penalty was awarded against the Blues, with Richardson deemed to have nudged Manar Kulkhan just enough to affect the race.

Unperturbed, the Blues went back to their phase play and this time Wilson-Ross himself found pay-dirt, splitting the defense with a simple flare move. At 36-0 and only a quarter left to play, Ontario slipped into cruise control with the job all but done.

The Bears, to their credit, would not leave without having their say. Josh Clarke followed up a wide ball to take a nice inside pass from Brock Staller in for their first score. Jorden Sandover-Best was next, coasting in on the heels of a searing line break from Mack from 70 metres out.

Ontario fired straight back. Sheridan slid into the corner for a double after numerous phases on the BC line. A short restart went bad and Lloyd torched the entire team, skipping out of Mack’s outstretched arms for a scintillating 80 metre individual score. Both were converted by Richardson to make it a half-century.

BC had the final say as Mack crossed before the final whistle, but the Blues were convincing winners and once again owners of the MacTier Cup.

BLUES 50

Tries – E. Howard (9), M. Sheppard (42), D. Daypuck (50), J. Sheridan 2 (53, 72), J. Wilson-Ross (60), K. Lloyd (74)

Cons – A. Ferguson 4 (10, 43, 54, 61) M. Richardson 2 (73, 75)

Pens – A. Ferguson (6)

BEARS 21

Tries – J. Clarke (63), J. Sandover-Best (66), P. Mack (78)

Cons – B. Staller 3 (64, 67, 79)

ONTARIO BLUES

1 Rob Brouwer 2 Eric Howard 3 Tom Dolezel 4 Hank McQueen (capt.) 5 Mike Sheppard 6 Peter Milazzo 7 Marcello Wainwright 8 Andrew Wilson 9 Andrew Ferguson 10 Mitch Richardson 11 Kainoa Lloyd 12 Derek Daypuck 13 Dan West 14 Dan Moor 15 Jordan Wilson-Ross

16 Brendan Black 17 Doug Wooldridge 18 Ryan Surgenor 19 Adrian Wadden 20 Myles Dingwall 21 Josh Campbell 22 John Sheridan 23 Rich Lebel

BC BEARS

1 Anthony Luca (capt.) 2 Andrew Lackner 3 Cody McClary 4 Liam Chisholm 5 Craig McLaughlin 6 Kevin Leask 7 Josh Clarke 8 Admir Cejvanovic 9 Jorden Sandover-Best 10 Guiseppe du Toit 11 Manar Kulkhan 12 Doug Fraser 13 Brock Staller 14 Crosby Stewart 15 Phil Mack

16 Alex Mascott 17 Nik Hildebrand 18 Adrian Longbone 19 Micha Govorchin 20 Sam Clark 21 Brendan Kelliher 22 Cully Quirke

Referee: Sherry Trumbull

Assistants: Karen Lozada & Talal Chaudhry