By Jody Jewers, Editor, The Sport Section
It was a summer to remember for Nova Scotia women’s rugby.
In July, the Keltics under-15 and under-17 squads went undefeated at their Atlantic championship tournaments in Fredericton. The under-19 and senior women’s sides also ran the table at their championships at King’s-Edgehill School in Windsor, with the under-19 final an all-Nova Scotia affair between the under-19s and an under-18 team.
Rugby Nova Scotia interim executive director Sarah O’Connor says a strong culture built from dedication has been the reason for Nova Scotia’s strong showing.
“The women’s Keltics program has thrived thanks to strong investment and resources directed toward team staffs from across the province, ensuring athletes receive high-quality coaching, support and development opportunities,” says O’Connor. “Many of the current coaches are past athletes themselves, creating a powerful culture of giving back and striving to be better for the next generation. Combined with a strong sense of professionalism and an athlete-centered environment, this commitment has built a culture that drives performance and pride. These values have been key to the continued growth and success of the women’s Keltics program.”
In August, the women’s rugby sevens team at the Canada Summer Games in St. John’s, N.L., also put in a strong showing, just missing the podium with a fourth-place finish. Nova Scotia posted a 2-2 record in the preliminary round to earn a place in the semifinals, where they dropped a 29-12 decision to British Columbia. That put the Bluenose side in the bronze-medal game against Alberta, where they were defeated 21-10.
It was also a busy summer for Nova Scotia official Annie Kennedy. The former Acadia University standout worked at several high-profile events, including the Canada Games, the Rugby Americas North under-19 championship in July in Queretaro, Mexico and the Coast to Coast Cup fixture between the Atlantic Privateers and Ontario Blues in June in Halifax.
“Annie continues to make her mark as a top-level match official in Nova Scotia, regularly appointed to the province’s most competitive fixtures, including Atlantic Privateers, senior provincial and Atlantic University Sport games,” says O’Connor. “Her consistency and professionalism have not gone unnoticed as she builds a reputation locally and nationally. Annie is also firmly on the Rugby Canada pathway, having officiated at the U19 RAN Championship, the Canadian rugby championships and the Canada Games. Her success reflects both her dedication to officiating and her growing influence.”
The summer was capped off by Halifax Tars player Olivia DeMerchant playing on the national women’s team that made a run to the championship game at the World Cup in England, defeating No. 1-ranked New Zealand 34-19 in the semifinal before falling 33-13 to the host country in the final in front of 81,885 fans at Allianz Stadium Twickenham in London. DeMerchant and Canadian teammate Tyson Beukeboom also played at the university level with St. Francis Xavier, helping the X-Women win several Canadian championships.
