Men’s Rugby heads to Fredericton for NB/PEI championship

The coaches of UPEI Men’s Rugby are feeling good about the team’s chances heading into this weekend’s NB/PEI Men’s Rugby League championship. Charles Waddell and Kyle Robertson say the Panthers will hit the road for Fredericton first thing Saturday morning to play University of New Brunswick in Fredericton at 2:30 pm.

“We’ve spent the last two weeks working hard on our defensive structure and organization,” said Waddell. “If we can identify when to press, when to shift, and stop UNB's first-phase attack, I’m very optimistic of our chances.”

If the Panthers win Saturday, they’ll host the Nova Scotia champions the following weekend for the Maritime Championship. The winner of that game is invited to the Canadian University Championship in Guelph, Ontario.

The Panthers finished the regular season with a record of 4-2-0, scoring 245 points and only conceding 119. Mark Lloyd led the charge on offence with 59 points; James Coyle led the team in tries, averaging an impressive one try per game.

Waddell also highlights the regular-season efforts ofBen Whalen, Ben Fradsham, Aidan Smith, and Ryan Cheverie, who all finished the season with three tries a piece. Alex “Meatball” Hall chipped in a further 21 points.

Best of luck in Fredericton! Go Panthers Go!