GUELPH, Ont. – For a program-record fifth consecutive season, the Guelph Gryphons are OUA champions in men's rugby. Thursday night (Nov. 6) in front of 1,103 fans at the University of Guelph's Varsity Field, the Gryphons poured in 31 points in the 2nd half to pull away from the visiting Queen's Gaels, with Guelph winning 43-21 to hoist the Turner Trophy for a fifth straight year. It is the eighth OUA title in program history for the Gryphons (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2016, 1998, 1974).
After a tight opening half of play, which saw Guelph leading 12-7 at the break, a flurry of tries early in the 2nd half would help the Gryphons take control of the 2025 OUA title game. Guelph scored three tries in a six-minute span, with
Logan Cako,
Owen Williams and
Dylan Shaw, all touching down to turn a 12-7 game into a commanding 24-7 lead for the Gryphons. Gryphons fourth-year standout 8-man,
Owen Williams, helped lead the way, with the OUA All-Star recording three tries on the night en route to being named 'Player of the Game.'
Thursday night's matchup marked the third straight season, and fourth time in the past five years, in which Queen's and Guelph have met up in the OUA gold medal game. In the past 13 years, the OUA title in men's rugby has been won by either Queen's or Guelph (with Guelph having now won 6 OUA titles since 2012, and Queen's having won 7). Guelph also becomes the first OUA team to win five straight OUA titles since the Queen's Gaels won 6 in a row from 1986-1991.
"Full credit to Queen's, they made that game close and forced us to dig deep," says Gryphons head coach
Cory Hector, who was named the 2025 OUA Coach of the Year and who has now led the Gryphons to six OUA titles (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 & 2016) in his 10 years in charge. "The start of that second half, we were really able to open it up, and the impact from our players off the bench was incredible. What stands out with this 2025 team is the tremendous veteran leadership. Their calm demeanor, their attention to detail, and their ability to push those around them has been outstanding. But on top of our veteran leadership, we also have a really impressive youth movement in the squad, with three first-year players dressing today, several impact second-year players, it's inspiring for the future of the program."
The immediate future for the Gryphons men's rugby program is in Montreal, where both Queen's and Guelph will be heading for the 2025 Canadian University Men's Rugby Championships (Nov. 12-16).
2025 OUA Men's Rugby Championship Game | Scoring Summary | Queen's Gaels @ Guelph Gryphons
Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025 (University of Guelph – Varsity Field – Guelph, ON)
| Minute |
School |
Type of Score |
Player |
Convert Good? |
Updated Score |
| 6' |
Guelph |
Try |
8 Owen Williams |
No good |
Guelph 5 | Queen's 0 |
| 12' |
Queen's |
Try |
6 Coen Quinn |
Yes (Adam Stander) |
Guelph 5 | Queen's 7 |
| 36' |
Guelph |
Try |
8 Owen Williams |
Yes (Tomas Dallan) |
Guelph 12 | Queen's 7 |
| Halftime |
|
|
|
|
|
| 44' |
Guelph |
Try |
9 Logan Cako |
Yes (Tomas Dallan) |
Guelph 19 | Queen's 7 |
| 47' |
Guelph |
Try |
8 Owen Williams |
No good |
Guelph 24 | Queen's 7 |
| 50' |
Guelph |
Try |
1 Dylan Shaw |
No good |
Guelph 29 | Queen's 7 |
| 54' |
Queen's |
Try |
8 Tao Nichol |
Yes (Adam Stander) |
Guelph 29 | Queen's 14 |
| 58' |
Guelph |
Try |
23 Josh Henry |
Yes (Brenden Black) |
Guelph 36 | Queen's 14 |
| 67' |
Queens |
Try |
8 Tao Nichol |
Yes (Marcus Dacre) |
Guelph 36 | Queen's 21 |
| 73' |
Guelph |
Try |
14 Kal Sager |
Yes (Brenden Black) |
Guelph 43 | Queen's 21 |
