The Fallbrook Warriors won their fourth consecutive National Championship Sunday in one of the more exciting, back-and-forth finals in years. Their 27-17 victory over the Sacramento Amazons was a great match and a contrast in styles. The level of skill and physicality was more like something you see in Super 15 matches. Truely special; the coaches and players involved on both sides continue to take girls high school rugby to an incredible level. On to the match ... although we apologize for not getting all the names and scoring sequences; but our staff time has to be dedicated to WGR development :)
The Amazon's came out running hard. Fallbrook's tackling was brave and smart as they repeatedly took the bigger ballcarriers to the ground with low, driving tackles. The Zon's dominated possession early and the Warriors, uncharacteristically made a few mistakes like missing a kick to touch (or was it intentional ?!), that contributed to the Zon's early push. Sacramento's flyhalf was dynamic all-game long and the length on her miss pass, kept the defense on their toes, since she could hit a hole hard and committ defenders or get the ball out wide equally well. That multiplicity was key in putting pressure back on Fallbrook's pressure defense. The Zons #12 was also devastating with ball in hand. Yet, the Warrior's #10, junior Richelle Stephens, slight, strong, and skillfull, put in a brave performance defensively as she never backed down ... continuing to come up hard on defense with some momentum on her side. She needed it. When she started to get more and more ball she used it well, especially mixing in a loop play with her centers. Stephens getting double touches really kept the Zon's moving, and tiring on defense. Fallbrook was brilliant again in their simplicity, committment to tackling, and execution.
The Zon's got up 10-3 in the first half, but the Warriors choice for 3 points helped them hang on after two tries were let in, and it kept the game a one score game. Some Zons started walking. Fallbrook didn't. Fallbrook started to get more and more possession and continued to support each other effectively, and they began to work their offense and put up some more points. A huge run from freshman fullback Lilly Durbin was one of the highlights of the second half as she got the corner and turned on her jets, tight-rope-walking the touch line, and made three defenders miss tackles with her dancing feet, balance, and strength.
Fallbrook got up, and took a lead they wouldn't relinquish. But the Zons surged back again with several punishing runs. They finished a try to narrow the gap to ten points, but time had run out and the champions had repeated, again.
It's tough to pick a lady of the match for this one. It might have to be Fallbrook's flyhalf, but the committment of their entire team defensively in the face of a huge size disadvantage was heroic. Fallbrook's six, Michelle Navarro, was dynamic with ball in hand and a fierce tackler. She was just awesome. Hooker Johni Durban, perhaps playing her last game, looked fitter and faster than ever and packed a huge punch. Their team shows how size is not the most important; it's skills, fitness, physicality, and decision making.
Then there were the Zons all across the board too. Their scrumhalf's passing was tight, their midfield powerful and dynamic. They too were as fit, skilled with ball in hand, and dynamic in attack all over the pitch, as any Zons team we've seen. With their size advantage coupled with such good ball skills, they'll always be a contender and a tough team to get by.
You can, hopefullt, watch the game here when the hosts get around to uploading it:
www.rugbychampionships.org
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