PRESS RELEASE
On Sept. 12, the North American Lions brought 12 players from the U.S. (7) and Canada (5) to Paris for the Tournoi des Capitales (TdC). The players’ pedigrees involves multiple clubs, provincial sides and academies, and the tour-goers were all selected after their standout performances on the North American High School 7s (NAHS7s) circuit. The next natural step is national team competition, and Paris fit the bill.
Josie Ziluca (Atlantis) and Orlando Pulou (Utah Rugby Academy) served as coaches, and they leaned on Nina Mason (Atlantis) and Reese Morgan (Upright) to captain the formidable squad. The team’s first assembly occurred four hours after landing in Paris.
“Knowing they had a skilled group that would need to bond to form a team, the coaches went straight to work with games to get the girls knowing each other,” North American Lions tour manager Michael Cressler explained. “It became apparent very quickly just how skilled the players were but the timing and communication issues demanded a focus on them feeling comfortable with each other.”
Dinner as a team that night plus a little free time before bed allowed the girls time to start that bonding that is so critical to playing against teams who have been together for weeks or even years.
To stave off the jet lag, the team went on a bike ride through the older parts of Paris and then had an afternoon session at the Universitaire fields of the Paris University Club. There, the gelling process became tangible and the players began operating as a unit.
“But there were still timing issues on the various lines, switches, and redirections that really stifled the creativity of the players and led to some frustration within the team,” Cressler noted. “Knowing that the team was in the storming phase of growth, the coaches worked getting the frameworks in place and did not focus on the issues they hoped would work themselves out.”
For fun, after their second training session, the girls jumped in with a bunch of U6 and U8 players for a training session with them and it was an absolute blast and thrill for all.
Early Thursday morning, the team headed out to the French National Training Center in Marcoussis, on the outskirts of Paris. French Academy Program Director Thomas Darrac led the first training session, and he exposed the girls to other coaching techniques and worked on polishing the attack and defensive structures.
“These girls are most definitely skilled players,” Mr. Darrac said. “They have vision for the game. There are a few who I expect to see in the future.”
One more training session worked out the kinks before game day, and then the team unwound during a private boat cruise on the Seine. There, several legendary French players, including Jean Pascal Barraque, drew the pools for the tournament.
The Lions drew France, Hong Kong, Germany and Russia in their pool, and played all four on Day 1 of the competition. First up was hometown France. The Lions moved the ball from sideline to sideline, and then Malia Isaacs (Utah) got around the separated defense out wide. Chloe Daniels (Upright) converted for the 7-0 lead.
The Lions controlled much of the first half with several counter-rucks that produced positive field position. Isaacs and Daniels scored on either side of halftime, and with the conversions, the Lions led 19-0. France rallied in the second half with two tries, but a final score from Morgan afforded the 26-14 win to the Lions.
Russia took an early lead over the Lions in game two, evading tacklers for the game-opening try. The North Americans regrouped and responded with vigor. Victoria Stanley (Upright) scored three tries, while Liz Tafuna (Utah), Sophia Linder (Atlantis) and captain Mason also scored: 40-10 the final.
The Lions started slowly in Game 3, and as the game elapsed, ball-handling and lost scrums plagued the team’s momentum. Hong Kong, however, played a near-perfect game. Hong Kong took a 12-5 lead into the break – Stanley accounted for the Lions’ try – and scored another two tries in the second half off of scrum errors. Hong Kong won 26-12.
The Lions funneled their frustrations into the final pool play game against Germany. Linder scored twice, while Isabella Ruse (Upright), Ari Moleni (Utah) and Tafuna added a try apiece for the comprehensive 27-5 win.
The team ended 3-1, but so did France and Hong Kong, creating a three-way tie in this pool’s standings. When it came to point differential, the Lions placed third in the pool by 12 points. Only the top-two teams from each pool advanced the Cup semifinals, and thus the Lions were forced into the Plate bracket.
On Day 2, the Lions didn’t have any trouble beating Saoene et Loire from Burgundy and Romania to secure the challenge trophy.
“While the girls were not overly excited to have gone 5-1 and still only gotten to 5th place, they did see some great competition and had a tremendous time,” Cressler concluded. “They made great friends and met new people, which is part of that rugby ethos. The Lions will return in 2021 to try and take the Cup.”
NORTH AMERICAN LIONS
PARIS 2019
Chloe Daniels – Upright
Madison Donnelly – Upright
Malia Isaacs – Utah
Sophia Linder – Atlantis
Nina Mason – Atlantis (c)
Arianna Moleni – Utah
Reese Morgan – Upright (c)
Marley Parkinson – Utah
Isabella Ruse – Upright
Victoria Stanley – Upright
Makenna Tuman – Atlantis
Elizabeth Tafuna – Utah