P.E.I. women's team wins gold at Atlantic rugby championships

P.E.I. rugby teams returned home with three medals from the Atlantic championships last weekend in Halifax.

The under-19 women won gold while the under-17 and under-19 men brought home silver. The under-17 women finished fifth.

Under-19 women

P.E.I. used its speed and strong attacking lines to take control of the championship game against New Brunswick en route to a 12-0 victory to complete the tournament with a 4-1 record.

“Our girls had a fantastic weekend,” said P.E.I. head coach Ellen Murphy. “They are dedicated, they love the game and are a really strong and knowledge group of girls with experience.”

“They are dedicated, they love the game and are a really strong and knowledge group of girls with experience.” – Ellen Murphy

In the final, Ria Johnston opened the scoring with a try. Katie Murphy followed with a successful convert.

Although P.E.I. controlled the ball for most of the game, its defence rose to the occasion when needed as P.E.I. used its physicality and grit to force turnovers.

Katie Acorn added P.E.I.’s second try of the game with 28 minutes remaining to close out the scoring.

“Strong leadership from an experienced group of athletes, many of whom have been involved in P.E.I.'s junior women's rugby program for a number of years, made of a consistent and well-managed final and full weekend of competition for P.E.I.'s under-19 junior women's team,” added coach Murphy.

Under-19 men

The P.E.I. under-19 men completed play at 3-2, including a hard-fought 5-3 loss to Newfoundland and Labrador in the final.

Newfoundland and Labrador opened the scoring with a try before the game was five minutes old. P.E.I. answered with a penalty kick about 10 minutes after that to make it a 5-3 game.

P.E.I. generated a scoring opportunity off a long kick late in the first half but could not capitalize.

P.E.I. also had the chance to take the lead five minutes into the second half, but a penalty-kick attempt just missed.

“The guys really stepped up,” said P.E.I. coach Tim Hockin. “We are always an underdog when we go to the Atlantics playing bigger provinces.

“We worked really hard. We had some really good athletes this year. They practised two days a week leading up to the Atlantics.”

Although it was disappointing to lose a close final, Hockin said the passion and enthusiasm of the P.E.I. players were clearly evident.

“A lot of them are saying how much they love rugby,” said Hockin. “Now we are hoping they will come back and be good ambassadors for the sport (on P.E.I.).”

Under-17 men

P.E.I. completed play 4-1 and had its only loss – 7-5 – to Nova Scotia in the championship game.

“The U17 boys were the talk of the tournament with the special play they put together,” said Hockin, who also coached the under-17 boys. “They just came up slightly short in the final.”

The final featured both teams battling back and forth. There was no score at the half.

Early in the second half, Nova Scotia scored a try and successfully kicked the convert to take a 7-0 lead. P.E.I. answered back within five minutes to score a try and missed the convert.

After that, the defences took over and did not allow any more scoring.

Under-17 women

P.E.I.’s under-17 women completed play on a high note, posting a convincing 29-10 win over Newfoundland and Labrador.

A Rugby P.E.I. official called the P.E.I. win its best match of the tournament.

Overall, P.E.I. went 1-3, including a 5-0 loss to New Brunswick Team Two in the quarter-finals.

Jason Simmonds is a sports editor with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached by email at and followed on Twitter @JpsportsJason.