Laval University Rouge et Or earned a 32-13 victory over the Victoria Vikes in front of a packed crowd of nearly 2,000 fans at PEPS this afternoon to secure their second straight Canadian title.
The Rouge et Or is the first rugby program to win back-to-back national titles since the Lethbridge Pronghorns won three golds in 2007, 2008 and 2009. This is the third title in the history of the Rouge et Or after 2019 and 2022. The Vikes won the first medal in their history.
“We have left our mark on women’s sports in Quebec,” said Corinne Fréchette, who was voted the championship’s top player. We marked the youngest in the stands. I think of all the veterans who wore the jersey and contributed to the growth of rugby and women’s sports in Quebec. It’s bigger than a medal. It makes a big difference to win a championship.”
This second title had a special touch. “We lost big parts and needed a loss to get back on our feet,” Fréchette said. The crowd made the difference in our first two wins.”
Great finish
In his final career match, Laurence Chabot ends his career with three national titles in four years. The 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic. “It’s completely crazy,” she concluded. When I got here we hadn’t won a championship yet. I go back and we won three. It’s even more special because I shared these moments with my sister [Maude]. These are moments [dont] I will remember this for the rest of my life. The Rouge et Or are my family and Maude is my blood family.”
“The 2019 title was special because it was the first to chase Chabot. Last year was also because of our perfect season, and this year is special because it is my last year.
“Magic moment”
Alice Théberge, the best player in the final, beamed. “It’s a magical moment,” she said. It happens once in a lifetime and today it happened. We gave everything and deserved the win. The feeling is even stronger than last year because we are at home and have achieved twice as much. Never two without three.
Bad start
However, the final got off to a bad start for the Rouge et Or, who conceded a try in the 2nd minute of the game, but responded quickly in the 7th minute. Trailing 13-12, Laval scored a try in stoppage time of the first half to take a 19-13 lead and never looked back. The Vikes were shut out in the second half.
“We did exactly what we didn’t want to do,” summed up head coach François Vachon-Marceau. It was difficult after losing in the RSEQ final but we still believed because we did it in 2019. We beat the two best teams at the start. It’s been a damn good week. It’s a great moment for the girls to win at home.”
Bronze went to the Queen’s Gaels, who beat the Guelph Gryphons 36-20 to secure a podium finish for the fourth year in a row. The Gaels lost in the final to the Rouge et Or in Victoria last year.
Fréchette, Théberge, Cécile Leclerc, Alexie Lachapelle-Johnstone, Audrey Champagne and Marie-Laura Choquette were selected to the championship all-star team.