LANGLEY, British Columbia – Trinity Western’s Genaro Gandolfo Brignoli scored on the final play of the match to cap a dramatic come-from-behind victory, as the No. 5 Spartans defeated the No. 7 Queen’s Gaels 27-24 in the fifth-place match at the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship Sunday afternoon at the Willoughby Community Park Stadium at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C.
Scoring for the Spartans were Lynden Duggan with two tries, and Connor Bernardin, and Brignoli with a try each. Matthew Willemse also added a try and two conversions. Daniel Svoboda with two tries, Cameron Lyman, Evan Raymond with a try, and Marcus D’Acre with two converts were the point-getters for the Gaels.
AS IT HAPPENED
Queen’s Lyman opened the scoring at 3:45 to put the Gaels up 5-0. The Spartans Duggan got TWU even with his try at 10:30 to tie the match at 5-5. Queen’s started to take advantage of TWU turnovers and were able to get two consecutive tries. The first by Svobada at 17:20 and the second converted at 24:10 by Raymond to put the Gaels up 17-5. The Spartans took advantage of a penalty kick at 28:40 to cut the Gaels lead to nine points, 17-8. Just before the half ended TWU stole the ball on a lineout and eventually Duggan got his second try of the half to make the score 17-13 for Queen’s at the end of the first half.
Queen’s came out of the break and quickly saw Svobada find the in-goal area, with conversion, to put the Gaels up 24-13 at 35:30. The Spartans continued to struggle with turnovers as the match progressed. But with six minutes remaining, the Spartans started the comeback. TWU’s Bernardin scored a converted try to make it a four-point game with TWU trailing 24-20. With three minutes remaining the Gaels turned over the ball deep in the Spartans’ territory. TWU then used ground and kicking attack to methodically moved the ball down the pitch. Then with the clock past the 60-minute mark, the Spartans Gandolfo Brignoli broke through the line and evaded tackles up the middle of the pitch to score the game-winning try.
First Half
QUE – Try, 10 Cameron Lyman, 3:45, 0-5
TWU – Try, 14 Lynden Duggan, 10:30, 5-5
QUE – Try, 8 Daniel Svoboda, 17:20, 5-10
QUE – Try, 4 Evan Raymond, 24:10, 5-15
QUE – Con, 13 Marcus D’Acre, 14:55, 5-17
TWU – PK, 10 Matthew Willemse, 28:40, 8-17
TWU – Try, 14 Lynden Duggan, 30:00, 13-17
Second Half
QUE – Try, 8 Daniel Svoboda, 34:20, 13-22
QUE – Con, 13 Marcus D’Acre, 35:30, 13-24
TWU – Try, 23 Connor Bernardin, 54:00, 18-24
TWU – Con, 10 Matthew Willemse, 55:20, 20-24
TWU – Try, 6 Genaro Gandolfo Brignoli, 60:00, 25-24
TWU – Con, 10 Matthew Willemse, 60:00, 27-24
Final
Queen’s – 24
Trinity Western – 27
Players of the Match
Queen’s: 9 Adam Doyle
Trinity Western:4 Kin San Sam Tsoi
-TW-
