A Cut Above the Rest

In every team sport there is one—or a few—outstanding players that perform above the rest. Sometimes these players can tip the scale by creating a concrete defence or scoring multiple times with their overbearing offensive skills. For example, in American football, the blindside of the quarterback needs to be protected in order to complete a pass. This responsibility falls on the left tackle. In rugby—unlike American football—all positions have defensive and offensive roles, but the forwards are the first line of defence. They make the key tackles to stop the opposition from gaining ground. When on the attack, the forwards create openings for the other positions in the backline to score tries.

According to Rugby Dome, the positions that scored the most tries during the 2019 World Cup were the wings (numbers 11 and 14), the scrumhalf (number 9), the outside center (number 13), and the fullback (number 15). During the casual military rugby competitions between the different companies and branches the wings and the outside center scored the majority of the tries. The forwards would bring the ball to the center and create an opening for the backs to score. Their speed and agility were better than the rest, which allowed them to avoid the opposition’s defenders. There was one particular player who consistently outperformed not only the opposing team but also his teammates. His tenacity and skills carried the team to victory on multiple occasions.

At the 2022 Women’s Rugby World Cup, Emily Tuttosi proved herself to be a cut above the rest. The Canadian International Rugby Team—the Canucks’—hooker has consecutively scored multiple tries in her recent games. In a sport where the tries are scored more frequently by the backs, Tuttosi, a forward, continues to score multiple tries against the opposition. During the opening matches of RWC 2022, Tuttosi, with the support of her fellow forwards, scored a hat trick against Japan. In her previous matches the hooker had only crossed the try line twice, but in Canada’s match against the Japanese team, she was able to score five tries, which contributed to the defeat of Japan, 41-5.

Tuttosi’s winning streak continued on to the Canucks’ recent match with Italy with a winning score of 22-12. Out of the four tries Canada scored that day, the Canadian hooker scored two of them. Sophie de Goede, the Canucks captain was proud and impressed by her forward pack. She said that her forwards were technically sound and both powerful and athletic. Canada’s recent victories has guaranteed them a position in the upcoming quarter finals of the Womens Rugby World Cup. Tuttosi may continue her winning streak and carry her team to the finals.

SOURCES Japan Times |  Rugby Dome

Vocabulary List

Word Frequency