If the old adage that, "the only thing tougher than winning a championship is repeating the process," is to be believed, then the amount of pressure exerted on this year's squad was truly immense. Following in the footsteps of back-to-back championships, the 1st XV began informal training sessions early in the school year, but preparations never truly began in earnest until a tour over the March Break to Australia. The two weeks spent Down Under were meant to pull the team together and, in the process, give Coaches Murdy, Williams, Doyle and Linn their first opportunity to see their charges as a cohesive unit.

Upon their return to BC, the squad found themselves facing a series of matches as tough as any in recent memory. Among the highlights of the season were a high-paced, try-filled victory over the University of Victoria's first year squad (the Jutes), a hard fought win over Blue Mountain Grammar School from Australia, and a physical matchup with a big and strong Atlantic Provinces U21 side on that squad's preseason tour.

The Shawnigan lads continued their fine form in the opening stages of the AAA tournament. Victories over Fleetwood Park of Surrey, old rivals St. Michaels University School of Victoria and White Rock's Earl Marriott put the squad into their fourth consecutive final, against another familiar foe: the Barbarians of Oak Bay. Months of preparation and execution, of blood, sweat and tears would once again come down to sixty minutes of breathless action at Rotary Stadium in Abbotsford.

The tension in the air was palpable as the opening kickoff soared into the cloudless sky. As is often the case, the Oak Bay squad were the decided favourites amongst the casual fans in attendance, with Shawnigan support limited to the parents and students clad in black-and-gold, shouting and willing on their classmates, students and sons. The first few minutes of the game featured some stout defence, bone-crunching tackles and more than a handful of handling errors on both sides of the ball. As is often the case, the enormity of the stage led to a few tense moments before the teams got their feet under them.

As the opening half reached its midway point, the black and gold favourites began to assert themselves, with some strong forward play opening up gaps between the Oak Bay defenders. Three quick tries followed, and seemingly out of nowhere, Shawnigan found themselves ahead 17-0 late in the first half. A comfortable lead, to be sure, but with more than a half of the game to be played, by no means was the game decided.

As is so often the case, the deciding moment that swung the game in Shawnigan's favour came not as they attacked the Oak Bay line but while defending their own. The Barbarians staged a surge late in the first half that saw wave after wave attacking the 1st XV in waves and with a sense of purpose and commitment that had the Shawnigan squad on their heels. But every time Oak Bay looked poised to score, they were rebuffed by a determined group of Shawnigan tacklers, and as they turned the ball over and the halftime whistle blew, the sag in the Oak Bay team's collective shoulders was visible to all in attendance.

Despite a valiant effort from the Barbarians, Shawnigan's skill and conditioning showed through in the second half. As the final whistle blew, the final score read Shawnigan 43, Oak Bay 0. The threepeat was complete. The 1st XV could celebrate a third consecutive blue banner, and a fourth for the boys' rugby program in the School's history. In the process, this year's edition have made a convincingly argument for their inclusion in the conversation around the greatest teams the School has ever fielded. But with seven returning starters being joined by arguably the strongest Grade 10 team in recent memory, their position on the perch might be a perilous one!