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Miller gains Team BC experience

Eleven Salmon Arm Secondary rugby players cracked the rosters of their respective provincial Okanagan regional teams this past August
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Brooke Miller

Eleven Salmon Arm Secondary rugby players cracked the rosters of their respective provincial Okanagan regional teams this past August.

Jewel Rugby players Brooke Miller, Krystine Hamre, and Avia Latosky made the U18 team, and Zaela Roberge made the U16 team.

Brandon Samford, Perry Quodravu, and Hunter Lampreau made the U18 team and Skylar Bailey, Devin Steiner, Eric Bruce, and Ryder Fortes made the U16 team.

In the provincial tournament, the Okanagan girls played their way to a bronze-medal showing and the boys finished fifth overall, in a tough division.

James Cookson and Danny Hughes, coaches of the SAS Rugby team, were very proud of the local players  who made it to the regional teams and competed at the province’s highest level.

Miller’s exceptional play caught the attention of the U18 Team BC at the tournament and was invited to play two games for her province against Team USA’s U18 squad at Brentwood College.

Miller is known for her speed and being able to break through almost any tackle, which led to her playing on the wing.

Unfortunately Team BC could not contain the bigger and stronger American team and lost the first match,  leaving Team BC shell-shocked.

Team BC had one day of rest to recoup before their second go at Team USA.

Again at Brentwood College, Team BC took on the goliath task of facing Team USA.

The visitors walked away with another win, but Team BC made it closer as they were able to score 12 against their rivals.

“I played both games on the wing and had an incredible experience with such a talented team,” said Miller.

In Miller’s experience she had already faced two players of Team USA at the Fullerton Rugby Tournament in California last March, while touring with the Yeti Rugby Club.

These games also provided Rugby Canada with the opportunity to see the B.C. players in action with an eye on Canada’s plans to name a U18 national team in the near future.