Hat High the stage for three competitive rugby games Saturday

By Sean Rooney on June 22, 2018.

srooney@medicinehatnews.com @MHNRooney

Saturday promises to be an absolute dream if you’re a rugby fan in Medicine Hat.

Three major fixtures are set for Hat High, including two with local players and a third thought to be the highest-level women’s match ever held in the Gas City.

“It’s good for rugby development and giving guys in Medicine Hat a chance to play at the men’s level,” said Ogres club president Ray Neary. “It’s pretty cool.”

Ogres players have joined up to play with Lethbridge’s men in the past few years, and have hosted a couple games in the Hat as well. What makes Saturday unique is that there will be both a Division 2 and a Division 3 game, plus a women’s contest. Neary said there’s a chance some local women will play but it’s not guaranteed.

The youth Dragons will also play at halftime of one matches as an exhibition but the point is that if you like rugby, Hat High is the place to be.

Lethbridge RFC women (4-2 in the standings) play the Division 1 Calgary Rams (1-3) at 11 a.m. to kick things off, followed by a 1:45 p.m. men’s Division 2 game between Lethbridge (4-1) and the first-place Calgary Saracens (5-1), then a Division 3 men’s game between the Saracens (2-2) and Lethbridge (4-1) at 3:30 p.m.

The hope is that, aside from being a great day of competition, some more Hat athletes will take an interest and join the Ogres — who had a full team in the Calgary Rugby Union as recently as 2011.

“It’s on an upswing, but I still feel we’re in this state, a lot of people don’t know that it’s out there, and I think a lot of people who might be interested in playing might be intimidated to give it a try,” said Neary. “We’re open to new players, veteran players, everything.”

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