Spartans split pair of rugby games

The Olds High School girls rugby team split a pair of games last week in Central Alberta High School Rugby League play, dumping the H.J. Cody Lakers 52-15 on May 7, then losing 45-20 two days later to the Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School (LTCHS) Raiders.

Despite three early tries, the Spartans ran into a Raiders' offence that ran the ball extremely well and scored several tries running long distances down the field. The Raiders also converted three tries with excellent kicks through the uprights.

“We did get up on them 15 to five, which was a great thing but then we just kind of relaxed a little bit and took a bit of a vacation out there. Their backs run extremely well and they've got excellent hands, and all the credit to them, they managed to hit the gaps at full speed and they were able to punch some critical ones in,” said George Grant, the Spartans' coach, following the game.

Grant said another advantage that the Raiders possess is an excellent kicker who converted four of LTCHS's tries.

“They're a very young team but they've been playing together for the last two years and they're very well gelled together and that's the one thing that we have to work on,” he said.

Grant said one of the other aspects of the Raiders' game that served them well was their ability to pass the ball in ruck situations and once they had been tackled. That is another aspect of the Spartans' game that will be worked on as the season progresses, he said.

“We're capable of doing the same thing. It's just we have to concentrate and focus a little bit more on the task at hand,” he said.

Grant said the Spartans were looking forward to the next game today, taking on the West Central High School Rebels in Rocky Mountain House.

“They're always well coached and they have an excellent team so I fully anticipate them to be well prepared and tough,” he said, noting that the Spartans match up well with the young Rebels squad.