GUELPH, Ont. – One team is looking to defend their OUA title. The other is looking to make school history in search of their first conference banner. The 2022 OUA men's rugby season culminates on Sunday afternoon in Guelph. The defending OUA champion Guelph Gryphons men's rugby team sit one win away from what would be the 5th OUA title in program history (1974, 1998, 2016, 2021), as they prepare to host to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks on Sunday, November 13 at the University of Guelph's grass rugby pitch in the 2022 OUA gold medal game. After
winning the 2021 OUA title in Kingston a season ago, the Gryphons now
host an OUA championship game for the first time since 2016,
when they defeated the Queen's Gaels in the second round of penalty kicks to claim the 2016 OUA title in dramatic fashion.
2022 OUA Men's Rugby Championship Game
Guelph Gryphons vs Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Sunday, November 13, 2022 – 1pm
Grass Rugby Pitch | Guelph, ON
The Gryphons secured a spot in Sunday afternoon's championship match thanks to a
36-24 win over the Western Mustangs in the OUA semifinal. The semifinal match, which took place at Alumni Field in London on Sunday, November 6, saw the Gryphons put together a strong performance from start to finish. After opening tries from both teams, the Gryphs would build a 12-point lead in the first half before extending it to 24 late in the second frame solidify the win over the Mustangs. The Gryphons earned a spot in the semifinals after winning a hard-fought game at home against the Brock Badgers in the quarterfinals
where they were able to hold off a late-game comeback attempt from Brock to win 34-33.
The Gryphs were able to build a 34-14 lead early in the second half before the Badgers would find some momentum, ultimately falling just short.
The 2022 OUA final will mark the second time this season the Gryphons and Golden Hawks have met, with the previous meeting coming in the regular season opener back on September 17. In what was a tightly contested match the Gryphs jumped out to a 21-5 lead before Laurier would respond with 19-unasnwered points to take a 24-21 lead at halftime. The second half saw both teams trade scores before Gryphons would seal the deal with a late score to win 38-31.
Laurier, meanwhile, enter the 2022 OUA gold medal match after pulling off a stunning upset in their OUA semifinal matchup. The Golden Hawks knocked off the OUA perennial powerhouse Queen's Gaels at Nixon Field last week by a score of 34-27. The Golden Hawks have never won an OUA title in men's rugby, and will look to pull off another road upset on Sunday. By advancing to the OUA final, both Guelph and Laurier have also booked a spot at nationals, with the 2022 Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship set to take place Nov. 30 - Dec. 4 in Vancouver, British Columbia. But for now, all eyes will be on the University of Guelph's grass rugby pitch on Sunday afternoon, as the Gryphons and Golden Hawks battle for the right to hoist the Turner Trophy as 2022 OUA champions. Kickoff for Sunday's OUA Championship is set for 1pm with tickets on sale now online at
gryphons.ca/tickets.
