MONTREAL, Que. – For the first time in men's rugby program history, the Guelph Gryphons are national champions. 

On Sunday night (Nov. 16, 2025) in Montreal, the University of Guelph men's rugby team defeated the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) Piranhas by a final score of 18-13 in the gold medal game of the 2025 Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship. The Gryphons become the first Ontario team in the nine-year history of the Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship to win the Spence McTavish Cup. 

The Gryphons were able to jump out to an early 8-0 lead on the reiging national champions from ÉTS, with the first Guelph try of the night coming from Kal Sager in the 10th minute. Brenden Black put Guelph up 8-0 at the half with a successful penalty try. Guelph would extend their lead in the 34th minute, when All-Canadian Charles Trollip fought his way in for a try to give the Gryphons a 15-0 lead. After the Piranhas made two penalty tries to cut the deficit down 15-6, fourth-year Oakville native Brenden Black would make his second penalty try of the game to extend Guelph's lead to 18-6. But ÉTS continued to fight back, with the Piranhas scoring a try in the 52nd minute to make it a one-score game with Guelph clinging to an 18-13 lead. Guelph battled for the final eight minutes of the match, hanging on to their lead as the Piranhas pressed for the tie. A kick out of bounds from Kobe Faust in the final moments would seal the victory for Guelph, with the final whistle marking Guelph's first national title in program history. 

"I couldn't be any prouder of this group," said team captain Kobe Faust post-game. "At the start of the season, we all sat down and we agreed to push and be here at the national final. To be able to come here and knock off UBC in the semi and knock off the hosts in the final, we leave here with massive smiles on our face and the gold medal we were looking and hunting for." 

Guelph's national championship and 1st-place finish bests their previous best result at the national championship tournament when they finished in 3rd-place in 2022 and 2023 . The Gryphons cap off an incredible, undefeated 2025 season, going 6-0 in the OUA regular season, winning the OUA Championship for the fifth straight season and now winning three matches in five days at the 2025 Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship to claim their first national championship in program history. 

Tournament Major Award Winners: 
Player of the Tournament: Kobe Faust (Guelph)
Coach of the Tournament: Cory Hector (Guelph)
Liam Geddes Memorial Award : Owen Williams (Guelph)

Tournament All-Stars (First Team):
1. Eloi Champoux (ETS)
2. Clément Turlan (ETS)
3. Charles Trollip (Guelph)
4. Joe McNulty (UBC)
5. Lucas Ricarde (ETS)
6. Adam Doane (UVic)
7. Brahim Mahmoudi (ETS)
8. Owen Williams (Guelph)
9. Stephen Webb (UBC)
10. Kobe Faust (Guelph)
11. Alex Gamage (UVic)
12. Jules Normandin (ETS)
13. Jacob Ince (Guelph)
14. Jacob Schultz (Guelph)
15. Stanislas Blazkowski (ETS)

Tournament All-Stars (Second Team):
1. Evan Vodarek (UBCO)
2. Alistair Yeomans (Guelph)
3. Jacob blackwood (UBC)
4. Relmu Wilson Valdes (UBC)
5. Quinn Foley (Guelph)
6. Coen Quinn (Queens)
7. Evan Potter (Guelph)
8. Xavi Chrit (ETS)
9. Paul Arditti (ETS)
10. James Clarcke (Dalhousie)
11. Neal Combelasse (ETS)
12. Hunter hamaford (UVic)
13. Antoine Lere (ETS)
14. Kal Sager (Guelph)
15. Brenden Black (Guelph)

 

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