USA Rugby Women’s D1 Challenge Matches FINAL RESULTS

Glendale vs Boston 22-12

**Here is a writeup from a West Representative who watched the match, the Boston writeup is below it:

Boston played as the Northeast #4 seed. Glendale was the West #2 seed.

Boston won the challenge match 22-12 after leading at half-time 22-5. Boston opened the scoring within the first two minutes when hooker Diana Parkhurst scored near the posts. Lock Erin Broderick converted. Six minutes later scrum half Ashley Groefsema scored her first of two tries both in the corner. Ashley scored again about twelve minutes later with the conversion missed to go ahead 17-0. Glendale finally came to life with a try by flanker Amy Root, but that conversion was missed also. 17-5 Five minutes later Boston’s #8 Kate Smith scored what was to be Boston’s last score to advance their lead to 22-5.

The second half was scoreless until Glendale’s scrum half Kathryn Pavao scored with about five minutes left. The conversion missed. 22-12. Glendale was unable to capitalize on Boston playing down two yellow carded backrow players for almost ten minutes at the beginning of the half. The match ended with Glendale close to several scores but with no success. Final score 22-12 to Boston

Referee: Joe Zevin. TJs — Taffy Benyon and D. Slager. #4 – Bill Haffner.

Three yellow cards were dispensed — all to Boston mostly for oft repeated infringements. Recipients were: Kate Smith, Stephanie Lafferty, and Heather Stevens.

Boston came out to Denver on Thursday night well prepared with almost two full teams. At the noon kickoff there were more Boston supporters than home town folk. Boston was much quicker than Glendale, tackled the much larger Glendale players like demons for the most part and had better overall team speed and fitness. Their approach to the game was more expansive than Glendale’s. In the first half Glendale’s backs displayed some of the worst bad hands/random passing seen in a long, long time. Glendale’s wing Bethany Zick and the tireless/ageless Amy Root stood out for the home team.

This follows up an earlier match between the Emerald City Mudhens and Belmont Shore, which the Mudhens won 15-10 in overtime.

**Here is a writeup from the Assitant Coach of the Boston Women:

The all important Challenge Match for a vital Nationals seed began at 12.30pm on Saturday, May 3 between #16 Glendale and #17 Boston Women’s RFC. Under a cloudless sky in almost Floridian warmth the sunscreen was slapped on and trainer Nicole Titmas taped up battered Boston bodies to get its best XV on the park. Boston arrived in Colorado after preparing assiduously for three months to erase all memory of last year’s “oh so close” Challenge Match result against the Kansas City Jazz.

Boston WRFC was hosted by the City of Glendale and the Glendale Raptors Rugby Club. Glendale has chosen rugby as its official sport – making it a unique place to play rugby in the USA. The venue, Infinity Rugby Stadium was erected after the City raised more than $20 million in municipal bonds, according to local sources. The stadium is perfect for rugby, a real slice of heaven – and the visitors felt blessed to be there.

Boston’s mood in the days and weeks leading up to the match was one of focused intent and a higher level of concentration than hitherto seen. Players knew they had a job to do and the dedication to the task was evident in the club’s buildup. All the moving parts, from starting players to reserves, second-side squad members and coaches, and particularly the administrative workings that made it all possible, were in concert to achieve a common goal – victory in Glendale! In Saturday’s locker room you could cut the tension with a knife – but it was nervousness mixed with a steely resolve. Boston WRFC had come to play!

The stadium broadcast announcer, clearly a hometown cheerleader, immediately set the expectations for the fans in the stands by declaring boldly before kickoff that Glendale “has not conceded 10 points on this field all spring”. How Boston would respond to this provocation would be the tale of the tape.

Boston’s kick-off exponent, A. Hokansen put the ball on target to get things underway and a real battle royale began. Boston was immediately on the front foot on both sides of the ball, making gain line consistently and spoiling Raptors offense with hustle and defensive aggression. A solid multi-phase drive down the center of the field by Boston in the opening minutes resulted in a pick & drive, hammer try to captain D. Parkhurst that announced to all assembled that Boston could and would dominate. Converted try, 7-0 Boston.

Minutes later, Boston Women proved their opening drive was no fluke by laying another one on the Raptors in similar fashion; multi-phase, forward dominated punches and picks resulting in an E. Broderick try that was not converted. 12-0 Boston after 10 minutes: The broadcaster was weeping. Just moments later, Boston’s number one #10, M. Roussin flew around the short side and put A. “Trashley” Groefsma away for a 40 meter sprint to touch down under the posts with a heaving #8 left despairing in her wake. 17-0. The stadium was silent but for the raucous cheers of the visitors’ camp.

On a day when Boston’s kicking game was on song, territorial pressure again had Glendale pinned back on their line, forcing a series of high stakes mistakes. L. Dobbs was Jilly-on-the-spot to ground a charged-down kick on the try line to score another try, converted by E. Broderick. 22-0 Boston and just 30 minutes gone.

This was when the game really began. A shocked Glendale regathered
and started to play solid rugby. With consistent possession for the first time, Glendale challenged the gain line, threatening to break through. The pressure told at about the 35-minute mark with a Glendale score to make it 22-5. After further pressure from a renewed Glendale, Boston’s defense began to break down, forcing mistakes and creeping illegalities in the contact zone. Boston’s #8, K. “Smiddy” Smith was sent to the sin bin on a yellow card for repeated infringements in the ruck at the 38-minute mark.

Boston’s defensive line held a player down for three minute of injury time, only for the referee to send another Boston backrower, S. Lafferty to the bin with only seconds to play in the first half. Boston began the second half two players down; BWRFC had to survive five minutes 13 against 15 and a further four minutes one down. Incredibly, Boston displayed immense composure under extreme stress to pass the five minute mark without conceding a score, and then again, passed the nine minute mark with the score remaining at 22-5. Boston had weathered the storm – nine minutes when the West was won.

And yet – with the numbers evened up it looked good for Boston – fatigue led to several mistakes by the visitors that allowed Glendale a sniff that they might climb back into the game. With 13 minutes gone in the second half, Boston received a third yellow card to Heather Stevens for not releasing the ball on the ground. Just when the storm had passed the dark clouds gathered again. The initiative now lay with Glendale as they enjoyed a stream of possession against a tiring Boston. The penalties against Boston mounted and it seemed certain Glendale would score. Indeed, the try came about halfway through the half with a quick tap Glendale penalty beside the left post, and with the conversion successful, Boston was left with 20 minutes to play defending a 22-12 lead.

Nervous Boston fans eyed the clock as Glendale repeatedly hammered the Boston line. One moment of real rugby class highlighted the distance BWRFC has traveled over the past year: with no fly half or backline player available to clear Boston’s lines, tighthead prop M. Conley nervelessly called for the ball deep off the ruck and hoofed it to safety, revealing a veteran player’s mastery of the skills and the moment.

With 40 minutes elapsed and the scoreboard reading only “Injury Time”, surely Boston had it wrapped up. One more tackle and it should be over. Extra time stretched for an eon, but the job was done and the whistle sounded the knell of a famous Boston victory! 22-12 Boston. Congratulations to BWRFC and Head Coach, Bruce Church.

By Fred Clark (Assistant Coach)

2008 Seedings

1 Pacific #1
2 Northeast #1
3 Northeast #2
4 Midwest #1
5 Northeast #3
6 Pacific #2
7 Mid-Atlantic #1
8 South #1
9 Midwest #2
10 Midwest #3
11 Mid-Atlantic #2
12 Southern Cal #1
13 Mid-Atlantic #3
14 West #1
15 Pacific #3
16 Northeast #4