34th RugbyFest takes over Rothesay Netherwood School in New Brunswick

It was a windy and wet weekend in Rothesay, N.B., but that didn’t dampen any spirits for teams taking the pitch at the 34th RugbyFest.

It was a windy and wet weekend in Rothesay, N.B., but that didn’t dampen any spirits for more than 30 boys and girls teams taking the pitch at the 34th RugbyFest.

Hosted by Rothesay Netherwood School, this year’s tournament saw teams from 17 schools travel to southern New Brunswick to kick off the start of the high school rugby season. On top of the New Brunswick squads, there were teams from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Ontario competing.

The three-day event featured both 7s and 15s rugby games in various divisions.

“People love it as there’s such a tradition here,” says tournament director David Shiels. “34 years and the players that have played in this, they are now coaches and they’re bringing their teams back. I guess these people have had such a great experience that they keep coming back safe.”

Shiels says RugbyFest is the biggest sporting event the school hosts each year. He says the event wouldn’t be possible without staff and students, many of whom volunteer their time over the weekend to ensure the tournament’s success.

Jamie Gray has been the coach at Rothesay Netherwood for the past 19 seasons. He played in some of the first RugbyFests’ in the 1990’s when the tournament only had four teams. Now Gray says they have a waitlist, especially since losing field space to construction since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We try our best to be fair and make sure as many people get in as they can,” Gray said. “Sometimes teams don’t get in one year, but they get into next year because we want to make sure everybody has a chance to be here for the event.”

For Rothesay Netherwood seniors and team captains Anders Barbour and Harlan Eustace, getting to host a top-level tournament on their home field is a perfect way to start the season.

“It’s really special to see everyone kind of come in,” says Barbour. “We’re a small Atlantic Canadian school, but we’ve got a lot of heart and soul in our campus and our community, and it’s very special to see the community come together to put something on like this.”

Eustace says rugby is special because of the unrivaled comradery.“

Every scrum and stuff we shake hands,” Eustace says. “Everyone kind of respects each other out their because they know rugby is a tough sport. It’s a big battle, but everyone enjoys it.

Two Ontario schools are bringing multiple teams to RugbyFest in preparation for the OFSSA season because of the tournament’s reputation.

Kirk Wilson is the coach of I.E. Weldon Secondary School’s girls 15s teams, who won their division. He says the long bus ride is worth a little more after the team won a banner but rugby is only a small piece of the experience for his team.

“I think they’ve had a plethora of fun,” says Wilson. “They’ve developed new friendships, leadership skills, and they’ve learned a lot along the way.”

He credits the school for putting on a top-rated tournament.

“That’s why we continue to come back,” says Wilson. “We’re treated well. I love the Maritimes. It’s just a well-organized place, and [they] put on a fantastic job.”

RugbyFest is a New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association (NBIAA) sanctioned event. Full results from the three-day tournament can be found Rothesay Netherwood School website.

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