CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – It’s go-time for the Charlottetown Rugby Football Club (CRFC).
That’s right. No more waiting for the Nova Scotia Senior Women’s Rugby League Tier A defending champ as the season begins today versus Halifax RFC in Truro, N.S.
Game time is 3 p.m., and Emily Keen of the CRFC is pumped the other clubs are gunning for the league’s top team.
“I think we’re kind of excited,” said Keen, a Marshfield native and former UPEI Panthers scrum-half. “A lot of Atlantic Canada got better and we’re expecting that. We’re excited to play at that competition level and are having fun with it.”
Last season, its inaugural campaign, the CRFC thumped the Truro Saints 105-0 in its first game. Then it romped through Tier A and rode an undefeated season to a Nova Scotia title.
No one saw that coming, except for maybe the CRFC players, a long list of pre-, post- and current university players, high schoolers and former ruggers.
Interest in the squad attracted more players this year, that and the news of the CRFC quickly expanding with a Tier B team. Last year’s success and the new squad drew 50 players to the CRFC’s first practice.
The Tier B team starts Saturday, too, against Windsor Hants County (1 p.m.). Both games are in Truro.
Rebecca Chapman, like Keen a CRFC board member, said the second club’s main push is providing ruggers, especially younger ones, with high-level opponents during the summer – which can only help the club in the long-term.
“The goal is to get everyone playing as much as possible. (Get the) younger girls playing with the older girls and get them used to playing division two. It’s quite competitive and good experience,” said Chapman, a former UPEI teammate of Keen’s.
The CRFC has to submit a list of up to 10 players exclusively set aside for Tier A, but the rest are eligible for Tier B games.
James Voye returns as head coach for the Tier A team as does Craig Inward, who does much of the administrative work.
Sumara Profit, a former Atlantic University Sport all-star with UPEI, and Madelon Cheverie, another ex-Panthers rugger and twice team captain, will guide the Tier B squad.
The Tier A team plays a seven-game schedule this year with its first home game coming Saturday, June 30, versus Enfield. Game time is 1 p.m. at Co-op Field.
Meanwhile, Tier B hits the pitch six times but doesn’t get its first home game until Aug. 2.
Regardless, for Chapman the CRFC is about growing rugby and the game’s camaraderie as much as scrums, rucks and tries.
“Coming up, the rugby community was so tight. We want to see the younger girls play and develop in (the Island’s) communities get to play rugby with their best friends.”
Need to know
Teams in the Nova Scotia Senior Women’s Rugby League.
Tier A – Halifax RFC, Charlottetown Rugby Football Club (CRFC), Enfield RFC, Halifax Tars, Pictou County, Valley Bulldogs and the Truro Saints.
Tier B – Dartmouth PigDogs, Charlottetown Rugby Football Club, Riverlake RFC, Pictou County, Halifax Tars, Windsor Hants County Machine and Truro Saints.
When They Play
Schedules for the CRFC Tier A and B teams this season.
Tier A
June 16 – CRFC at Halifax RFC, 3 p.m.
June 30 – CRFC vs. Enfield, Co-op, 1 p.m.
July 14 – CRFC at Valley Bulldogs, 1 p.m.
July 28 – CRFC at Halifax Tars, 3 p.m.
July 29 – CRFC at Enfield, 2 p.m.
Aug. 4 – CRFC vs. Valley Bulldogs, Co-op, 2 p.m.
Aug. 6 – CRFC vs. Halifax Tars, Co-op, 1 p.m.
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Tier B
June 16 – CRFC at Windsor Hants County, 1 p.m.
July 14 – CRFC at Riverlake, noon
July 28 – CRFC at Halifax Tars, 1 p.m.
July 29 – CRFC at Dartmouth PigDogs, 11:30 a.m.
Aug. 2 – CRFC vs. Pictou County, Co-op, 7 p.m.
Aug. 11 – CRFC vs. Truro, Co-op, noon
She Said It: “The first practice of the season had 50 girls. That’s insane to us. The interest is crazy.” Emily Keen, CRFC player and board member, on the rugby club’s growing player roster
