The first loss of the season in the Alberta Cup final was tough to swallow for the rugby team that can't win the big game.
"It left a sour taste in your mouth how it ended last year," said Chal Smyth, head coach of the St. Albert men's first division, prior to Thursday's outdoor training session. "My goal is to make sure that we're technically and skill-wise ready to get back into a provincial final and I believe the guys are pretty hungry this year to do it."
After 13 straight wins, the first 15 were upset 24-22 by the Calgary Hornets for provincial honours. The year before in St. Albert's return to the premier ranks, the firsts bowed out in the final 24-10 to the Calgary Saints to finish 13-3-1 overall.
"Last year was a pretty successful season but losing two provincial titles in two years is tough," Smyth said. "You don't win championships in the first five games, it's what happens at the end of the year. Our main goal is to keep building to the end of the year so we have another opportunity to hopefully win a provincial title."
It's now or never for the Alberta Cup pennant winners the last two years after capturing the Lor-Ann Cup second division provincial crown in 2007 with 18 wins in 19 matches.
"We'll see what this club is made of this year," Smyth said.
Veteran line-up
The main core is back from the first 15 that held the opposition to 10 or fewer points six times while posting two shutouts during the team's 13-game winning streak. They also racked up 50 or more points in five wins.
Among the returnees is flanker Kyle Gilmour, the Edmonton Rugby Union's (ERU) MVP in 2009, British import Karim Lynch, the team's rookie of the year playing in the centres, and forwards Brett Kelly, Graham Noren, Edwin Shimenga and Brian Pendlebury, the team's most improved player in 2009.
The status of eight-man Byron Elliott, the team's MVP and scoring leader with 22 tries, is in limbo as the talented Brit cuts through the red tape for another season in St. Albert. Smyth is not counting on Elliott this year but would welcome the big guy back with open arms.
The super-fast Duncan Maguire, rookie of the year for the firsts in 2008, will give the backs a big boost after work commitments forced him to miss last season.
Several newcomers will heat up the competition for starting spots. At scrum-half, veteran Jake Robinson will be challenged by Calgary Irish product Quinn Brophy, who hooked up with St. Albert in late June. The kicking game, the team's major downfall in the final, will also be under intense scrutiny.
"It's my job to go out and fill spots with quality players. Sometimes it's imports and sometimes it's guys from other provinces. Sometimes you get lucky and players from other clubs want to make the move to us because of our success and they want to be a part of it. You also get lucky when guys show up out of the blue," said Smyth, who promised the starters will be on a short leash after last year's shortcomings in the final.
"It's going to take us awhile to get the team together. We do have some imports coming in but they're not going to be here right away because they're going to university in England and Ireland. It will give opportunities to certain guys to step up and fill those spots and say, 'Hey, I want to be in this picture and I what to be named one of the top guys in that specific position.'"
For the second straight year the St. Albert Rugby Football Club will field three men's teams but instead of two squads in the third division one will play thirds and the other will move up into the second division with Gareth Scott as the coach.
"Some guys don't commit until late April so we're hoping some more guys are going to come out," Smyth said. "Realistically, to have the numbers for three teams you're looking at 70 to 80 kids and that's what we had last year. Right now we've seen probably 40 or 50 different kids come out and that's a good start. They don't come out on a regular basis but that's the dynamics of men's league rugby here."
As for the thirds, last year's second 15 settled for second best in the ERU's Visser Cup final for the second year in a row for an overall 10-5 mark after going 11-6-1 in 2008. Both years they were seeded third in the playoffs. The third 15, known as the Exiles, were 5-8 in their inaugural season in the third division.
May 8 lid-lifter
League play for the firsts, seconds and thirds is tentatively slated to kick off at the May 8 tripleheader at the Leading Edge Physiotherapy Field.
"The firsts and seconds are going to be really competitive this year," Smyth said. "As for the thirds they will get a chance to grow and mature because the majority of them will be pretty young kids. It will also give opportunities to guys who really don't want to commit to rugby a chance to play and just be around the club."
Since his arrival in 2008, Smyth has done a remarkable job of transforming the men's program into arguably the very best in Alberta.
"My main goal was to change the culture. The talent was there but I had to change the mentality with what it takes to be a successful club and a successful team. You really have to credit the players. They bought in to my way of thinking. They have basically jumped on board and said, 'Yeah, we need to change and we need to become more professional even though we're an amateur club,'" said the former Druids' player and coach who was the ERU's MVP in 1992 and 1993.
"They work hard in the winter now and they come into the pre-season fit and ready to train. Years ago it was about playing rugby and then drinking. Now there is more of a professional side of it. It's changed quite a bit in the last three years but I can't take all the credit; the players have to buy into your program and they definitely have."
Last year Smyth was recognized by his peers as the recipient of the Lynn Davies Cup as the ERU's coach of the year.
"My other coaches should be on the plaque also and so should the players because you win and lose as a team and as a family and that's what it's about," said the former Team Canada centre/wing with two caps in 1996 and 1997.
