Ladner is now home to a Rugby Canada Hall of Fame inductee.
Mike James, who moved to the community six months ago, is part of the recently announced Class of 2023.
James’ illustrious rugby career began at Burnaby’s Alpha Secondary School, where he started playing rugby in Grade 11.
His play in school and for the Burnaby Buffaloes U19 team led to selections for the Fraser Valley U19s at the B.C. Summer Games and for B.C. in the U19 National Championships in 1992.
James broke onto the senior national team in 1994, winning his first two senior caps before his first U23 call up.
Shortly after his international debut, James was named to his first Rugby World Cup.
He went on to earn 57 caps all as starter, from 1994 to 2007 as Canada’s most-capped men’s second row at the time, playing in four Rugby World Cups (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007) and captaining the team four times between 2003 to 2007.
He began his professional rugby career in 1996 in France’s Top 14 Premiership with Perpignan, where he spent four seasons (1996 to 2000), captaining the team for a time as well, before joining Parisian side Stade Francais (2001 to 2007).
He was a key component of Stade Francais’ Top 14 Premiership titles in 2003, 2004 and 2007. He competed in two Heineken Cup finals and played five times for the French Barbarians.
Upon his retirement from playing, James returned to B.C., where he coached the BC Bears from 2007 to 2010, leading them to a historic win over Russia in Victoria, and a Canadian Rugby Championship title in 2009. He has also held several roles with BC Rugby.
“Obviously it’s an honoured to be inducted for all the work and effort,” he said. “I had a pretty good professional career, was able to go over to France for 11 years, so an honour to be recognized. This is a very worthy class who were past teammates. If it motivates one child, either in South Delta or elsewhere, to try rugby, this is just an example of how far they can go.”
The other inductees include Jen Kish, Andrea Burk, Mark Cardinal, Steve Gray and Julianne Zussman. Rick Bourne and the late Keith Wilkinson were inducted are builders and Sherry Trumbull as a match official.
