Season Recap

It was a highly successful year in 2009 for the Western Mustangs men’s rugby team, who improved on two straight bronze-medal finishes by capturing an OUA silver this season. And that was nearly a gold medal, as the Mustangs lost by just four points, 23-19, to the undefeated Queen’s Gaels (10-0 overall) in the championship game at Fletcher’s Field in Markham, Ont.

Despite holding leads of 14-5 and 19-10 in the title game, the Mustangs were unable to hold on to the lead, as Queen’s took a 23-19 advantage midway through the second half. Western, who got tries from Marcus Mitchell (Ancaster, Ont.), Conor Trainor (Vancouver, B.C.) and Matthew McLeod (Lindsay, Ont.), spent the rest of the match applying pressure to the Gaels’ defense, but were unable to push across a try, which would have given the team its first OUA championship since 2004. Still, it was a great season for the Mustangs, whose only two losses in 2009 came against Queen’s. And their silver-medal finish was the team’s best since accomplishing the same feat in 2006.

Western had earned a spot in the OUA Final by beating the Brock Badgers, 24-3, in a semifinal match a week earlier. David Jacks (Tottenham, Ont.), Jesse Kliman (Victoria, B.C.), Andrew Crow (Victoria, B.C.) and Conor Wade (London, Ont.) each contributed a try in that contest.

During the regular season, the Mustangs went 7-1, scoring 317 points while allowing just 49 against. Trainor led Western’s scoring, tallying 45 points (fifth-best in OUA). His nine tries in six games, meanwhile, were tops in the league. Rory Tomlinson (Allison, Ont.) was Western's second-highest scorer with six tries and a pair of converts for 34 points, while Carl Stahlbrand was third with 32 points.     

OUA Regular Season Record:
7-1 (second place in OUA standings)

OUA Playoff Record:
1-1 (2009 OUA Silver Medalists)
Lost 23-19 to Queen’s Gaels in OUA Final

OUA Awards:
All-Stars: Andrew Crow (Victoria, B.C.), Gareth Dyer (West Vancouver, B.C.), Dave Jacks (Tottenham, Ont.), Rory Tomlinson (Allison, Ont.), Conor Trainor (Vancouver, B.C.)