The BC Rugby Senior Women’s Blue vs. Gold Series is nicely poised heading into the third and final match in Victoria this coming weekend.
With the opening two games now completed, both Island Blues and Mainland Gold teams have one victory each with Coaches now looking ahead to the winner-takes-all match on June 8 at the University of Victoria’s Wallace Field (kick off 12:00pm PST).
The Island Blues, coached by Brittany Waters and Olly Winser, triumphed 29-17 in the first match held at UVIC on May 25 before the Mainland Golds, led by Coach Dean Murten and Manager Larissa Nogacz, hit back in Game 2 with a 43-12 win at Klahanie Park in Vancouver.
The Series was launched to work collaboratively with Rugby Canada’s Senior Women’s Programming, with Matches used to prepare and showcase the best BC Senior Female athletes for identification and selection to Canada’s National Programs.
All photos are courtesy of Alfred Meikleham.
Check out the Match Videos and Line-Ups from the opening two matches below:
Game 1: Island Blues 29-17 Mainland Golds
The Island Blues took Game 1 with a 29-17 victory at UVIC’s Wallace Field courtesy of some excellent play from their backs. Gwen King (Castaway Wanderers RFC) gave an inspired performance as the Blues did enough to see off a spirited Golds Tight 5 showing.
ISLAND BLUES
- Soleil Brooks – Westshore RFC
- Chloe Hill Huse – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Zoe Williams – Westshore RFC
- Faith Tilley – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Chanelle Edwards Challenger – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Courtney Sims – Westshore RFC
- Emily Findlay – Westshore RFC
- Madi Jumeau – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Gwynnie Fry – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Maëlle Reed – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Gwen King – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Summer Blackmore – BC Rugby Non-Affiliated
- Emily Samek – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Cassie Jorgenson – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Alex Ondo – Westshore RFC
- Ava Perkins – Comox Valley Kickers RFC
- Chelsey Minter – Westshore RFC
- Quinn Murphy – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Emma Grootendorst – Westshore RFC
- Marina Skakun – BC Rugby Non-Affiliated
- Maggie Mycroft – Cowichan RFC
- Remee Brown – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Olivia Jean – Comox Valley Kickers RFC
- Amy Camiciolli – Westshore RFC
MAINLAND GOLDS
- Ada Okonkwo – BC Rugby Non-affiliated
- Jordan McLeod – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Talia Hennessy – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Teya Ashworth – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Ashlynn Smith – Abbotsford RFC
- Jesse Knaggs – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Tessa Strom – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Lyric Atchison – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Alayna Scramstad – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Sarah MacPherson – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Tia Jordo – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Robyn Alexander – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Delaney Woods – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Ava Van Santen – TWU Spartans
- Madison Makara – Abbotsford RFC
- Kiki Idowu – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Riley Williams – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- AJ Pryce – TWU Spartans
- Deanna Cvitanovich – Meraloma RFC
- Sarah Bill – Capilano RFC
- Sara Tehrani – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Grace Campbell – Kamloops Rugby Club
- Gracie McAllister – Vancouver Thunderbirds
GAME 2: MAINLAND GOLDS 43-12 ISLAND BLUES
The Mainland Golds levelled the Series with an emphatic 43-12 win at Capilano RFC’s Klahanie Park on June 1. The Golds forwards dominated proceedings with powerful carries and a strong offload game throughout. The Golds lost No. 7 Jordan McLeod to a red card shortly before half-time, with the Blues also losing their No. 10 and playmaker, Maelle Reed, in the same collision. However, the Gold’s Tight 5 once again raised their game with special performances from Ada Okonkwo, Teya Ashworth and international hooker Gillian Boag. Maddi Jumeau, meanwhile, impressed for the Blues.
MAINLAND GOLDS
- Ada Okonkwo – BC Rugby Non-affiliated
- Gillian Boag – Capilano RFC
- Talia Hennessy – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Teya Ashworth – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Ashlynn Smith – Abbotsford RFC
- Jesse Knaggs – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Jordan McLeod – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Lyric Atchison – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Alayna Scramstad – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Sarah MacPherson – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Tia Jordo – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Robyn Alexander – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Delaney Woods – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Ava Van Santen – TWU Spartans
- Madison Makara – Abbotsford RFC
- Kiki Idowu – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- AJ Pryce – TWU Spartans
- Deborah Oyetoran – BC Rugby Non-affiliated
- Tessa Strom – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Sarah Bill – Capilano RFC
- Sara Tehrani – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Grace Campbell – Kamloops Rugby Club
- Gracie McAllister – Vancouver Thunderbirds
- Isabelle Scholtens – Burnaby Lake Rugby Club
ISLAND BLUES
- Soleil Brooks – Westshore RFC
- Chloe Hill Huse – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Chelsey Minter – Westshore RFC
- Emma Grootendorst – Westshore RFC
- Chanelle Edwards Challenger – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Courtney Sims – Westshore RFC
- Emily Findlay – Westshore RFC
- Madi Jumeau – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Gwynnie Fry – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Maëlle Reed – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Monique Coffey – BC Rugby Non-affiliated
- Summer Blackmore – BC Rugby Non-affiliated
- Emily Samek – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Cassie Jorgenson – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Alex Ondo – Westshore RFC
- Ava Perkins – Comox Valley Kickers RFC
- Sadie Schneider – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Marina Skakun – BC Rugby Non-affiliated
- Skye Koyote – BC Rugby Non-affiliated
- Maggie Mycroft – Cowchan RFC
- Remee Brown – Castaway Wanderers RFC
- Jorja Cook – BC Rugby Non-affiliated
- Olivia Jean – Comox Valley Kickers RFC
- Amy Camiciolli – Westshore RFC
- Gwen King – Castaway Wanderers RFC