Rang honoured to add football title to rugby success

Vicki Rang headed Guernsey into a first-half lead against Jersey

Vicki Rang says she is honoured to have helped Guernsey to both rugby and football wins over Jersey.

Having been part helped Guernsey's rugby side beat Jersey in 2019 she scored the opening goal in a 2-0 victory as the Sarnian women beat their old rivals in the Muratti Vase for the first time in 16 years on Saturday.

"I've played football and then I did rugby and football, and then rugby for a bit and then back to football and it's just an honour each time when you go out and realise what you're doing," Rang told BBC Radio Guernsey.

"You're representing your island, you are inspiring future generations, you're trying your hardest and on a personal level you're doing what you love. To get a win is what you go out there for."

Guernsey had not won against their biggest rivals since 2008 - a match the experienced Rang also played in.

Since then they had lost 10 successive games including an 8-0 defeat in 2010 and a 7-0 loss in 2015 with a record 9-0 reversal a year later.

The 2018 and 2019 games were not contested as Guernsey could not field a side, while Covid meant they did not face Jersey again until 2022, when they were beaten 5-0 at Springfield before a 4-1 loss at home last year.

But the introduction of Guernsey FC's women's side, who have played cup games in England and won Jersey's domestic cup, the Colin Welsh Trophy, earlier this month, has seen an improvement in the island side.

"For some of the girls that were involved in 2008, it really was an emotional day and about time," Rang added.

"It's a long time when you're just going out losing but this year we have been so prepared, so many games prior to the Muratti and learning to play as a squad with a really fantastic coaching team behind us, so it's a really lovely place to be.

"The gap closed over the last few years and this year we were still the underdogs but I don't think there was much in it. I think we were a bit more clinical and we managed to finish the end product.

"This one has been a long time coming."