Meng, MacCormack and Savary among the best in league
Maclaine Chadwick | Fulcrum Staff
AFTER THEIR SEASON ended in a semifinal game against the Université Laval, where the Rouge et Or defeated the Gee-Gees 32-13—three University of Ottawa players were honoured by the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) as league all-star players.
Fifth-year Sarah Meng, a consistently strong player who was given her first all-star nod in 2008, her rookie year, was voted best centre player by the RSEQ and given her second all-star title.
“She works harder than anybody else,” said rugby coach Sue Chaulk of Meng’s performance this year. “She is passionate about being a great player, and that shows every time she puts her foot on the field.”
For the second year in a row, fourth-year centre Allison MacCormack was recognized as being one of the best in the league, particularly for her speed, but Chaulk also credits her as being the “Energizer Bunny” of the team.
“Allison is that player that, once you turn the ‘on’ switch, it’s hard to turn her off,” said Chaulk. “This year she came together and became that three-dimensional player. In the past, her defence was good, but it certainly wasn’t sterling, and this year it was exceptional.”
Simone Savary, who plays backrow, was the third Gee-Gee to get a spot on the RSEQ all-star team, which is particularly significant given Savary’s rookie status.
Chaulk explained that it is rare for a backrow rookie to be given all-star status, “particularly in [her] position, because that’s a highly competitive position.”
“She’s a very intelligent player,” said Chaulk. “She’s very focused and intent in what she does, but in an unusually relaxed way for a rookie.”
Unfortunately for rugby fans, the RSEQ doesn’t host an all-star game featuring these players. For some Gee-Gees, including Meng, this means their days of playing university rugby ended in the semifinal game.
The Concordia Stingers emerged as champions of RSEQ rugby and will be representing RSEQ in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport nationals this upcoming weekend at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. The Gee-Gees took fourth place in the league, with eight points and a season record of 4-3.
