The UBC’s women’s rugby team won their fifth consecutive Canada West (CW) championship on Sunday evening in Calgary. After easily defeating the University of Calgary Dinos 81–7 in the semi-finals, they faced rival University of Victoria Vikes, where they walked away with a 51–22 victory.
In the semis, the ‘Birds faced the hosting Dinos and quickly got on the board. Savannah Bauder snuck through with a mid-field gap to put the T-Birds up 7–0 in the third minute.
The Thunderbirds played a physical game with good line pressure that stifled any Dinos offence. Although they did take a lot of penalties, the ‘Birds continued their momentum, scoring two more tries in the next 15 minutes.
Shortly after, fifth-year Jordan McLeod scored a beautiful try by going around the blind side of a lineout, stunning everyone for another try, increasing the score to 26–0. Although the Dinos had some short bursts of momentum, they couldn’t capitalize and the T-Birds added another two tries to their lead before half.
First-year Mya Koleba opened the scoring in the second half, getting an offload from Kiki Idowu. Olivia Sarabura offloaded twice in a two-on-one scenario in the red zone, with both offloads leading to tries, and increasing their margin to 60–0 by the 55th minute. Sarabura, Alexis Dobson, Shalaya Valenzuela and Vela Baravian all scored before the end of the game, hitting defensive gaps hard and using their speed to their advantage.
Dino Willow Beyea managed to get a try within the last six minutes, sneaking through the T-Birds defence at the five-meter mark, but the team couldn’t come back from their deficit and the game ended 81–7. The Thunderbirds were through to their fifth straight CW final.
Like many of the past CW finals, the Thunderbirds were facing their rivals: the Vikes. At the beginning of the season, the Vikes handed UBC their first regular season loss in five years. The ‘Birds bounced back with a tight win when they last met, but with a championship on the line, this game would be a battle.
With quick plays and lots of defensive pressure from both sides, it was a strong show of physicality and rugby IQ. Victoria’s defensive line speed hoped to tame the ‘Birds, but their layers of play with both forward and back units prevailed.
The T-Birds kept possession for the first 20 minutes and used it to their advantage. Bauder went for a field goal in the seventh minute to put the ‘Birds on the board. Just five minutes later, she took advantage of a messy ruck situation, picking up the loose ball and running halfway down the field, dodging defenders left and right for a try. Her subsequent convert gave the T-Birds a 10–0 lead.
Both teams played a kicking-heavy defensive game. After a series of six kicks back and forth, Charity Williams picked up the ball and sprinted along the sideline, outpacing Victoria to increase their lead by five points.
The Vikes didn’t roll over easily though. They earned two tries — one off a scrum and one off a maul — by running hard through defensive gaps. With one successful convert, they cut the lead to 25–12. However, the Thunderbirds earned another try for a halftime score of 32–12.
Williams, on her 28th birthday, earned her second try just a minute into the second half. She again used her speed to bypass defenders and had time for her iconic summersault into the try zone.
The Vikes soon started to pick up momentum though. Chloe Hill Huse got a try after punching it through the defensive line and the ‘Birds started to feel the pressure. Rucks got a little messier and turnovers were abundant. UVic almost earned a second one, but the ‘Birds turned it over just before it crossed the line. The Vikes did earn a field goal, cuttting the lead to 39–22.
But that’s the last the Vikes would see on the scoreboard. Olympians Florence Symonds and Valenzuela, each with a try, increased the lead to 51–22. Valenzuela perfectly anticipated a pass, intercepted it and ran it into the try zone with nine minutes left in the game.
The Vikes then became more desperate, earning more momentum, although knock ons became a little more abundant. UBC held onto their lead, ending the game 51–22 and becoming five-peat champions.
Koleba took home the CW Rookie of the Year award and Rachel Smith the CW MVP award. Smith and McLeod, as captains, brought the banner and trophy to their team, who erupted in shouts and jumping — the team's reaction to the fifth championship the same as their first.
UBC will now look toward the U Sports Championship hosted by the University of PEI from October 30–November 3 where they will vie for an elusive national title.
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