The Comox Valley Kickers Women’s rugby team travelled “over the Hump” to Port Alberni last Saturday hoping to record a second win overthe Black Sheep, a team they beat 26-10, at home, in their first game of the season.
Port Alberni began the game with intent which led to the Kickers taking a number of early penalties as the Kickers tried to contain the early onslaught. First the Black Sheep kicked an easy penalty and then scored a try to take an 8-0 lead at the twenty-minute mark. The Kickers finally came to life with the Kickers forwards driving downfield through a series of close-quarter off-loads that eventually saw lock Alyson Wood score her first try in a Kickers jersey as she went over in a pile of bodies. 8-5 at half-time.
In the second-half, scrum half Amber Van Der Mark kicked a loose ball several times down field and managed to pounce on it as it went over the line giving the Kickers a 10-8 lead. Now the game swung back and forth until another penalty saw the Black Sheep kicker find her mark and slot an easy penalty to give the home side the lead 11-10.
Realizing there were only minutes left in the game the Kickers used their ‘pick and drive’ to effect and won a scrum just short of the Black Sheep line. Given that the Kicker forward pack had been a powerhouse in the set-scrums all game long, hope ran high amongst the visitors that a try might result. But the referee, the sole arbiter of time in a rugby match, consulted his watch and blew the final whistle. Final 11-10 to the Black Sheep.
“If only the referee had allowed us that last scrum we might have won the game,” said Kicker captain Aimee Burley. “I thought the whole team played well, once we found our stride after a slow start. Each of them knew their assignments and preformed them well.”
Next Saturday, November 6, the Kicker Women’s team play the University of Victoria at Village Park, Cumberland. Kick-off 11:30 a.m.
On Sunday Nov. 7 the Kickers Mens’ team take on Nanaimo in the Hub City while the U-19s take on Cowichan at Herd Road, Duncan.
SIDELINES: The Kickers Rugby Club invites all those who are interested in playing rugby to attend training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the club’s Fallen Alders facility on the Royston/Cumberland Road. Junior players take to the field at 5.30 p.m. and the Men and Women at 6.30 p.m. For added information and details go to www.kickersrugby.ca.
The Club gratefully acknowledges our sponsors: The Le FevreProperty Group; Investors Group; Central Rentals; Mount Washington Alpine Resort; Wedler Engineering, the Butcher Block and Pilon Tools without whose support rugby would not continue to flourish in the ComoxValley.
Report by Ian Kennedy.