KINGSTON, Ont. - On Sunday afternoon at Nixon Field in Kingston, the Guelph Gryphons men's rugby team suffered a 13-5 loss to the host Queen's Gaels in the bronze medal match of the 2021 Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship.
For the Gryphons, who entered the tournament as the No. 2-seed after winning the fourth OUA title in program history, the result matches the team's best-ever finish at nationals, with Guelph also having finished 4th back in 2017 at the inaugural Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship.
The Gryphons, who defeated the Calgary Dinos in their quarterfinal matchup back on Wednesday before falling to the Victoria Vikes in the semifinals on Friday, were looking to knock off the Gaels on their home pitch for a second straight time this season after having won in Kingston in the OUA gold medal match back on November 6. The visiting Gryphs gave the host Gaels all they could handle on Sunday afternoon, with
Collin Smibert's try in the 7th minute making it a two-point game. The Gryphons trailed Queen's by just a single try at half (10-5 Queen's), but the Gaels were able to shut down Guelph from there on, with the lone scoring of the second half coming on a penalty convert from Gaels third-year full back Thomas Kirkwood to give Queen's a 13-5 victory.
Colin Lynch was named Guelph's Player of the Game.
CUMRC Bronze Medal Game – Scoring Summary
Queen's 13 – Guelph 15
First Half
QUE – Try, Noah King (Thomas Kirkwood convert) 2' 7-0
GUE – Try, Colin Smibert (Convert unsuccessful) 7' 7-5
QUE – Penalty Convert, Thomas Kirkwood 15' 10-5
Second Half
QUE – Penalty Convert, Thomas Kirkwood 40' 13-5
