PDF: B.C. Rugby High School Provincial 7s Tournament schedule
On a soggy, Dunbar rugby pitch down the street from Lord Byng secondary, Jocelyn Barrieau is wearing a black jacket splashed with a small maple leaf.
A former national team player who led the Concordia Stingers as their scrum half, Barrieau signals the growth of womens rugby sevens in Canada. Now shes in B.C., playing in Burnaby and coaching in Vancouver on the eve of a high school girls sevens provincial cup tournament at UBC Friday and Saturday.
On the world stage, Canada's senior women's sevens team is excelling and building hype around the country. They claimed four straight international titles and in March advanced to the semi-finals of the IRB Challenge Cup where they lost 12-22 to the eventual champions from England.
The breathless, accelerated version of the traditional 15-a-side game will debut at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
"The women's national team is leading by example showing what it means to be the best in the world," B.C. High School Girls Rugby Association President Brad Baker told the B.C. Rugby News this week. "There is a lot of high level interest in B.C. as the exposure is there and girls high school teams here are extremely excited. Sevens rugby allows for teams that may not have the numbers for 15s to be competitive, particularly schools that are only able to field about 20 players.
Baker coaches North Vancouvers Carson Graham girls rugby program where there is no shortage of interest. They will field two sevens teams.
Barrieaus knowledge will be invaluable to a young team of Vancouver players drawn from four different high schools who will face deep, well-seasoned teams at the second annual 16-team rugby sevens provincial cup sponsored by the B.C. Rugby Union. Boys and girls high school rugby provincial championships happen each May.
In Pool B, Vancouvers multi-school team meets Semiahmoo from White Rock, Abbotsford A and Surreys Kwantlen Park in four matches scheduled for Friday. The cup championship is set for 4:30 p.m. Saturday at UBCs Thunderbird Stadium. Vancouvers team is identified on the schedule as Lord Byng and is sponsored and coached by a teacher from the West Side school. Players from Kitsilano, Van Tech and Prince of Wales round out the roster, as well as one girl from Crofton House.
On a rain-soaked afternoon at practice this week, Barrieau demonstrated technique then watched closely and shouted instructions as players ran the drill that tested their ability to withstand a tackle and still place the ball where their rucking teammates could get it.
You have to wrap her. You cant just shoulder-charge her, she instructed.
Weve just been struggling a little bit with our ball in contact skills, Barrieau elaborated. Its been a little bit wild. So were trying to get them as comfortable as possible in contact situation so they really take care of the ball.
Grade 12 student Natasha Lieuson signed up to play when she heard Lord Byng would again field a rugby team. She played prop previously and sevens rugby will be a new challenge.
I think it will be a really cool time to learn. In concept, its similar [to 15s]. Rugby is a lot of fun and I like the contact, honestly. Its a really good form of stress release.
Kitsilano secondary student Amy Foss will step in as scrum. Most of us havent played at all so getting really good fundamentals is a good thing we can learn from her, she said about Barrieau.
Foss, who played rugby sevens at the B.C. Summer games two years ago, said schools may soon field their own teams but for now its unique to play with athletes who are more often playing for the opposition. Its really good to bring together the schools. We play against each other in other sports so its good to get to know the other girls.
Recognized in Quebec for her contribution to the sport, particularly as a coach, Barrieau says rugby is one sport that values a range of body types and skills. She said this is especially important in attracting young women to the game.
I know that girls play rugby because its a really fun game and there is also space for different types of girls [with] non-traditional athletic body types. Skill sets are skill sets, sometimes they just come wrapped in different packages, Barrieau said.
Sevens is way more exciting. There is so much more room for individual flare and its way more fun. If they realize their individual potential and how their individual assets can contribute to the team more than in the traditional 15s game, then theyll do well.
Twitter: @MHStewart
