(With a submitted file)
Belleville’s Sara Svoboda scored her first try in international women’s rugby competition for Canada.
It came in a 26-19 loss to England on Saturday in London.
With Canada down 10-0 in the first half, Svoboda charged down an attempted home team clearing kick deep in the England end. Gathering the ball, Svoboda fended off a tackle to touch down in goal for her first try in 23 games in a Canadian jersey.
Svoboda, starting at open-side flanker for Canada, and her teammates played the bulk of the game with 14 players after a Canadian forward was dealt a straight red card for head contact on a high tackle early in the first half. Despite being down one player, a gritty Canadian side did not make things easy for the world No. 1-ranked English, playing their second straight match on home soil.
The 28-year-old Svoboda plays professional club rugby in England for the Loghborough Lightning. She is a graduate of Centennial Secondary School.
Canada now prepares for the World XV set to start Oct. 21 in New Zealand with the top six women’s teams set to compete in a round-robin tournament:
Canada is seeded 4th behind England, New Zealand and France. Australia and Wales round out the top six.
