Few Canadian national teams can boast of as many U Sports alumni as the women’s rugby squad that has made the semifinals of the World Cup currently taking place in New Zealand. sa国际传媒 has had an extraordinary recent run in female team sports with Olympic gold in soccer and hockey, Olympic bronze in softball and a World Cup semifinal appearance in basketball. But most of those players graduated from U.S. NCAA programs.
The level that has been the richest incubator of talent in women’s rugby will be on display beginning today when the U Sports national championship tournament begins with the quarter-finals at Centennial Stadium and Wallace Field on the University of Victoria campus.
The marquee quarter-final match-up features the host and sa国际传媒 West runner-up UVic Vikes playing the top-seed and defending champion Queen’s Golden Gaels at 7 p.m. at Centennial Stadium.
“If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best,” said UVic head coach Brittany Waters, about the opening-game draw.
Queen’s was led to last season’s national title by graduated Sophie De Goede of Victoria, now captain of the Canadian team that will play England in the World Cup semifinals Friday at Eden Park in Auckland. UVic, meanwhile, has produced four players on sa国际传媒’s World Cup team — Sara Kaljuvee, Paige Farries, Pamphinette Buisa and Gabrielle Senft.
“It’s amazing to see so many U Sports players on the world stage,” said Waters.
“U Sports has been a huge platform for the national team and for moving on players to the next level.”
The current Vikes are led by captain Zoe Williams, a fourth-year prop out of Belmont Secondary, vice-captain and centre Summer Blackmore, back Lucie Romeo, sa国际传媒 West rookie-of the-year Carissa Norsten and Krissy Scurfield, an emerging star for the sa国际传媒 national team in sevens. Williams, Blackmore and Romeo were named to the sa国际传媒 West all-star team. The U Sports all-star team will be announced Thursday.
“We have talent and depth with skill sets from positions one through 15,” said Waters.
“Choosing the 25 players was the hardest it’s ever been.”
Waters, a former World Cup player for sa国际传媒, is a proponent of modern rugby: “We play fast paced, free flowing and exciting rugby. We can pass, kick and run and find space on the field and get to it.”
UVic was fourth last year in the U Sports nationals and will graduate only three players this year.
“We’re still young and this team will keep growing,” said Waters.
The quarter-finals begin with Quebec-champion and second-seed Laval Rouge et Or playing the Atlantic runners-up and seventh-seed Acadia Axewomen at 1 p.m. and sa国际传媒 West-champion and third-seed UBC Thunderbirds meeting the Ontario runners-up and sixth-seed Guelph Gryphons at 3 p.m., both at Wallace Field.
The Atlantic-champions and fourth-seed Prince Edward Island Panthers play the Quebec conference runners-up and fifth-seed University of Ottawa Gee Gees at 5 p.m. with the sa国际传媒 West runners-up and eighth-seed Vikes and Ontario-champion and top-seed Queen’s going at it at 7 p.m., both at Centennial Stadium.
The consolation side games are Friday afternoon at Wallace Field at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. with the championship semifinals Friday night at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Centennial Stadium.
The championship game will be Sunday at 3 p.m., preceded by the bronze-medal game at 1 p.m. and fifth-place game at 11 a.m., all at Centennial Stadium.
