Former Gee-Gees rugby Canada part of one of Canada’s best threats for the podium
By Austin Stanton
Natasha Watcham-Roy
Women’s rugby sevens
Age: 24
Local Club: uOttawa Gee-Gees
Olympics: First
SCHEDULE
Sat. Aug. 6
CAN vs JPN
10 a.m. ET
CAN vs BRA
3 p.m. ET
Sun. Aug. 7
CAN vs GBR
10 a.m. ET
Quarters
3 p.m. ET
Sun. Aug. 8
Semis
11:30 a.m. ET
Medals
4:30 p.m. ET
Canada is serious about making it on the podium for rugby’s debut at the Olympic Games – right down to employing the secretive “lower-body” injury refrain that comes out during hockey playoff time.
The mystery southern ailments are what hit Natasha Watcham-Roy back-to-back early this season, keeping her out of the Canadian women’s rugby sevens team’s lineup for an extended period.
“It’s not ideal to get long-term injuries,” underlines the past University of Ottawa Gee-Gees captain from Gatineau. “You obviously want to be on the field playing rugby because that is what we’re here to do. But I just looked at it as an opportunity to build skills elsewhere.”
That meant some long hours in the film room since she wasn’t able to do much on-field practicing, other than some light passing drills.
“I watched a lot of video on teams in the World Series and teams we’ll be facing in Rio,” Watcham-Roy outlines. “I think when I stepped back on the field, I was a better rugby player because of it.”
The Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games gold medallist made a triumphant return to the Canadian lineup just in time for the final Women’s Seven Series event of 2016 in France.
Canada captured its second Series title of all time at the late-May event, jumping them into 3rd in this year’s overall standings. The Canadian women have finished 2nd or 3rd all four years of the Series’ existence, leading to the high hopes for Rio.
“We don’t have to change much, we’re just really excited,” Watcham-Roy indicates. “Rugby-wise we’re just getting systems in place and keeping up what we’ve been doing.”
Watcham-Roy began her rugby journey with the Hull Volant before becoming a Gee-Gee. After completing her university career as an All-Canadian and winning bronze for Canada at the 2013 FISU World University Games, the uOttawa health sciences grad continued training and working locally that fall before earning an invitation to join the centralized national team program in Langford, B.C.
Watcham-Roy became a fixture in Canada’s 12-player lineup come 2015, quickly discovering a love for the fast-paced sevens game, set to be unleashed for the first time in front of an Olympic audience the day after the Opening Ceremonies.
“We’re just so excited to share it with the world and show the skill and pace of the rugby sevens game,” underlines the 24-year-old. “I can’t wait to see what it does to the game in Canada.”
Advice for young aspiring Olympians:
“Work hard every day. I’ve worked my whole life for this, and same with a lot of the girls here, so it’s amazing to see that all the work pays off.”