When Chicago North Shore resurfaced on the rugby pitch, the team was not playing union but rugby league. It was a successful experiment that will continue to develop, and it readied the program for the Midwest Club 7s Championship series this summer. North Shore has won the first two stops and hopes to roll that momentum right into nationals.
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Chicago North Shore assistant coach Noby Takaki had worked with the founder of the Chicago Stockyarders, a rugby league team that formed in 2010. The club had been trying to form a women’s team, but Takaki had pushed back, as North Shore was focusing on union. But when John Coumbe Lilley wanted to introduce league, CNS reconsidered, as the coach has experience with this rugby code.
“So it wasn’t me watching YouTube videos and trying to figure out the rules,” Takaki said of a deciding factor. “We kicked off 2021 with a bang. ‘Let’s try this entirely new style of rugby! Here we go!’”
Coumbe Lilley started holding practices in April and they were open to anyone interested in league.
“League and union are in competition with each other in other countries like Australia, and at first I thought that was ridiculous,” said Takaki, who played in the pack until retiring from the WPL in 2019. “But now I understand why, because it’s a much faster game. If you had a team of inside centers, you’d be amazing. No rucks, no contested scrums, six downs – for lack of a better term – before turning over possession. It’s about making good decisions at the initial point of contact and getting back on sides.”
The team committed to the Tampa 9s tournament on May 15, joining mostly Florida teams and defeating the Roots in the final.
“It was extremely exciting … although I’m still not sure I understand all the rules,” Takaki said. “The competition was great but having a coach who understood the nuances of the game, that set us up for success.”
Tampa 9s was a fixture on the calendar, and that motivated players to get in shape for the impending 7s season.
“Once we knew we could play and had a schedule, we communicated that to the team very early to allow everyone to prepare,” Takaki said. “But for the first couple weeks of 7s training, there was a divide in confidence. Our first 7s tournament – the first game is always a dumpster fire – we settled down and are finding our stride again.”
Takaki credited the returning veterans for stabilizing the squad, which expands in the summer to include the Chicago Women’s Rugby Club as well as collegians. Training days draw 20-22 players, numbers that support two sides on game day. Lauren Trout and Olga Niyibizi captain the Green side, and Alie Schoening is the Gold captain.
“The younger players look to the older players for tempo and intensity. They’re their thermometer, so to speak,” Takaki said. “But overall, I think everyone has been measured and deliberate on the field with their actions. Everyone’s just having a really good time. This time off has allowed players to forget some things – the little quirks or things they used to get stuck on. Maybe they used to be tackle shy or had a negative experience that had been sticking with them. But 18 months off gives you time to forget those little anxieties. It was a great reset for everyone. It’s added the joy back in.”
North Shore fosters an open learning environment, where players pair off to provide peer feedback. It’s a nurturing space and opens up everyone – from the WPL veteran, to the first-timer, to the collegian – to more opportunities to learn. That process, per Takaki, has been a major contributor to the team’s success so far.
Gem City champs
The Midwest Summer 7s Series started in Dayton with the Gem City 7s (June 12), and the Ohio teams helped build out the women’s division to nine teams. Four clubs supplied six sides for the second stop – Firehouse 7s (June 26) in Lemont, Ill. North Shore has defeated the Chicago Lions in both finals so far, and the duo top the standings with 24 and 22 points, respectively.
“The competition’s looked really good,” Takaki said. “A lot of the teams had the same reset period we had.
“Watch for Legacy,” the coach called out the Brighton, Mich.-based program. “They walk into a tournament and maybe people don’t realize how dangerous they are and underestimate them. But they are a good team so I’m actually a little nervous as a coach when we play them. They have speed, they’re strong, and I think unfortunately for them a few things haven’t gone their way. But you leave them an opening or an opportunity and they’ll take it.”
Legacy will have home-field advantage for the third Midwest series tournament this Saturday. The host will welcome two sides apiece from North Shore and the Lions, as well as Metropolis (Minn.), Cincinnati and American Rugby Pro Training Center, the National Development Program in Little Rock, Ark. The series culminates with a Midwest championship at Cin City 7s (July 24) in Cincinnati, and teams will be seeded into the tournament.
“There was a discussion and it was left to the players,” Takaki said of angling toward the National Club 7s Rugby Tournament. “There was little to no hesitation [to qualify].
“The vibe is mostly ‘business as usual,'” the coach added. “Once everyone returned and started having fun again and forgot all those little quirks, they – as cheesy as this sounds – have been exploring their joy in rugby. It’s just flat-out excitement. They want to perform, and perform well, and be around other teams that are competing.”
TTeams had to pre-register for nationals this year, so a list of participants should be released soon. As of last week, 14 women’s teams had filed their intent to compete at Starfire Sports outside of Seattle. Stay tuned for more Midwest and nationals updates.
MIDWEST QUALIFIER SERIES STANDINGS
1. Chicago North Shore A – 24 pts
2. Chicago Lions A – 22
3. Legacy Academy – 14
4. Cleveland Coalition – 10
4. Metropolis – 10
5. Cincinnati – 9
5. Chicago North Shore B – 9
6. Dayton Area RC – 8
7. Columbus A – 7
7. Chicago Lions B – 7
8. Columbus B – 5
9. Lexington – 2