RUGBY WEEKEND IN STE-ANNE; University, Cegep, High School, Mini & Club Rugby

6th October 2008

Count 'em with me: The Mac High School Clinic on Friday, two Club semi-final games on Saturday, mini Rugby at Ecole St-Georges on Sunday, then the Abbott Men and Women Islanders teams, and McGill women.

Anyone from a Rugby country like New Zealand, or southern France or England might have thought that they were anywhere else in the world, but the western tip of the island of Montreal. However, the Rugby weekend really began on Thursday night with the 18th birthday of "High School."

Turnout and training for all Club teams has been excellent for the last few weeks and the Thursday night session was no exception, After practice, and over a meal, the Ste-Anne's Club celebrated one of the players most favored to win the coveted Club trophy for "Most Practices Made; Fewest Games Played." Yes, "High School" turned 18. Now there is a debate raging in the Club whether to continue calling him "High School" or to change his name to "Post Secondary," or "PS" or even "CEGEP." 

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Saturday, 4th October saw the FRQ Provincial Cup quarter finals at Ecole St-Georges. The Premier A team played against the Montreal Barbarians. Ste-Anne's played a fast paced, wide-open game to defeat their local rivals by  30 - 7. Campbell hit a couple of well-struck long kicks, and the team seemed to be firing on all cylinders.

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Meanwhile, the Ste-Anne's Reserve team defeated St-Lambert Locks by 37 - 3. Both Ste-Anne's sides were well-focused, and they sought to send the ball wide whenever possible. Although victim to some knock-ons and errors from time to time,  the attacking spirit remained to the very last minute.  This means that both Ste-Anne's teams move into the semi-finals, and Roger once again showed that juvenile delinquents can play some excellent Rugby.

It is interesting that in all of the other quarter final matches on the weekend, the lower seed in each match was victorious. Beaconsfield beat Quebec, the Montreal Wanderers beat TMR and St Lambert knocked off RCM. This means that next week, Ste-Anne's Premier (A) team plays against Beaconsfield at home in the semi-finals at 15h00, while the Reserves play against the Montreal Wanderers at home at 13h00.

On Friday, 3rd October, a group of Abbott Islander Rugby players ran a skills clinic at Mac High School. This event has become a popular Fall activity. 

This weekend was also the finish of the West Island Rugby Association's season with matches at the under 12 and under 10 levels against the RCM Ecole de Rugby on Sunday, 5th October.

Later the same day, both John Abbott Islander sides beat their Champlain opponents and the McGill Martlets squeaked by Ottawa University 10-0.

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This coming Wednesday 8th October evening, the Ste-Anne's third XV will see action against Macdonald College as the Fall Rugby series continues. As usual, all are welcome