McGill 50 vs Bishops 22
September 14, 2008
MONTREAL, QC
McGill Varsity Redmen team completed a second consecutive convincing win over rival Bishops with a final score line of 50-22 at this year’s home opener on a muggy Sunday afternoon at Molson Stadium.
Bishops came out into the first half fighting, with their fullback capitalizing on a dropped McGill pass to run it in for a try from 40 yards out. With the conversion put through the uprights, the Redmen found themselves down 7-0 within the space of the opening three minutes.
McGill responded ten minutes later when hooker John Lee brought the ball over the line for a try, and flyhalf Mathieu Sidoti calmly converted the kick. Scores were now level 13 minutes into the half.
The remainder of the half would see the game flow back and forth. A beautiful line break by inside centre Sam Skulsky followed by an offload to fullback Stefan Rinas led to a second Redmen try, also convered by Sidoti.
Bishops quickly responded with good work by their forwards preceding a second try for their fullback. The Bishops convert was missed, leaving McGill with a slim 14-12 lead. This wouldn’t last the half, though, with McGill giving up a penalty in the centre of the field just outside their own 22. The penalty kick successful, Bishops walked off to the intermission with a lead of 15-14.
The second half saw increased intensity by both sides. Yet it was McGill who capitalized first from a well-taken lineout that was quickly spun out to the backs to be brought in for a try by outside centre Bryce Thomassin. With Sidoti injured in an unfortunate collision it was rookie centre Sam Skulsky stepping up with a narrowly unsuccessful conversion. Nonetheless, the Redmen were back in the lead, and controlled much of the rest of the match.
Now playing at left wing, Stefan Rinas picked up his second try when he came in from the blindside for a great run through the center of the pitch. Skulsky converted.
Soon after, a try from right wing Evan Straight after McGill managed to steal the ball on Bishops lineout and follow it up with some beautiful link up passing by the backs. Replacement flyhalf Ian Turner failed to convert from a difficult angle.
Only minutes later second year Gideon Balloch, at inside centre, would capitalize from a dropped ball by the Bishops fullback off of a kick to run it in for a try. Balloch would miss this first conversion on his own try, but would make up for it with two very impressive conversions from the edge of the field on McGill’s next two tries. The first of these came when Ian Turner kicked a quick grubber from ten yards out that he was able to dive on himself to score. The last score of the match would come when substitute prop Dave Tontini capped some excellent forward crashes with a try of his own.
Bishops’ only response came from a great individual effort by their scrumhalf to make a run down the blindside for a try, that he then converted. McGill’s near complete domination of the second half earned them a convincing victory in a match that at its early points was so closely fought.
This display, combined with last week’s 48-0 victory, can only be seen as a promising start to McGill’s bid to defend their QSSF title, with a trip to the National championships in November as an ultimate goal. Come support your McGill Redmen as they take on University of Sherbrooke in their next home game on October 5!
Halftime: 14-15
Fulltime: 50-22
Man of the Match: Stefan Rinas
Points: John Lee (1 try), Stefan Rinas (2 tries), Mathieu Sidoti (2 conversions), Bryce Thomassin (1 try), Sam Skulsky (1 conversion), Evan Straight (1 try), Gideon Balloch (1 try, 2 conversions), Ian Turner (1 try), Dave Tontini (1 try).
Match Review by Spencer Young