Robert Paterson 

The Brome Lake Ducks Rugby Club defeated Les Braves de Trois-Rivières by 26-24 to win the Quebec Division II title for 2022. 

The final was a nail biter, as Les Braves missed a penalty kick that would have won the match for them in the last minute of the game. 

Because of COVID, there had been no provincial rugby for two years, so 2022 was a rebuilding season. The club started from scratch in 2022 with a new coach, Charlie Brooks. The Ducks created a pool of 35 players that gave the team a game roster of 22. In rugby you have to field 15 players. The team won ten games and lost only one. 

Charlie Brooks, who had won ‘player of the match’ in the last rugby final before COVID, also played in every game for the full 80 minutes. 

Rugby in Brome Lake has a long history and strong local support. The teams have often been filled with brothers, fathers and co- workers. Their mothers, sisters, girlfriends and wives often play for the women’s teams. Next year, the Ducks will re-launch the women’s team. Training for 2023 begins in a few weeks.