The Olds High School Spartans girls' rugby team got into the win column last week when they beat the Lacombe Composite High School Rams 42-10 in Central Alberta High School Rugby League play. The Spartans now have a 1-2 record on the season.
After a slow start to the game, which was played in Olds, the Spartans scored a try in the first couple of minutes in the second quarter. The Rams responded on the next possession, converting a try and retaking the lead. Before the end of the second quarter, the Spartans pushed the ball downfield, scoring another five points to take the lead for the remainder of the game.
In the second half, the Spartans pulled away, scoring another four tries, using the occasional forward kick to advance the ball and then attack the Rams downfield.
George Grant, the Spartans' coach, said the tactic worked well after largely unsuccessfully trying to advance the ball on the ground during the first half.
“We just had to get the pressure off of us, so we figured that with some kicking … (moving) the ball out of the danger area, we immediately (gave) ourselves some breathing room, and that was definitely key for us, especially in the second half. We didn't do it all in the first half because we wanted to feel out the other team and see if we could just run and beat them that way,” he said.
“It was very evident that they could run with us. We exchanged tries in the first quarter so we knew that this was going to be a tough game,” he said.
Grant said when the Spartans began kicking the ball, it allowed the team to move downfield and apply pressure to the Rams, with some success.
“That did prove to be successful for us, so it's something we have to look at using a little bit more in our future games,” he said.
"(Kicking the ball) did prove to be successful for us, so it's something we have to look at using a little bit more in our future games."George Grant, coach, OHS girls' rugby team
