MONTREAL -- Martin Laval, a native of Hong Kong, scored a game-high 15 points as McGill hung on for a 30-24 thriller over the visiting ETS Piranhas in a men's rugby first-place showdown between the top two teams in the RSEQ conference at Percival Molson Stadium, Sunday.

Both sides had entered the contest with identical 4-1 records and two games remaining.before playoffs. McGill, which improved to 5-1, now holds a slim three-point lead over Bishop's (4-2) and will host the Gaiters for the pennant in the regular season finale on Oct. 23.

With the victory, McGill now sits five points ahead of ETS (4-2), on the strength of five bonus points, which are awarded for scoring at least four tries in a game or losing by less than seven points.

Laval, a 20-year-old mathematics junior who plays outside centre, scored one try, added a pair of penalty kicks and two conversions.

McGill's other try scorers were senior Alex Pantis of Beaconsfield, Que., and Jack Tucker, a mechanical engineering senior from Toronto

The game also appeared to promise a head-to-head battle between the conference's two leading scorers.

McGill's Monty Weatherall was held to one penalty kick and a conversion. The fourth-year fly-half from England now has 63 points in six games and is tied for the scoring title with Tom Saurin of ETS. But Saurin was kept out of the lineup, presumably due to injury.

The third-place Piranhas will close out their regular season schedule by hosting sixth-place Montreal (2-4-0) on Oct. 22.

GAME STATS

RSEQ STANDINGS

RSEQ SCORING LEADERS

SCORING SUMMARY
McGill 30, ETS 24
 
First half:

1. McG: Monty Weatherall (Penalty kick) 10' (McGill leads 3-0)
2. McG: Jack Tucker (TRY; converted by Monty Weatherall) 13' (McGill leads 10-0)
3. ETS: Mathis Goujon (TRY; converted by Paul Arditti) 19' (McGill leads 10-7)

Second Half:

4. McG: Martin Laval (TRY; converted by Martin Laval) 43' (McGill leads 17-7)
5. ETS: Paul Arditti (Penalty kick) 54' (McGill leads 17-10)
6. ETS: Brahim Mahmoudi (TRY; converted by Paul Arditti) 58' (score tied 17-17)
7. McG: Martin Laval (penalty kick) 65' (McGill leads 20-17)
8. McG: Alexander Pantis (TRY; converted by Martin Laval) 69' (McGill leads 27-17)
9. McG: Martin Laval (penalty kick) 77' (McGill leads 30-17)
10. ETS: Mathis Goujon (TRY; converted by Paul Arditti) 78' (McGill wins 30-24)

 
SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca