Ed Fairhurst of Victoria, announced for induction this week into the B.C. Rugby Hall of Fame, said the journey to playing in three World Cups for Canada has served him well in all aspects.
“I am thankful to have been able to play on the national team for 12 years and those lessons have translated into real life,” said Fairhurst.
The 43-year-old is now a portfolio manager for RBC Dominion Securities in Vancouver.
“It was a great run and I am grateful for it.”
It took Fairhurst from the 1997 B.C. high school championship, won with the St. Michaels University School Blue Jags, to a starry career with the University of Victoria Vikes, three World Cup appearances for Canada in 2003, 2007 and 2011, and a pro career in the U.K. with the Cardiff Blues and Cornish Pirates.
He also played sevens rugby for Canada in the Commonwealth Games.
Fairhurst had it all as a player — fine skill sets combined with speed and durability.
Fairhurst’s 57 caps were a record for Canadian scrum-halfs before being eclipsed by fellow-Victoria player Phil Mack’s current record of 59.
Fairhurst, who earned an economics degree at UVic, said his career highlight was beating Tonga in the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand in a riveting game.
What adds resonance to the honour for Fairhurst is that he is going into the B.C. Rugby Hall with Bruce Kuklinski of Victoria, selected for his world-level standing in officiating, and who also coached Fairhurst at SMUS.
“It’s been good for a few old stories, and reconnecting this month, once we learned we will be going in together,” said Fairhurst.
Kuklinski, the citing commissioner for the 2015 World Cup, former Canadian national women’s team star Julia Sugawara of Burnaby, who played in three World Cups, and Fairhurst have been announced as the pandemic-delayed Class of 2022.
The Class of 2023 will be announced at a later date.
Both the Classes of 2022 and 2023 will be enshrined at the induction ceremony in June in Vancouver.
