In the opinion of campus sports aficionados, one of the most notable rugby players to ever play at UBC is Spence McTavish, which considering UBC’s rich rugby history, is significant. This 1973 Phys. Ed. (Kinesiology) graduate was a pillar of strength with UBC’s rugby teams of the early 1970s including one of the university’s very best, the 1970/71 team. Spence in 1973 was awarded the coveted Bobby Gaul Award as UBC’s outstanding male athlete and in 1976 he won the Howie McPhee Memorial Trophy as BC’s outstanding rugby player.
International matches were a large component of Spence’s career as through the 1970s and into the 1980s he played over 50 games for Canada and over 100 games for BC. He captained Canada until 1982 and was awarded 23 caps honouring his full international test matches. Canada’s national team coach suggested Spence was Canada’s most exciting player of the 1970s and was “world calibre.”
Following graduation Spence taught at Lord Byng high school and for over 10 years was the head coach of UBC’s varsity rugby team, bringing it back to prominence. His goals were to keep UBC rugby competitive, instill discipline and accountability while upholding UBC’s special rugby history.
Both as an athlete and later as a coach, Spence has been acknowledged by UBC as one of its “iconic” rugby figures. In 2002 he was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame and the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 while in 2017 the Canadian University Rugby Championship trophy was named in his honour.
