Women鈥檚 soccer, with the World Cup raging in France, and women鈥檚 sevens rugby, with its Olympic inclusion, have gained world media notice.
Time will tell if women鈥檚 XVs rugby can do the same. If it does, Sophie de Goede will be among the vanguard leading the way. The emerging star from Victoria made just her second Test match one to remember as she scored 11 points on a penalty kick and four converts in a 36-19 victory this week over France in the Women鈥檚 Super Series in Chula Vista, California.
Third-ranked sa国际传媒 began the tournament, featuring the top-five ranked teams in the world, with a 35-20 loss to No. 1 New Zealand as de Goede earned her first cap and scored her first Test try.
sa国际传媒 finishes with Super Series games Saturday against England and July 10 against the United States.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so exciting to wear the Maple Leaf and be capped. I鈥檝e looked forward to this for so long,鈥� said de Goede, by phone from Chula Vista.
De Goede comes by her love of rugby naturally through her family. Dad Hans de Goede is the Vic High and James Bay Athletic Association legend who captained sa国际传媒 in the first-ever men鈥檚 World Cup in 1987 and mom Stephanie White captained sa国际传媒 in the first women鈥檚 World Cup. It doesn鈥檛 get any higher up than that genetically in terms of Canadian rugby royalty.
鈥淲e watched a lot of rugby. We would just throw on tapes on the TV,鈥� said de Goede, with a chuckle.
鈥淏ut my parents never pressured me to play. They were always encouraging me to do whatever activities I wanted. That鈥檚 why I played so many different sports growing up.鈥�
Sophie de Goede came out of Oak Bay High as an all-rounder and has continued as a rare two-sport varsity athlete in U Sports as a rugby and basketball player at Queen鈥檚 University as she studies for a degree in commerce. Entering her third season, the 20-year-old Islander plans on playing rugby and basketball for the full five seasons of eligibility, especially with Queen鈥檚 set to host the U Sports national championships in both women鈥檚 rugby and hoops in her fourth year.
But there is little doubt what sport she will pursue internationally. With the best possible sounding boards available to her.
鈥淢y parents never force advice on me, but I鈥檓 always asking them for it,鈥� said de Goede.
鈥淭hey have so much experience. I love listening to stories about their playing days.鈥�
Comfortable in both the second and back rows, de Goede is also an able kicker.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a team game. You can鈥檛 kick points unless your team moves the ball within range or crosses the line,鈥� she said.
Meanwhile, the Super Series tournament is getting a big-time push right from the top.
鈥淎s part of the women鈥檚 strategic plan, accelerating the global development of women in rugby, one of the key strands is to increase competitiveness of international rugby across the women鈥檚 game,鈥� said Sir Bill Beaumont, chairman of World Rugby.
鈥淭he Women鈥檚 Super Series . . . offers more quality playing opportunities.鈥�
Players from Island clubs on the Canadian roster include de Goede and Gabrielle Senft from Castaway Wanderers, Paige Farries, Amanda Thornborough and Elissa Alarie, all of Westshore RFC, and Tyson Beukeboom from the Cowichan Piggies.
The next women鈥檚 World Cup is in 2021.
鈥淭his is a good opportunity for the top teams to meet midway between World Cups,鈥� said de Goede.
