Sports

Jared Curry has experienced a meteoric rise in Canadian Rugby League play.

Beginning the year as a young prospect for the Kelowna Crows Rugby League team, his speed and elusive running skills brought him to the attention of national team selectors.

Photo: Contributed

Kelowna's Jared Curry, (with ball) is 1 of 4 local players who will suit up for the BC Buldogs on Saturday.

On July 26, Jared played his first game for the Canada Wolverines national team in an 18-12 win over Jamaica at Lamport Stadium in Toronto.

Jared is one of four Kelowna players who have been selected to play in the first-ever rugby league match between a Canadian and an American team.

The BC Bulldogs will host the Utah Avalanche on August 18 at the Apple Bowl and Curry is excited about the game.

"It's great to be playing in this historic match in front of a crowd in my own hometown," says Curry.

"Rugby league provides players with a lot of opportunities to handle the ball in attack. I think local fans will really enjoy the speed and big hits of rugby league."

Curry spoke highly of his experience with the Canadian team in Toronto.

"It was great to represent Canada in front of a noisy home town crowd of 5,000. The national game is played at a much faster speed than what you would experience in regular club play. The size and physical strength of the players is amazing. It was also pretty cool to do a TV interview, sign autographs, and get your photo taken with fans you've never met before."

The good news for Curry is there is likely more international play on the horizon and even the Olympics are a possibility.

Selectors have targeted Curry for both the rugby union and the new Olympic sport of rugby sevens that will be introduced at the 2016 Brazil Olympics.

He says the games are each different from one another.

"The position I play in rugby union is on the wing. Because the game is more structured than league, I don't get my hands on the ball as often. I enjoy the pace of rugby sevens as well. They are all great games to play."

You can see Jared Curry starting at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday as he takes the field in the first of a home-at-home series between the Bulldogs and Avalanche.

He'll be joined by three other Kelowna players on the Bulldogs roster including Daniel Blasco-Morris, Freddy Humphries, and Neil Fowler.

Prior to the Rugby League game, fans can also watch the local touch rugby league final.

That game will start at 2:00 p.m., and tickets for all the action cost just $10 with youth 10 and under getting in free if accompanied by a parent.