VANCOUVER, BC – The Guelph Gryphons men's rugby team has secured their best result at a national championship. On Sunday afternoon (Dec. 4) at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver, BC, the Gryphons men's rugby team picked up a thrilling 32-31 victory over the Trinity Western Spartans in the bronze medal match of the 2022 Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship.
The Gryphons 3rd-place finish at this year's national championship tournament is the program's highest finish at the relatively newly created men's rugby national championship event. The 2022 edition of the Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship marks the 5th playing of the tournament, which first took place back in 2017. Prior to this year's bronze medal finish, the Gryphons previous best result in the eight-team tournament was 4th (something they accomplished twice, in 2017 and 2021). And the first national podium finish for the Gryphons came in dramatic fashion.
Both the Gryphons and the Spartans scored five tries apiece on Sunday in a pulsating encounter that saw the lead change seven times as the Gryphons made up for last year's bronze medal game heartache with the victory. The Spartans had a chance to win it after Ethan Jurgeneit's second try of the afternoon as time expired. Matt Willemse lined up for the conversion but pulled his kick to the left to give the OUA champs the win and the medal. After a cagey opening few minutes, the game exploded into life with a series of tries and lead changes.
Guerschom Mukendi went over for an unconverted Guelph try in the 9th minute but their lead was to last less than two minutes as Lynden Duggan picked up a kick and tore up the left wing to go over for the tying try.
Willemse kicked the conversion to give the Spartans their first lead of the afternoon. The Gryphons stormed back and
Aidan Vachon went over the line from close in the 16th minute for Guelph's second try of the half.
Kobe Faust made no mistake with the conversion then kicked a penalty five minutes later to make it a two score game. Trinity Western got one of those scores back in the 24th minute when Jurgeneit took a short pass and drove over the line for a try, which Willemse converted, and that was how the teams went in at the half.
The Spartans came out strong to start the second and nearly broke through on a couple of occasions but were thwarted by a resolute Gryphons defensive display. The B.C. side finally got their reward in the 36th minute when the ball came out to Connor Bernardin on the left wing and he put on a burst of speed to go over for the go-ahead try, which Willemse was unable to convert.
Trinity Western weren't allowed to enjoy their lead for long as Guelph went back ahead four minutes later after quickly recycling the ball and getting it out to
Brenden Black, who carried it over and touched down in the middle of the in-goal affording Faust the easy conversion for the Gryphons to go back ahead by three. Three minutes later though and the Spartans were back in front after a nice passing move saw Duggan go over for his second try of the afternoon, which Willemse converted. Guelph responded once again with Michael McCartney carrying over the try line. Faust's conversion attempt just missed to the outside of the right upright to give the Gryphons the narrowest of leads by a single point with 10 minutes left to play. That lead increased to six points in the 55th minute with
Owen Williams' unconverted try, setting up the thrilling conclusion of Jurgeneit's last ditch try and Willemse's missed conversion, to give the Gryphons the win by a solitary point.
The Gryphons week in Vancouver was bookended by a pair of thrilling wins, with U of G
starting the week with a last-second win over Memorial in the quarterfinals before closing out the tournament with the memorable bronze medal win over Trinity Western. The Gryphons, who were crowned OUA champions back on Nov. 13, the fifth conference title in program history, now have the first national medal in program history.
Cam Hurst was named Player of the Game for Guelph, with Duggan getting the honour for Trinity Western.
GUELPH 32 | TRINITY WESTERN 31
First Half
GUE - Try,
Guerschom Mukendi (convert unsuccessful) 9' 5-0
TWU - Try, Lynden Duggan (Matt Willemse convert) 11' 5-7
GUE - Try,
Aidan Vachon (
Kobe Faust convert) 16' 12-7
GUE - Penalty Convert,
Kobe Faust 21' 15-7
TWU - Try, Ethan Jurgeneit (Matt Willemse convert) 24' 15-14
Second Half
TWU - Try, Connor Bernardin (convert unsuccessful) 36' 15-19
GUE - Try,
Brenden Black (
Kobe Faust convert) 40' 22-19
TWU - Try, Lynden Duggan (Matt Willemse convert) 43' 22-26
GUE - Try, Michael McCartney (convert unsuccessful) 49' 27-26
GUE - Try,
Owen Williams (convert unsuccessful) 55' 32-26
TWU - Try, Ethan Jurgeneit (convert unsuccessful) 60' 32-31
Canadian University Rugby Championship Tournament All-Stars
1st Team Tournament All-Stars:
Ethan Jurgeneit - TWU
Jacob Bossi - UBC
Conor O'Flaherty - UBC
Brad Hunger - McGill
Izzak Kelly - UBC
Taine Clague - Victoria
Dylan Digirolamo - Laurier
Relmu Wilson-Valdes - UBC
Jack Carson - UBC
Monty Weatherall - McGill
Brenden Black - Guelph
Alexander Armstrong - McGill
Takoda McMullin - UBC
Jonas Robinson - Victoria
Matt Willemse - TWU
2nd Team Tournament All-Stars:
Joshua Tweed - UBC
Seth Klassen - TWU
Denver Fatt - Victoria
Hillyard Carson - UBC
Ayo Ogunlade - Victoria
Matthew Murphy - Memorial
Nate Schroeder - TWU
Cameron Hurst - Guelph
Tony Pomroy - Memorial
Keegan Neary - Calgary
Kobe Faust - Guelph
Jacob Ince - Guelph
