Down and Dirty (Page 3)

Queries about injuries are greeted with wry smiles from the players. "They come and go," says Kim Grubb, whose long brown hair is covered by a head protector. Players who have sustained head injuries, or who feel particularly vulnerable on the field, wear a regulation-design soft head covering. Protective gear for rugby players is minimal, however. It's usually limited to a mouthguard, although even this accessory is mandatory only for players in the junior league, those under 19 years of age.

Della Rocca is careful not to minimize the importance of looking after injured players. "We treat every injury very seriously, whether it's an old wound sustained elsewhere, or something that's happened during rugby." He credits the coaching staff with keeping injuries to a minimum.

DeGrandpré encourages his players to get used to lots of physical contact during practice, and emphasizes weight training during the off-season.

	Poker-faced coach Vince deGrandpré watches the Martlets score a try.

Neither deGrandpré nor Della Rocca believes that the women should continue to play if they sustain any kind of injury. The injury has to be evaluated and attended to first. This is a far cry from what Della Rocca calls the "old school" of coaching, that tries to forge tough players by forcing them to play when hurt. "We're very careful," he says, "to make sure the girls understand that we're here if they need attention, no matter how minor their injuries." As if to prove his point, a player comes towards him holding up a handful of bandaged fingers. He's off again to do some minor repairs.

A pre-game ritual between Della Rocca and his counterpart on the opposing team is a discussion of signals in the case of serious injury. Knowing when to pull a player or to call an ambulance is a fundamental aspect of maintaing morale and ensuring that players don't lose confidence. How often have they needed to call an ambulance? "Never," says Della Rocca, "but it's important to make sure that we have a plan of action, particularly if the teams aren't well matched."

The last time the Martlets took on the Stingers, they won by a score of 73-7. This time it'll be closer. Concordia is playing a strong defensive game, but they're incurring a lot of infractions that are hurting their scoring chances. The Martlets have won their previous matches this season by big margins and deGrandpré predicts that they're on track to break the QSSF scoring records they set last year. In two weeks they'll play the semi-final game, then the finals, and then it's on to the Nationals.

The taste of success is addictive and the Martlets are an ambitious team. How would they like the game to evolve? "Rugby at the Olympics," says Kim Grubb. "That would be awesome!" Her coach would like to raise the profile of the team through fundraising efforts, and to develop new talent for future McGill varsity teams through a program of exhibition games.

DeGrandpré also wants to see his team win the QSSF league championship and advance to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Federation (CIS) National Championships. The Alberta Pandas have won the National Champ-ionships for the past two years and they'll again be the Martlet's main obstacle to winning the title.

It's 9:45. The warm, dry evening is growing chilly. The whistle blows to signal the end of the game and the two teams line up for the traditional end-of-game high-fives. The score is 22-5 for the Martlets, but their opponents still gave them a run for their money, and I hear a Martlet player say that she had trouble getting a foothold on the slippery grass. The women cluster around their coach for a post-game pep talk.

I wander home, turning over the names of the plays in my head. For a brief moment I think that it might be fun to play rugby. Then I remember the Stinger's injured collarbone. Hmm... Rugby's a great spectator sport, so why push it? I practise a cheer under my breath for the next time I watch a game.

Go Martlets!

Helen Dyer is a Communications Associate in Development and Alumni Relations.