For all their shortcomings in terms of experience, Cowichan Rugby Club’s Premier Piggies have been anything but pushovers for Island heavyweights UVic and Castaways-Wanderers.

Cowichan has also showed it can play the game wide open or tight defensively and still be competitive, as witnessed in the last two games.

After dropping a 69-31 decision the previous week to UVic with most of the difference coming in a second-half burst, Cowichan locked horns with the mighty Castaways Saturday and only trailed 6-3 into the late stages when the game’s lone try gave the Herd Road Grounds visitors a 13-3 victory.

“It was another inspiring performance from the Cowichan guys,’’ said coach Chris Evans.

Castaways boast six Canadian internationals.

Kicking off into a stiff breeze and the bright sun, Cowichan expected to be hemmed in its own end but that didn’t happen.

Castaways slotted a penalty at 12 minutes to take the lead.

“We came storming back into it,’’ said Evans. “Again, it was a question of our guys getting up into their faces.’’

After a period of sustained pressure, Andrew Wood equalized with a penalty. Castaways added another penalty with three minutes left in the half and it remained that way until they scored a try almost on full time.

Cowichan’s Third XV ran its record to 4-2 with a 49-5 trouncing of Powell River.

Josh Peterson led a host of try-scorers with a pair. Singles came from Cam McCulloch, Steve Cowie, David Cowie, Jamie Cuthbertson and Dennis Murphy.

The Cowichan women beat UVic 22-12 on three tries by Carolyn Gudmundseth. Caity Genereaux kicked a penalty and two conversions.

“It was really a very hard game,’’ said co-coach Steve Cowie. “We probably had about 25 per cent of the possession. They were in attack a lot of the time.’’

Cowichan U18 women have been doing well.

They recently beat Abbotsford 41-10, with try-scoring by Cassy Stevens (3), Nicole McKenna, Danielle Scott-Polson, Monica Dunlop and Robyn Broekhuizen.

Cowichan then beat United 17-12 in Vancouver. Scott-Polson was a standout with two tries and joined Lauren Jessup to force United to turn the ball over.