For the first time in ten years the BC Senior Women’s team took the Gold Medal at the National Championships, beating defending champions Ontario 16-14 in a tense, exciting, well played final. A number of Burnaby Lake players were important members of this team.
The team entered the tournament determined to improve on the previous year’s performance in which they had been denied a spot in the final by a heart-breaking two point loss to Quebec. This year the BC team earned a spot in the Gold Medal game by beating Quebec by 4 points thanks to a converted try scored with less than two minutes to play.
The championship team was well represented by the Burnaby Lake Rugby Club. Five BLRC players were members of the BC Senior Women’s team and each played a large role in the success of the team. Emma Hadfield made the transition from back row to lock and once again proved to be the work horse of the BC pack. Her work rate in the tight throughout the tournament was phenomenal and her skills as a line-out jumper were critical as she stepped up in the final after injuries jeopardized BC’s line-outs and emerged as the dominant ball winner. Dawn Williams completed an even more unlikely transition making the squad as a back rower after spending most of her 25 year career in the backs. Dawn complemented her speed and attacking abilities with some hard commitment to ball winning in the tackle to add grit to the BC back row. Anna Schnell certainly must have established herself as Canada’s top flyhalf after a tournament that saw her lead the BC team in tackles as well as put on a display of distribution and tactical kicking that had opposition defenses dizzy. Kary Steele’s availability was in doubt up to the eleventh hour as she was recovering from a broken hand picked up playing for Canada against New Zealand in the Canada Cup in Ottawa. With her cast removed on the Monday she stepped into the starting line-up in BC’s first game and never missed a step (or a tackle) Kary’s leadership in directing the BC defense and her poise under pressure gave a sense of confidence to the team that resulted in fine performances in close games. Perhaps more than any other player Sabrina Neufeld made the Gold Medal a personal mission. After captaining the BC team to a Bronze in 2004 she made it clear the work was not complete. As co-captain of the 2005 team she was uncompromising in ensuring the team was prepared for each game. On the field she scored 5 tries and her unflinching courage in taking the ball into the teeth of defenses created openings for other runners.
These players all shone as complete rugby players displaying the skills, sportsmanship and leadership that the Burnaby Lake Rugby Club admires.
As a post script Anna Schnell and Kary Steele will be joining Julia Sugawara (who was playing for Canada U-23 and unavailable for BC) on the Canadian National Women’s team on their tour to France in November.
Congratulations and thank you to these players.
Posted by Mark at September 6, 2005 09:37 AM
