THE Corrimal Cougars will feature on the global rugby league stage when their Illawarra league-leading women’s side makes the trip to Vancouver to face the Canadian women’s team in October.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In a stunning coup for the women’s game, the Cougars will travel abroad to play a vital role in Canada’s preparations for the end-of-season World Cup in Australia.
The trip came about after four scheduled matches fell through, leaving Canada facing the prospect of heading into the World Cup without a full fixture under their belt.
Enter the Cougars, who’ve booked their ticket north for what will be a groundbreaking clash for both the Illawarra and the Canadian Rugby League Association.
“The Corrimal Cougars have been a lifesaver to the Canada Ravens World Cup campaign,” CRLA manager Paul O’Keefe told The Mercury.
“We had touring teams lined up to come here and give us a great preparation for the World Cup but during the last six months each team has pulled out for various reasons so the CRLA were desperate to find some experienced competition.
“Women's rugby league is a new sport in Canada and most of these players are playing games for the first time. Without this tour happening [coach] Mike Castle and myself were talking daily on how we could make this all work.
“Tammy Fletcher and the girls from Corrimal have been fantastic to work with and have saved Mike and myself many sleepless nights.”
The ambitious plan came about through Corrimal hooker Fletcher’s connections with Luke Srama and his international recruiting agency Srama Rugby League Recruitment.
“I'm good friends with Luke Srama through the Philippines National Rugby League and he spoke to me about it and I just thought 'wow, how awesome would that be',” Fletcher said.
“Canada had four teams games with four different teams fall through so I spoke to Paul O'Keefe and he said they'd love for us to come over and I just thought it would be the trip of a lifetime.
"It was just an amazing opportunity that came up and we've made it a reality.”
The Helensburgh Tigers and Jamberoo Superoos have both toured Canada in recent times, but the Cougars clash with an national side will be the first of its kind for an Illawarra club.
"To have a little club side from the Illawarra on international stage playing against a national side in a World Cup year is just massive for women's rugby league,” Fletcher
“The chance to play on the international stage doesn't come along every day. You'd normally have to play at the very highest rep level to have that experience,
“To get to do it with the girls you've spent three-four years with, three-four days a week... they're your best friends, so to have this chance is a bit surreal.”
"Since the Illawarra league started the women's game has just gone in a thousand different directions and it’s been amazing to see.”
Canada is fast becoming a burgeoning rugby league nation on the back of the Toronto Wolfpack’s success as the game’s first ever Trans-Atlantic team.
Canada are also among the top nations in women’s rugby union and O’Keefe believes the Cougars tour can showcase rugby league and encourage more women to take up the sport.
“What most people don't realise is that Canada is ranked third in the world with women's rugby union,” O’Keefe said.
“They made the last World Cup final four years ago and they also won bronze Medal at the last Olympics in Rugby 7s. Our female athletes are both mentally and physically tough and well suited for both codes of rugby.
“We will be promoting this [Corrimal] tour so young female rugby players can come out and see what all the noise is about concerning rugby league.
“It’s the perfect opportunity to showcase our sport ahead of the Word Cup and we want young girls saying ‘we want to be a Canada Ravens player at the 2021 World Cup.”
Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
