Raymond 15s rugby team ready for big tournament weekend in Red Deer

Posted on May 7, 2026 by admin

By Garrett Simmons
Westwind Weekly News

It has been smooth sailing for the Raymond rugby program over the last few weeks, as the girls teams have turned in a series of dominant victories.

Most recently, the Comets cruised past W.R. Myers in a Tuesday match in Taber, as Raymond overcame a nervy beginning to finish with an 84-0 victory.

“It was an intense start,” said Comets coach Dan Bikman, as Myers drove the ball deep into Raymond territory soon after kickoff. “They hit really hard, and our kids have not been hit that hard all year.”

Bikman added that physical resistance resulted in a scrambly first five to 10 minutes fo4r his outfit, until the Comets settled down and took over, as Raymond’s outside speed simply proved too much for Taber.

“Our kids grew a lot in that game, and I tip my hat to the Taber coaches and players,” said Bikman,

Last Wednesday, Raymond went up and down the field in a decisive league victory over Chinook High School.

“That was one smooth from start to finish,” said Bikman, who estimated his team’s possession rate was around 90 per cent throughout the contest.

For the 7s team, the competition was tough on the weekend, as the Comets faced three familiar foes, which included a contest against Lethbridge Collegiate Institute.

“LCI hit us hard but we just moved the ball well and we beat them 44-0, and that’s a lot of scoring in 15 minutes,” said Bikman, who was exceptionally pleased with how his team came together in a key rivalry game.

The 7s squad then upended Catholic Central 40-5, in another good showing against a CCH squad that took provincial silver last season.

A contest against Pincher Creek wrapped up the weekend, as Raymond came out with a 50-0 win.

This weekend, the 15s team kicks off the meat of its 2026 schedule, with the team’s annual trip to Red Deer.

“It’s a tournament we love to go to because it’s the same schedule as provincials, with two 40-minute games on Friday and a 60-minute game on Saturday,” said Bikman, who added this weekend marks a turning point in the year, as the games really begin to matter from here on out, with playoffs and zones.

Some top-tier Edmonton teams will be in Red Deer, along with W.R. Myers.

“We should see some good competition on the weekend,” said Bikman.