Local rugby players shine in international U-19 championship 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — MacDowell Rugby Academy’s performance in the CDMX U-19s challenger tournament included some help from a pair of local players.

Quintin Farquhar and Waylon Fenton competed at the Mexico City tournament held the last weekend of October. The men’s U-19 squad took home a silver medal.

According to its website, the MacDowell Rugby Academy is a rugby union-based program where instructors focus on fundamentals and skill development, physical and mental health, and growth in life skills and academics while students study for their high school diploma.

Based on Vancouver Island, the program has academies across Canada, including Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

MacDowell recruited Farquhar after scouting him during a B.C. Rugby trial in 2022 and saw the potential immediately, according to the academy’s director of rugby, Robin MacDowell.

MacDowell has ties to Mexico, having coached the National Women’s Sevens team to a World Cup appearance in 2018.

“Our Canadian development academies are officially partnered with Rugby Mexico,” said MacDowell. “I’m dedicated to continuing to grow the game in Canada and across Mexico.”

“This is the second year we have gone there.  We’re trying to make the game stronger and develop the youth in our own region, as well.  [Players] got to experience Mexico with the Mexican teams rather than as a tourist.”

“It’s very much a high-performance competition, but also a good cultural experience for Canadian kids.”

With their Indigenous roots, both players represented First Nations in a new country.

Farquhar played this spring in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Meanwhile, Fenton has played in international tournaments, such as the Los Angeles International 7’s with the Indigenous Thunder Rugby Club in 2022.  

Both players first learned the game at Fort St. John’s North Peace Secondary School.

“It’s tough weather-wise and looking for opportunities, and these kids and their families have fought to give them opportunities to develop,” said McDowell. 

The U-19s men’s team played extremely well, winning two of their four games, losing to the Mexico Negro (Black) squad by a score of 14-7 in the final.

Over the course of the championship, Farquhar broke his nose and continued to play. 

“Those Fort St John boys are really tough and play hard,” said MacDowell. “They go out there and put their face on the line, literally.”

MacDowell Rugby will next head on a tour of New Zealand in December.