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Women's rugby finds permanent home in Langford

Rugby Canada is building a new high-performance facility at the Canadian Rugby Centre of Excellence in Langford.
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Rugby Canada National 7s players Nadia Popov


Women on the National 7s rugby team are training in Saanich while the men's team is training out of Rugby Canada head office at Westhills stadium, but not for long.

Rugby Canada is building a new high-performance facility at the Canadian Rugby Centre of Excellence in Langford.

When the new facility is completed, at the end of 2014,  the women will begin to train there too.

"It's great and will help us to build the culture between the athletes, administration and staff," said Megan Gibbs, National 7s player.

Gibbs along with many of her teammates started playing rugby in high school and never looked back.

"Women's rugby is definitely growing," said Gibbs adding with the new Belmont secondary school being built nearby the new facility may encourage more teens into the sport.

The new facility will include a high-performance gym, medical facility, video analysis suite and six residential apartments for short-term athletes, among several other new and key features.

The stadium will enhance the training options for both the national mens' and women's' teams who are both preparing for the World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The new facility will be built across the road from the current Rugby Canada office on Glen Lake Road at Westhills Stadium.

"Every time I come to this community there is always something exciting going on," said Graham Brown, CEO Rugby Canada. "At the end of the day Rugby Canada is here to support our athletes."