Photo: Life West Rugby
Life West repeated as the USA Rugby DI Club National Championship, defeating Raleigh 91-22 in Glendale, Colo. The match was a rematch of the 2017 final.
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The game got off to a furious start, with Life West pushing an insatiably fast game. Flankers Elizabeth Cairns and Nicole Strasko scored after eight minutes, and flyhalf Hali Deters’ first of five conversions gave Life West a 12-0 lead.
Things felt dire but Raleigh didn’t snap. A shot at goal, though short, saw the Venom in scoring position. Jaz Gray then broke the line for a big gain into Gladiatrix territory, and then the wing stepped her opposite for a corner try. Life West then turned over possession as Raleigh was attempting to get out of its end, but then Gray picked off a pass and outran the coverage. Chelsea Garber converted for the 12-12 tie after 20 minutes.
Life West then re-settled into its stellar support game, getting behind the defense, offloading, and keeping the attack always moving forward. Championship MVP Catie Benson scored the first of her four tries, just hitting the line at pace and running between defenders. The first of center Mata Hingano’s two tries started with hooker Jess Lewis, who poached possession at the ruck. Fellow center Amy Naber tore away for the line and got the offload to Hingano, who minutes later planted a heavy fend for another five. Naber then finished off the first-half scoring, crashing through two defenders for a long-range try. Deters’ conversions gave the Gladiatrix a 38-12 lead into the break.
A Cairns break set up wing Angelina Lomu for the first try of the second half, and just when it felt like the point differential was too unwieldy, Raleigh responded. No. 8 Shawn Gatewood scored two tries in identical fashion: weak-side pick off a scrum, hard run through would-be tacklers.
Life West led Raleigh 45-22 after 50 minutes, and then the momentum changed for good. A fight broke out that resulted in a Raleigh red card and Life West yellow card. The Gladiatrix scored eight tries from that point on, with Benson (3), Strasko, Naber (2), reserve Morgan Rovetti and fullback Cam Motley doing the honors. Motley, Hingano and captain Jenn Sever added a conversion each in the 91-22 win.
One might expect Life West to compete in the Women’s Premier League next season, but that won’t be the case in 2018. The WPL, which celebrates its 10th season this fall, had suspended its promotion/relegation process when the national championships relocated to the spring. The league then grew to 10 teams starting in 2017, and now the WPL will reinstate the challenge matches. WPL commissioner Milla Sanes indicated that both Life West and Raleigh will be invited to challenge the 9th- and 10th-place WPL teams after the 2018 season and for inclusion in the 2019 season.
Life West 91
Tries: Cairns, Strasko 2, Benson 4, Hingano 2, Naber 3, Lomu, M. Rovetti, Motley
Cons: Deter 5, Motley, Hingano, Sever
Raleigh 22
Tries: Gray 2, Gatewood 2
Cons: Garber
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