The Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres girls rugby team completed an undefeated 10-0 regular season in league play and captured the provincial 15s championship in Brandon this past weekend, cementing a historic run for the program.
The Sabres defeated the defending champion Dauphin Clippers 31-22 on June 6 at John Reilly Field. Star player Elenoa Kaukirewa led the way with two tries and three converts in the final, a performance that capped her commitment to continue her rugby career at Trinity Western University.
The Brandon Sun reported that “The defending provincial champion Clippers fell 31-22 to the Steinbach Sabres in the provincial final.” The Clippers had won the previous three provincial titles.
The team heads next to the Winnipeg High School Rugby League Finals on June 10 at Maple Grove Rugby Park, where they will play for a third straight league championship. The Sabres have dominated the league in recent years, capturing the title in 2024, 2025, and now looking for the 2026 crown.
The Sabres wrapped up their regular season with a 28-15 win over SJR, finishing a perfect 10-0. Tries came from Skyler Munyololo-Muganza, Ciara O’Connor, Hannah Godlewski, and Mirlande Kehler. The program expanded this season to add 15s and 10s formats to its traditional sevens, and the transition paid off immediately. The team won the 15s city championship on May 26, beating Springfield 103-0, and took their home sevens tournament on May 29 at A.D. Penner Park. Earlier this spring, the Sabres travelled to Calgary and won the Clearwater Cup, recovering from an opening loss to go undefeated the rest of the tournament.
Head coach Tahnee Grosskopf, who started the rugby program in 2017, has guided the Sabres to multiple championships and growing recognition across Manitoba.
