SASKATOON – For the first time in team history, the UBC Okanagan Heat men's rugby team are Prairie U Champions after winning the conference title on Sunday, October 27 as they posted a 12-5 victory over the University of Alberta in the gold medal match at the Saskatoon Rugby Clubhouse.
After winning their semifinal match 29-24 over Mount Royal University the day prior, the Heat broke through for their first conference banner, winning a defensive battle against Alberta with a gutsy effort in their second game of the weekend.
"I am incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication this group has shown this season," commented Heat head coach
Dan Haynes after the victory. "It is thanks to their buy in, and the coaching staff we have assembled this season, that this season's team has found success on and off the field. I am looking forward to taking this group to Ottawa in the coming week where they will take on the best teams in the country. This is a fantastic time to be an active or past member of the Heat rugby family."
UBCO opened the scoring five minutes into the first half thanks to a try from leading scorer
Jack McCallum of Bishopbriggs, Scotland.
That scoreline would hold over the next 55 minutes of the match as the two teams battled for position on the pitch.
Finally, in the 60
th minute, the Heat would break through onto the scoreboard with another try and once again it was McCallum finding his way for the score.
Nathan Holmes of Edmonton would hit the conversion to give UBCO a 12-0 lead.
Five minutes later, Alberta would break their goose egg as they found the try line, but failed to hit the conversion, leaving them trailing by seven.
From there, the Heat would hold off Alberta to capture the first championship in team history.
With the win, UBCO qualifies for their first-ever appearance in the Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship, which is set to run from November 13-17 in Ottawa. The top eight men's rugby teams in the country will battle for Canadian supremacy in the seventh iteration of the tournament that was launched in 2017.
