Here is Walt Brandl’s take on this weekend’s Womens match…
The Burnaby Lake Premier Women got the season rolling last weekend with a 36-0 win over the newly promoted Bayside team. Burnaby started the game in extremely tentative fashion and appeared to have trouble adjusting to a new line-up and the referee’s somewhat artistic scrummaging instructions and interpretation of the laws. Burnaby, however, had the luxury of looking to its veteran players for some stability and by half time Kary Steele had scored two tries from in close to settle things down.
In the second half Burnaby found more confidence and intensity and was able to develop more continuity in their attack. He strong running of Kary Steele and Sabrina Neufeld in the centres pressured and disorganized the Bayside defense. Anna Schnell scored a 30 metre try on a break through the Bayside backline to open the second half floodgates. D’Alice Marsh powered in from in close, Julia Sugawara found an abandoned blind-side and Michelle Paquet found a gap in the line from fullback to complete the day. Anna Schnell made 3 conversions. Burnaby Lake fielded a number of new players and each acquitted themselves very well. Amber Grant appeared to have scored a try in her first rugby game ever but it was called back on a forward pass. Ere’n Coyle worked hard in the back row in her debut for the club and Angela Yamakawa looked confident under pressure on the wing.
Burnaby plays a strong SFU side next week at the lake. Kick-off is 11:30. Thanks to everyone who arrived early to support the women. See you Saturday.
