The Concordia Stingers men’s rugby team defeated the École de technologie supérieure (ETS) Piranhas 35-7 to win the RSEQ championship at Concordia stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The win gave the Stingers a perfect 9-0 win-loss record in league play this season. Concordia rolled through the regular season with seven straight wins and then defeated the McGill Redmen 36-18 in the semifinals.
The last time the Stingers men’s rugby team had an undefeated season was 1996. Concordia also went 9-0, winning seven regular season games, a semifinal match and the final – a 25-0 victory over the McGill Redmen.
On Sunday, the early-going was a defensive battle with Concordia eking out two penalty goals from Jonathan Banks for a 6-0 lead in the first 21 minutes.
As the half wound down, the game opened up for the Stingers. Rookie Sam Montminy scored in the 32nd minute and Nick Smith picked up a try in the 38th minute. Banks nailed his third penalty goal at the 40-minute mark, and Concordia went into the halftime break with a 21-0 lead.
When the teams took to the field for the second half, Concordia took control immediately and that resulted in a Moritz Wittmann try and a 28-0 lead.
The feisty Piranhas were not ready to concede, scrapping their way to a try. Jeremy Vincent did the honours and Tom Saurin connected for the convert making the score 28-7.
The last score of the game came at the 72-minute mark when Montminy picked up his second try of the game. The 35-7 score stood until the referee blew the final whistle.
