For what they may have lacked in the size department, John Abbott Islanders men’s rugby squad made up for it with exemplary teamwork, their longtime head coach Joel Austen said after winning the collegiate championship Sunday.
This is the Islanders 16th straight year of winning the championship, the last 14 with Austen, who by day works with Pfizer Canada in business development.
Austen said his players were the physically strongest in the league, but more than made up for it with team effort and determination.
“Despite being somewhat smaller, and often less experienced than other players in the league, the young men would show up half hour before each practice to work on their own development areas. They held an extra practice on Fridays (outside of practice time) just to improve some of their team plays,” Austen told The Chronicle. “The one thing I have always said to my players over my career of coaching is that a game can be won by talent but only true teamwork and heart can win a championship. This team is the team that I will use as an example of this quote.”
The Islanders defeated Dawson College 30-17 in the Quebec final at Concordia University’s Loyola campus Sunday afternoon. The two squads battled to a 7-7 draw during their only regular season match.
There was no individual player relied upon to be MVP since they all contributed to the win, Austen said in an exclusive interview.
“It was chemistry and team dynamic that won the championship,” he said.
Due to lack of relative size, the Islanders focused on ball movement.
“Even though they were small, they could really move the ball,” Austen said. “It was fun to watch.”
The Islanders were rewarded with their first try when Mitchell Cuillerier dove over the end line. Following a Blues’ penalty, on the ensuing line-out, the Islanders were able to push the Blues pack back and flanker Andrew Jackson was able to score his team’s second try, making the score 10-0. Before the end of the half, the Islanders Mark Beleveder-Tait was able to score the Islanders third try. The half ended 20-0 after Dominic Lazarra was able to score a off the back of a ruck.
In the second half, another line-out deep in the Dawson zone saw Andrew Jackson score his second try of the game, making the score 25-0. The Islanders last try came on some nifty teamwork between Mackenzie Nichols and Josh Blair, passing the ball back and forth, with Josh Blair scoring easily under the post for a 30-0 lead.
Late in the second half, Dawson took advantage of some substitutions for the Isles team to score 17 unanswered points but it was too little too late for the Blues as time ran out.
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