Slipping into Russian territory ahead of the rest of the B.C. Bears on Tuesday night, Sean Duke did what he does best.

He made an immediate impact in the Bears 38-16 win over the Russian national team (ranked 16th in the world), entering in the second half and scoring B.C.'s fourth try of the game.

Soon after Duke took the field as a winger, Bears' scrum half Ed Fairhurst made a long kick that bounced several metres ahead in a straight line. When the Russian back misplayed it, Duke was there to chase it down and score.

The 21-year-old fullback from the UVic Vikes rugby team was part of the soon-to-be historic game played in front of nearly 2,000 people at Bear Mountain Stadium.

And he played on a significant lack of sleep. Duke and fellow Vike Phil Mack both came in as subs in the second half. They were feeling the effects of international travel, playing for the Bears just two night's after participating in Rugby Canada's recent tour of Japan.

"We're pretty messed up from the time change right now," said Duke, of himself and roomate Mack, who played the final 10 minutes as scrum half on Tuesday.

"I was up and down all night, pacing around in the dark. Then I'd get back to sleep and Phil would be pacing around," Duke said. 

“This proves the quality of rugby players in the B.C. Rugby Union,” said Bears coach Mike James. “We need to think globally and act locally,” he said, stating his hopes of seeing more international matches for the B.C. Bears.

Given the green light by Rugby Canada head coach Kieran Crowley, Duke accepted the opportunity to play for the Bears on Tuesday.

It's a short turn-around for Duke as well as the Russian team, four days instead of seven, as most rugby games are played on the weekends only. The mid-week game between the Bears and Russia was rare.

But Duke couldn't refuse the chance to play and will be back in the lineup when Canada plays Russia in Vancouver on Saturday. And while Duke, Mack, and other Vikes Nathan Hirayama and Pat Riordan were away for most of November on tour with Rugby Canada in Japan, the Vikes kept winning in the Vancouver Island Rugby Union fall elite league.  UVic qualified to defend its VIRU championship title, the Barnard Cup.

UVic will be a much stronger team with the national players returning for the final against James Bay, Dec. 5 at MacDonald Park, 2:45 p.m.