Humber’s mens rugby sets new record in 1rst game

Sep 18, 2012 | News

Photo courtesy of Jess Raymond. Humber player Ed Donnely avoids a tackle during a game against Sheridan College. The Hawks went on to set a new scoring record, winning 104-0

By Matt Creed

After breaking their own scoring record in their first game of the season, Humber’s men’s rugby team are setting their sights on a third straight OCAA championship.

“Hopefully it’s a very positive tone to set going forward,” Jason Rice, 22, starting prop on the men’s rugby team and a third year architectural design student told Humber News.

“We have a lot of dedicated players, we have a lot of good returning juniors and a good crop of rookies coming up this year, which is really pushing our team to be better every game,” he said.

The hawks beat Sheridan College, in the first game of the season by a score of 104-0.

The tally beat the previous Ontario College Athletics Association scoring record, also belonging to Humber, which they set on September 24, 2011, in a game against Fleming College, winning by a score of 84-5.

Humber’s men’s rugby team has been a dominant force over the last couple years winning back-to-back OCAA championships.

Rice, now in his third year on the team, has played on both of Humber’s championship teams and said the key to their success is determination and humility.

“We’ve always been the underdogs coming into the championship, so it’s a lot of just grinding, and working hard the whole time rather than coming into the championships thinking we’ve already won it,” he said.

Second year architectural technology student Ethan Belchos, 22, is the starting outside center for the Hawks men’s rugby team and told Humber News the team is taking things one step at a time.

“We’re always looking at it game to game, but of course we’re aiming to repeat our title defense again for a third straight year,” Belchos said.

He said the stable of players on this year’s team is what sets it apart from previous years.

“This year we have a lot of high caliber players, a lot of junior Canada guys, junior Ontario guys that are challenging a lot of the vets for sports which pushes people to get better,” he said.

The team will try and continue their winning ways against Mohawk on Saturday, September 22.