Popularity
The sport is played across Canada, with clubs even in places like Yukon. It is most popular on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland in British Columbia on the west coast, and Newfoundland, where rugby is considered to be the most popular summer sport.
Rugby in British Columbia has had a strong international flavour, with the University of British Columbia playing a regular series against the University of California, and representative BC sides have made tours to Japan and England.
Up until just after the Second World War, rugby union was very popular on the west coast, and the east coast respectively. However, despite increasing interest in the Canadian football strongholds of Quebec and Ontario, rugby union was weakened in its western and eastern strongholds, particularly the latter. Despite its battle for survival, rugby has managed to maintain a presence in all parts of Canada.
Rugby in the Central Provinces was reinforced partially by immigration from other Commonwealth Countries.
Read more about this topic: Rugby Union In Canada
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