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Rugby roots are starting to take hold in Whitehorse.

In what was only the second effort by the competitive men鈥檚 team, the Gold Diggers, at a tournament, they clinched bronze.

After losing only two games at the Midnight Sun Sevens tournament in Anchorage, the team was turning heads, said player Mike Fancie.

鈥淎 lot of people told us they were excited to watch us play,鈥� he said.

The team鈥檚 only other tournament was this same event last year. It鈥檚 only the second year for the club, which was resurrected from the Whitehorse Wolverines, which were active in the 90s.

Fancie credits better preparation to this year鈥檚 strong showing.

鈥淚t was a really big contrast to last year,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his year we had the numbers, fitness, and ball handling skills that were all working in our favour.鈥�

The Gold Diggers brought 12 men鈥檚 players to the tournament and four women.

The ladies broke up and played with other women鈥檚 teams in attendance.

Fancie is looking to grow the rugby program in Whitehorse and was excited that the ladies decided to make the trek to Anchorage to compete.

For the tournament, teams required a minimum of seven athletes to play, with spares sitting on the bench.

鈥淚t鈥檚 tough because you鈥檙e asking people to play with strangers,鈥� said Fancie of the Whitehorse female rugby players.

鈥淏ut it speaks to the culture of rugby that we can bring four people and they can tag along and join in without there being any hangups.鈥�

The games that the men didn鈥檛 win, were still close, missing points from not converting their trys.

鈥淭hey were competitive. They were all good games. I鈥檓 excited that we came really close to winning the games that we didn鈥檛,鈥� said Fancie. 鈥淲e have a really bright future ahead of us.鈥�

With the success of the club in Anchorage and the inclusion of rugby sevens in this summer鈥檚 Rio Olympics, Fancie hopes there will be a platform in the community to offer more rugby opportunities, especially in schools.

The competitive team is now 鈥渂ack to the grind,鈥� and is considering attending a 10-a-side tournament in Fairbanks in July.

Touch rugby games continue Monday nights with competitive practices on Thursdays.