The Abbotsford Rugby Football Club's return to the CDI Premier League will not include a trip to the playoffs.
Burnaby Lake snuffed the post-season hopes of Abbotsford's top men's side on Saturday at Exhibition Park, doubling up on the hosts 26-13.
"We've got a lot of injuries right now, and Burnaby came out and scored a couple tries right off the bat," Abbotsford head coach Jason Young said. "The second half, we actually played really well. We were in their end the whole time, but we just struggled to score. Burnaby, give them credit. They played some good defence."
The defeat dropped Abby's Premier League record to 0-6. They won two games early in the spring against the Velox Valhallians and the Vancouver Rowing Club, but both those teams were relegated at midseason, and thus those results don't count in the final Premier standings.
The locals wrap up the regular season this Saturday on the road against Meraloma (2:45 p.m., Connaught Park, Vancouver).
Young said the club's move to the Premier League has been an educational experience for the younger players.
"All in all, the club's in a really positive state," he said. "We struggled a little bit depth-wise, but the young guys have to get a taste of it. Playing a hard game every single week, they're only going to get better from that."