Editor:
A new sport was introduced at the 2016 Olympics – rugby…but women’s rugby?
Being a BC Lions fan, I thought the rules might be similar to football. For the most part… nope. The length of each game was barely enough to get to the fridge and back before it was over.
The next game introduced the Canadian women. I flinched even before the first collision, but instead of the quarterback throwing the ball to a receiver, a player grabs another player from behind employing the mother of all wedgies and throws her up in the air to catch the ball…interesting.
There was no similarity in “kickoffs”; she dropped the ball on her foot, it bounced back to her and she took off running.
I did recognize the tactic of throwing the ball latterly while running over others and scoring, but then just that fast it was over. I had cringed through the entire game but they actually walked off the field bruised, hair-do reminiscent of sticking one’s finger in a light socket, scraped, ripped, covered in dirt and grinning from ear to ear.
I grinned along with them. They were amazing, and would go on to win bronze.
On to men’s rugby… oh my. Apparently, in the men’s game, it’s not a good idea to use an opponent’s head already embedded in the grass to push one’s self upright, because the next play showed the now-unembedded player releasing the offender’s head/face, whose eyes were squinting through rivulets of blood.
After being mopped up by the medics, he strutted off, I assumed to see to his depleted blood supply.
Oh, bad boy. But, no “unnecessary roughness” call! Oh, good boy!
One of my favourite plays consisted of launching one’s self onto the ball-toting runner’s leg and being dragged about 10-20 yards over the goal line until the “let go!” whistle was blown.
So, after the game the ground keepers cleaned up the abandoned ribs and clothing remnants to get ready for the next game.
And this exhausted, new fan flopped back down, into her recliner and carried on crocheting her future great-granddaughter’s soft toys and flak jacket.
Suzanne Gerard, White Rock
• • •
Re: Moving from glass slipper to glass ceiling, Aug. 19 column.
Right on, columnist April Lewis! I couldn’t agree more.
Let’s have role models of our recent Olympian medalists, not fairy tales’ myths from past centuries.
Beauty and strength come from the inside, not from how pretty you look.
Mahara Sinclaire, White Rock