MONTREAL, Que. - For the first time in program history, the Guelph Gryphons men's rugby team will play for a national gold medal. Friday evening (Nov. 14, 2025) at the 2025 Canadian University Men's Rugby Championships, the Gryphons defeated the UBC Thunderbirds, 13-7, in a national semifinal matchup in Montreal.

Gryphons team captain Kobe Faust scored Guelph's first try of the day, moments before the halftime whistle, with Tomas Dallan splitting the uprights on the converstion to send Guelph into the locker room tied 7-7 with UBC. In the second half, Kobe Faust would connect on a penalty try in the 55th minute to put Guelph up 10-7. Faust, a fifth-year senior on the Gryphons from Uxbridge, Ontario, would connect on another penalty goal in the 60th minute to push Guelph's lead to 13-7. The Gryphons would hold on from there to secure the 13-7 victory, with Faust named 'Man of the Match.'

With the win, the Gryphons advance to the gold medal match on Sunday (5:30pm). It marks the first time in program history in which the Gryphons have reached the national gold medal final, with this year marking the ninth year of existence of the Canadian University Men's Rugby Championships, which were first launced back in 2017.

"This was a matchup that we had anticipated we might be seeing in a semifinal," says Gryphon head coach Cory Hector, whose Gryphons fell just short vs UBC in last year's national bronze medal game. "It fees like it has been a long time coming, but to finally get one over them, we're proud of the guys. And now we get to go play for our best-ever finish."

Guelph's previous best result at the national championship tournament was 3rd-place (accomplished in both 2022 and 2023). But Friday night's hard-fought victory over UBC guarantees the Gryphons of their best-ever result at the tournament. Guelph will face École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS Piranhas) in the gold medal match on Sunday. 

 

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