VANCOUVER, BC – Flyhalf Takoda McMullin scored 13 points and Alaistair Marshall tallied a pair of tries as UBC defeated McGill 48-5 to capture the Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship for the fourth time in five years, before more than 1,000 fans at Thunderbirds Stadium.
 
Freshman Alexandre Laurendeau, an industrial relations major from Ormstown, Que., tallied the lone McGill try as the Redbirds lineup collected a silver medal, the highest finish ever by a Quebec institution. The McGill club also received the Jeff Chan Spirit of Rugby Team Award for demonstration of the spirit, values, and culture of the game of rugby, including respect for their opponents and the officials, competitiveness, and good sportsmanship over the course of the CUMRC tournament.

The Thunderbirds, who featured a number of national team players, had an estimated 300-pound weight advantage over McGill in the scrum. UBC qualified for the final after 53-0 and 37-17 victories over Calgary and Guelph, respectively.
 
McGill, meanwhile, had advanced to the final in the wake of a 23-22 quarter-final win over Laurier and a 17-11 conquest over Trinity Western. Reaching the gold medal game – for the first time in its two trips to Nationals – was another historical milestone for the McGill program, currently celebrating its 150th year of existence.

The Thunderbirds got on board early with a pair of unconverted tries, one from Relmu Wilson-Valdes four minutes in, followed by another from Tenniel Cowen in the 11th minute to double the lead to 10-0. Both kicks were missed by McMullin.

Jack Carson, who was named player of the game for UBC, added to that lead six minutes later, collecting the ball 40 yards out and sprinting through the McGill line to touch down between the posts. McMullin made his first conversion in three attempts to give the Thunderbirds a 17-0 advantage.

McMullin then added a penalty kick from close in with two minutes remaining before halftime as UBC held what appeared to be an unassailable 20-0 lead into the intermission break.

After the restart, UBC took 56 seconds to add to their tally when Izzak Kelly powered through and McMillan converted for a 27-0 advantage. Three minutes later, substitute Alastair Marshall scored his first try, holding off several McGill tackles on a 40-yard run. McMullin converted to give his side a 34-0 lead.

Marshall went over for another converted UBC try in the 40th minute, but the Redbirds fought back with 10 minutes remaining when they stole the ball back and Alexandre Laurendeau, the RSEQ conference rookie of the year, scampered 21 yards to the right corner for a try. Monty Weatherall was just wide on the conversion attempt, for what was only his second miss of the season.

With three minutes remaining, UBC won a line-out deep in the McGill half and Callum Arnesen came out quickly with the ball to touch down for the Thunderbirds' final try, which McMullin converted.

Zachary Auger, an international development studies senior from Ottawa, was named player of the game for McGill. Three members of the Redbirds were named to the All-Tournament first-team all-stars, including team captain Monty Weatherall of Amersham, England, Brad Hunger, a junior from Beaconsfield, Que., and Alexander Armstrong, an economics junior from Hadlow, England, who was injured in the game and accepted his honour on crutches.

McGill senior Owen Cumming was one of eight laureates to receive a Lt. Colonel W.D.C. Holmes Award, which includes a $500 bursary.

McGill concluded a stellar season with a 10-2 record overall, while UBC was 10-3.

The championship game marked the final contest for at least a dozen seniors who are expected to graduate. That group includes club co-presidents Owen Cumming and Peter Demers, captain Monty Weatherall, Alex Pantis, Liam Pantis, Henry Carr, Gaspard Poiré, Zachary Auger, Jacob "Jack" Davidson, Noah LeFrancois, Jack Preston, and Philippe Robinson.

CANADIAN UNIVERSITY MEN'S RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP
(GOLD MEDAL GAME, Dec. 4/22)
 
SCORING SUMMARY
Calgary 48, McGill 5
 
FIRST HALF:

1. UBC: Caden Wilson TRY (convert missed by Takoda McMullin), 4' (UBC 5-0)
2. UBC: Tenniel Cowan TRY (convert missed by Takoda McMullin), 11' (UBC 10-0)
3. UBC: Jack Carson TRY (converted by Takoda McMullin), 17' (UBC 17-0)
4. UBC: Takoda McMullin PENALTY KICK (14 yards), 18' (UBC 20-0)

 
SECOND HALF:

5. UBC: Izzak Kelly TRY (converted by Takoda McMullin), 31' (UBC 27-0)
6. UBC: Alastair Marshall TRY (converted by Takoda McMullin), 34' (UBC 34-0)
7. UBC: Alastair Marshall TRY (converted by Takoda McMullin), 40' (UBC 41-0)
8. McG: Elliot Descarreaux (YELLOW CARD), 45'
9. McG: Alex Laurendeau TRY (convert missed by Monty Weatherall), 50' (UBC 41-5)
10. UBC: Raymond Chou (YELLOW CARD), 53'
11. UBC: Callum Arneson TRY (convert made by Max Abercrombie), 57' (UBC 48-5)

 
(UBC wins 4th national championship in 5 years)

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS
 
 First Team

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
Brendon Black - Guelph
Alexander Armstrong - McGill
Takoda McMullin - UBC
Jonas Robinson - Victoria
Matt Willemse - TWU

Second Team

Joshua Tweed - UBC
Seth Klassen - TWU
Denver Fatt - Victoria
Hillyard Carson - UBC
Ayo Ogunlade - Victoria
Matthew Murphy - Memorial
Nate Schroeder - TWU
Cam Hurst - Guelph
Tony Pomroy - Memorial
Keegan Neary - Calgary
Kobe Faust - Guelph
Jacob Ince - Guelph
Ethan Berry - UBC
Lynden Duggan - TWU
Ethan Hager - Victoria

OTHER AWARDS

Liam Geddes Memorial Award (Tournament's most outstanding back row player): Reimu Wilson-Valdes, UBC

Jeff Chan Spirit of Rugby Team Award (for sportsmanship): McGill Redbirds

Lt. Colonel W.D.C. Holmes Awards ($500):
James Bliss, UBC
Owen Cumming, McGill
Collin Smibert, Guelph
Erik Nieburh, Trinity Western
Jonas Robinson, Victoria
Lucas Shortall, Memorial
Peter Wright, Calgary
Dylan Di Girolamo, Laurier


TOURNAMENT PROGRAM:
The official program of the 2022 CUMRC including all team rosters (PDF)

TOURNAMENT WEBSITE:
https://gothunderbirds.ca/sports/2022/9/14/2022-canadian-university-mens-rugby-championships.aspx

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE & RESULTS:

Wednesday, Nov. 30
Quarter-final 1 - Trinity Western 23, Victoria 22 - Game Recap/Scoring Summary 
Quarter-final 2 - Guelph 28, Memorial 22 - Game Recap/Scoring Summary 
Quarter-final 3 - UBC 53, Calgary 0 - Game Recap/Scoring Summary
Quarter-final 4 - McGill 23, Laurier 22  - Game Recap/Scoring Summary

Friday, Dec. 2
Consolation Semifinal 1: Victoria 36, Laurier 12 - Game Recap/Scoring Summary 
Consolation Semifinal 2: Memorial 29, Calgary 14 - Game Recap/Scoring Summary
Championship Semifinal 1: UBC 37, Guelph 17  - Game Recap/Scoring Summary
Championship Semifinal 2: McGill 17, Trinity Western 11 - Game Recap/Scoring Summary

Sunday, Dec. 4
7th place game - Calgary 20, Laurier 12 - Game Recap/Scoring Summary
5th place game - Victoria 52, Memorial 15 - Game Recap/Scoring Summary
Bronze Medal Game - Guelph 32, TWU 31 - Game Recap/Scoring Summary
Gold Medal Game - UBC 48, McGill 5 -


SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman, McGill Sports Info Office
Michael McColl, UBC Sports info Office