A two-time Olympian, the former star player for the university’s Rouge et Or relished every moment of the excitement that engulfed the record-breaking crowd of 3,577 fans who attended the local favorites’ first game of the Canadian Rugby Championship on Wednesday night.
With a 7-5 win over the UBC Thunderbirds, the Rouge et Or attracted the largest crowd in the history of women’s university sports in Quebec.
“I would have liked to experience such an atmosphere when I wore the colors of Rouge et Or (2007 to 2011), but I am really happy for the girls in the current edition,” said Paquin, who won bronze in rugby sevens at the Games 2016 in Rio. The crowd was excited. Back then we played in front of family and friends and a few fans. At a big game there would be a few hundred people there.
“I’ve been saying for years that people in Quebec love rugby, but they don’t know it,” Paquin continued. It’s an aggressive contact sport and I’m not surprised by the interest.”
The public reaction is encouraging for Paquin, who is working on the CBC webcast team during the championship. “People’s reaction makes me say we are ready to go further. The more the offering of women’s sports increases, the more people there are. It was great advertising to see people braving the cold and cheering on their team.”
The first satisfied trainer
Bill McNeil, the program’s founder in 2005 and Rouge et Or’s first coach, is pleased with the evolution of his sport. “We would not be here if the Rouge et Or had not won two gold medals at the Canadian Championships (2019 and 2022),” he emphasized. Few programs can boast such great success in such a short period of time. When we hosted the Canadian Championships for the first time in 2013, we were rebuilding.”
The success of the Rouge et Or allowed the development of rugby in the Quebec region, similar to football after its first conquest of the Vanier Cup in 1999.
“Having a varsity program is the key to success,” said McNeil, who left his position after the 2014 season. “The visibility and credibility of the Rouge et Or make the difference in development at school and college level.” It is great for a girl like Karen Paquin to return to the region and lead the CNDF program.”
Paquin and the CNDF will also face the Dynamiques de Sainte-Foy in the regional final on Saturday.
Can we expect a good crowd again on Friday at 7pm when the Rouge et Or face the Queen’s Gaels in the semi-final? “Maybe I’m not that realistic, but I think we can still do better. I can’t wait to see you on Friday.”
Coach of the Year
After leading the Rouge et Or to a second consecutive perfect season, François Vachon-Marceau received the title of Coach of the Year in Canada during the banquet held this evening. This is the third time a Rouge et Or coach has been honored at the Canadian level. Bill McNeil in 2005 and Kévin Rouet in 2019 deserve this honor.
RSEQ standout player Laura Guay was selected to the first Canadian All-Star team, as was Corinne Fréchette, while Cécile Leclerc, Anne-Frédérique Simard and Audrey Champagne were selected to the second constellation.