By Scott Roblin

League games aim to grow rugby community in Medicine Hat

Jun 24, 2018 | 9:28 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Rugby is a sport that continues to grow across Alberta, but in Medicine Hat there hasn’t always been a variety of options for forming competitive teams.

Women’s rugby is one of those areas, as the Medicine Hat Rugby Association held three league matches at Medicine Hat High School to help introduce the sport to a wider audience.

In the lone women’s game on Saturday morning, it was a neutral-site meeting between the Lethbridge Rugby Club and the Calgary Rams.

Taking on a depleted Rams lineup, Lethbridge made quick work out of the Calgary club to pick up a 106-0 shutout victory.

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Lethbridge flank Myranda Edwards drove much of the offence for her team on Saturday and is hoping more girls will fall in love with the competitive nature of rugby.

“It means a lot, we need a lot more girls coming out to play rugby,” said Edwards. “It’s a great sport, great family, good community. So, it’s nice having a lot of people come out.”

Ray Neary with the Medicine Hat Rugby Association helped organize the showcase and added they’re hoping to show high schoolers what’s possible beyond the Grade 12 level.

“We’ve got of course high school women’s rugby,” said Neary. “It’s really nice to showcase what that next level of rugby is like for the women as well. So, it would have been nice to maybe have a little bit better weather and maybe a little later game too for the women. But, really great to have them in town.”

Work has already started to expand women’s rugby options in Medicine Hat, as a team is being formed to play in the Stampede Seven’s rugby tournament in Calgary next month.

Neary said it’s a positive step forward for the sport in the ‘Gas City’ and is hoping Saturday’s game will attract more ladies to join the team.

“There’s definitely some interest growing, so hopefully this game will help to continue that,” he said.

Two other games were held at the Medicine Hat High School field, as Division II and Division III teams from Calgary and Lethbridge squared off.

A split-team featuring players from both Medicine Hat and Lethbridge was able to play, as they squared off against the Division III squad from Calgary.

Despite a ferocious comeback attempt from Calgary, the Medicine Hat and Lethbridge club was able to walk away with a 39-19 victory to close out the afternoon.