Rugby sisters on U Sports collision course
Jayne and Natalie Armatage suit up for different schools at championship
Jayne and Natalie Armatage were on the same flight to Victoria, B.C., and once they landed and gathered their belongings, they went their separate ways, albeit to the same hotel.
The Waterloo sisters, who were both multi-sport athletes at KCI, are on opposing teams at this week’s U Sports women’s rugby championship.
Jayne is a first-year reserve prop with the No. 1 nationally ranked Queen’s Gaels, and Natalie is a fourth-year scrum half and cocaptain for the No. 6 Guelph Gryphons.
“We cheer for each other, but we don’t cheer for each other’s teams,” said Jayne of the good-natured sibling rivalry.
Seconds later, when asked whether she would cheer for Guelph if her team is eliminated, she provides an answer that might not please her teammates.
“I would cheer for (Guelph) secretly,” said Jayne, with a laugh.
Queen’s and Guelph played their first games in the eight-team tournament on Wednesday, with both winning dramatically.
The No. 1 Gaels scored a 13-10 victory over the No. 8 Victoria Vikes on a final-minute penalty kick and the No. 6 Gryphons scored a try in the second-to-last minute in a 26-25 win over the No. 3 British Columbia Thunderbirds. The tournament resumes Friday with semifinal play in both the championship and consoJayne lation brackets.
Natalie said she is proud of her younger sister’s accomplishments and is delighted to share the experience of being at a national championship with her.
“It is so cool to have her here with me and experience a true U Sports tournament. It is a one-of-a-kind experience, and I’m happy she can see it first-hand,” she said.
“I’m so proud of her, as basically a walk-on to a rostered player in the OUA final and U Sports tournament. She works so hard at everything, and I’m so happy it’s starting to pay off at such an exceptional school and rugby program. She’s playing a new position too (inside centre to prop), which is a lot of added pressure, so to see her thrive there is extra special.”
The Gaels are the defending U Sports national champions, and they captured the Ontario (OUA) championship last Friday with a 29-24 win over the Gryphons. The game was a rematch of the 2021 final that was won by Guelph and the fifth straight time the powerhouse programs have met in the provincial final dating back to 2016.
The Gaels also defeated the Gryphons in OUA regular-season play, a 45-18 romp in Guelph on Oct. 1.
‘‘ It is very rewarding to watch them play at this level with and against other very talented athletes.
JENNIFER ARMATAGE MOTHER OF JAYNE AND NATALIE
Local connections
The Armatage sisters, who have both played for Team Ontario as well as club teams in Waterloo and Guelph, are two of the four players from Waterloo Region competing in British Columbia this week.
Mya Brubacher, formerly of Elmira District Secondary School, is an Ontario University Athletics firstteam all-star prop at Queen’s, while KCI graduate Maddie Hobson is a starting fullback for Guelph. Jillian Bernard-Jardine and Milla Sayavongsa, formerly of KCI, are on Guelph’s development squad.
The KCI program has won six consecutive Waterloo County (WCSSAA) championships and is coached by Jennifer Armatage, a teacher at the school and the sisters’ proud mother.
“It is very rewarding to watch them play at this level with and against other very talented athletes. It would be great for an Ontario team to come back with a medal … or two,” said Jennifer.
“We will be cheering for ‘Team Armatage’ and will be very quiet if they play each other.”
The Armatage sisters, who played one season together at KCI, will square off in the national championship game if both their teams win on Friday. Queen’s will face the No. 5 Ottawa Gee-Gees, and Guelph takes on the No. 2 Laval Rouge et Or, with the winners facing off in Sunday’s gold-medal game and the losers battling it out for bronze.
And yes, Natalie will pull for the Gaels if they are the only Ontario team in Sunday’s final.
“Yes, quietly,” she said. “Gotta cheer for OUA.”