Riekena with her home club, Missoula Vixens /// Photos: Aaron Windels Photography •
Once the Olympics ended, thoughts immediately turned to the future: Who is being pinged for the next cycle and how are they being groomed? The Girls High School All-Americans (GHSAAs) provided insight into the rising player pool, putting in a second-place performance at the European U18 7s Championship last weekend. There were so many good individual performances, and the Canterbury Player of the Week was a little bit of everything: player-maker, finisher and grinder.
Julia Riekena (Missoula, Mont.) has basketball, softball and football in her athletic background, but rugby is also in the genes. The agile forward has been honing her game with vigor, and in the previous year alone has attended high-performing camps with Atavus, ARPTC and Life University, led Team Montana at the Great Northwest Challenge, and represented the GHSAA 7s (twice) and 15s teams.
“One thing that I can always say about Julia is that she is very versatile,” said Missoula Vixens and Montana all-star coach Misty Zahn. “She’s always where I need her to be – whether it’s a new position or around the field – and she doesn’t hesitate. She always does well to get breakdown and then she’s out of there quick. She’s very attentive as to what’s on the field, so she’s in one ruck and knows exactly where to go afterward.”
The 7s prop displayed that versatility in France and was good where she was supposed to be good: She nabbed kickoffs out of the air and swarmed receivers; she disrupted rucks and wasn’t vulnerable to the fend; she dragged would-be tacklers, looked for the offload, and supported in tight.
Riekena is the Canterbury Player of the Week because of where she was unexpectedly good, and the Cup semifinal against Canada was perfect demonstration. Down at the half, Canada scored immediately after the break, pushing the point differential to 10 points. It was the USA’s first deficit of the tournament, and it was a test. After a few minutes of trying to take on Canada in tight, the ball moved wide to where Riekena was awaiting. The hard-rushing defender was ready to plant the prop, but Riekena quickly side-stepped and tore into open space from mid-field. She looked over her shoulder and saw a Canadian chaser between her and Cassidy Bargell in support, so Riekena put her head down and started angling for the corner. Once she crossed the try line, she smartly darted back beneath the goal posts to set up an easy conversion.
That awareness ended up being crucial, as the USA chased Canada (17-14) and the clock. The USA was in Canada’s 22 meter, pummeling toward the try line, but the defense was answering. Finally, from about five meters out, Canada left the short side of the ruck unguarded. Riekena was fast in support, picked from the base, and with no time on the clock, dove over the line. She popped back up with a fist pump, as the USA celebrated the win and final’s berth.
Viewers saw a hard worker, and Zahn sees that work ethic every day, as the 16-year-old starts her mornings with a two-hour gym session. While watching the European 7s matches at the wee hours of the morning, Zahn was pleased to see some more subtle evolutions in Riekena’s game.
“I know that 90% of the time, Julia’s tackles are fierce, or that she’s going to be at the ruck – those are things I know about her,” Zahn prefaced. “There were some little things I saw that make me happy as a coach – like putting a hand down to help an opposing teammate off the ground. I see her development rounding out – she’s not just this big beast on the field but is valuing the game. And it makes me so proud.”
CANTERBURY PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Every week, The Rugby Breakdown will highlight a club, college or high school player who put in a standout performance during the week. At the end of the month, readers will vote on the 4-5 profiled players to name a Player of the Month, and Canterbury North America will send the award recipient a prize. In December, a Player of the Fall will also be voted upon and honored.
Previous Honorees:
September 4: Dartmouth’s Becca Jane Rosko
PlayeroftheWeek #JuliaRiekena