A new Épervier team should make a comeback at school after a few years of delay because of the current pandemic.

Rugby was invented as a variation on football in the early 19th century by William Webb Ellis. It is a team sport where each player can go “all out”. Rugby is played with an oval ball by two teams of seven or fifteen players. Players can either carry or kick the ball. The objective of the game is to ground the ball behind the opponent’s try line, into what is called the in-goal area.

A few years ago, there was a rugby league at school, although it ended abruptly since there had been several injured players. As a result,  they had to give up their participation in the league. It was received with difficulty by the public. Three years ago, Fanny Pouliot-Savary, our recreation technician at the time, had the idea to restart the rugby league with the agreement of the school administration. The essential equipment was purchased and the inscriptions were open until the Covid-19 pandemic stalled the project. This year, we are going forward with this project.

The school rugby league will be made up of two juvenile teams, one feminine and one masculine composed mainly of secondary four and five students. The teams will be formed by seven players on the field. ‘’Nobody needs experience to be part of the rugby league, so everyone is on the same level’’, said Jérôme Lévêsque. The rugby league will be an Épervier’s team like hockey, volleyball and basketball. The practices will last 90 minutes, twice a week after school and the costs related to the inscription will be 150$. The training should officially start in March and the competitions should begin in May. The rugby league will be part of the RSEQ (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec).

Jérôme Lévêsque, coordinator of DAM “Diplôme avant la Médaille” at school will be one of the coaches. Jérôme is an old student of La Camaradière High School and he graduated in 2014. He was in the English concentration throughout high school and he started to play rugby in secondary three until secondary five. Cegep and University players who will be team-working to train our rugby teams will assist the coaches. Teachers and physical education teachers are invited to come and give help. A physiotherapist will follow all the players throughout the season to do medical follow-ups.

‘’Come and give your name for the rugby league at local 1029 from now on’’, said Jérôme Lévêsque.