Missing a handful of players, including national team members Tyson Beukeboom and Laura Russell, the Cowichan Piggies had just 14 players available for last Saturday’s First Division women’s rugby match against Castaway Wanderers, but still came out with a victory on their home pitch.
Cowichan fielded 14 players to Castaways’ 15, but it didn’t slow the Piggies down as they rolled to a 74-12 win over the Oak Bay side. The game was a rematch of a 44-0 Cowichan win at Windsor Park a week earlier.
“I feel like we are starting to click,” said Cowichan captain Sherry Spence, whose team is now 3-0 and atop the B.C. women’s First Division.
Kaitlyn Crichton led the way with six tries, Brandi Van Eeuwen and Hannah McKevitt scored three apiece, and Morgan Davidson and Bristine Gibbons each had one. Crichton and Lauryn Bons both kicked one convert apiece.
“The goal line defence was absolutely outstanding,” Spence commented. “CW were knocking on the door multiple times but couldn’t get through the wall of green and black until the final minute of the first half. Then again after they subbed in some fresh legs towards the end of the game.”
Van Eeuwen and rookie Elle Douglas shared Player of the Match honours.
“This was Elle’s first game at the senior womens level,” Spence noted. “She had an outstanding performance at inside centre. If it wasn’t for her great ball movement, our wingers would not have been able to score a combination of nine tries.”
The Cowichan women’s team will have this weekend off before playing host to Simon Fraser on Saturday, March 19 at 11:15 a.m.