WLU Men’s Rugby Team looks to punch ticket to gold medal game
Posted Nov 4, 2017 07:02:35 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Wilfrid Laurier University Men’s Rugby team is attempting to make history.
A win in today’s semi-final game against the Queens Golden Gaels will punch Laurier’s ticket to their first ever OUA final.
The team picked up a huge win in last week’s quarter-finals beating the Western Mustangs 36-12.
Laurier will have their hands full trying to take down Queens who went undefeated outscoring their opponents 460-74.
Laurier’s head coach Ian McLeod says they will need to be near perfect to beat the Golden Gaels, ” In order to beat them we will have to be mistake free, we are going to try to push the pace and just move the ball meter by meter. ” Said McLeod.
McLeod adds that it’s the team’s defensive play that will be the difference, “Our defense, when its on, can be very devastating, and we like our chances.”
Regardless of today’s score McLeod and assistant coach Jeff Wood have done a tremendous job turning the once middling program around.
McLeod and Wood inherited a team that struggled to make the playoff in 2014, into a contender.
” We really wanted to develop a culture where it mattered to put on the jersey where we had to come to work each and every day, we knew if we put in the work off the field we would get the results on the field.” Said McLeod.
With a win Laurier will take on the winner of McMaster and the University of Guelph next week for the OUA gold.
If Laurier loses they play for the bronze medal against the loser of McMaster and the University of Guelph.
