REDS Rugby Claims Bronze

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS men’s rugby team was able to capture the bronze medal at the Atlantic University Men’s Rugby Championship, thanks to some final minute heroics from captain Sterling MacKendrick, in a 24-20 victory over the UPEI Panthers, on Sunday.

“It’s a great feeling to finish that way,” said MacKendrick. “It was a battle back and forth, and UPEI came at us hard today. But I thought we played a great team game, battled hard at the end and were able to punch one.”

This game was an intense battle between two evenly matched squads who battled for possession through the match.

UNB was able to get on the board first, on of a nice hand off which setup Walker Harper for a try.

UPEI would answer back with a try of their own to even the score at 5-5 with both teams missing the kick converts.

The Panthers then took advantage of a string of possessions and were able to use an exchange off of a scrum to jump ahead to a 10-5 lead after another missed convert.

Not to be outdone, UNB used a kick from Caleb Pounds in Panthers territory to cause a turnover near the try line. Setting up Sebastien Denamur for the UNB try. Pounds would make the convert to give UNB the 12-10 lead heading into halftime.

The second half saw both teams battling for possession and holding each other’s offenses at bay. 

The Panthers would be the first to strike in the second half, off an early try to claim a 15-12 lead after a missed kick.

UNB would then hold a lengthy possession in Panther territory, and while UPEI was able to hold off multiple UNB attempts, a costly yellow card in the try zone set up a Devon Burt try giving UNB the 19-15 lead after Pounds converted his second kick of the match, setting the stage for an exciting final few minutes. 

The Panthers would reclaim the ball near UNB territory, and after a couple of costly penalties and a yellow card against UNB, were able to score a try to push the lead to 20-19 lead with a minute left on the clock.

With one final push UNB was able to get the ball back and move it down the field. With the Panthers conceding a penalty, UNB had one final play.

That’s when Sheldon MacRae tipped a pass to MacKendrick who was able to drive past three UPEI players to run in the try and secure the UNB win on the final play of the game.

“I was very proud of the boys in those final minutes,” said MacKendrick. “We stayed calm in those final minutes and just kept playing our game. We knew there was still time on the clock, and we made sure to keep the ball in play and were able find a way to win at the end.”  

After a rebuilding year for the squad, UNB was happy to come out with a medal.”

“This year has been a rebuilding year for our program, and we have come quite a long way, with many first-year players joining the A-side ranks to compete at this level,” said UNB head coach Nik Wood. “We have given significant focus this season to building positive team culture and brotherhood, and as a club agreed to the prospect of playing in the senior men’s league to harden ourselves as we look to develop a competitive program not only in the Atlantic but with our eyes on the national competition.”

UNB will now set their sights on the Maritime University B-Side final, Sunday, against Mount Allison, before wrapping up the season with the Maritime University Final, in two weeks, against the champion team from Nova Scotia.

RECAP BY: Evan Richtsfeld/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Lauren Tidd/for UNB Athletics