Spartans Drop Tight Season-Opener Against Victoria
From TWU Media
VICTORIA The Trinity Western men’s rugby team lost a nail-biting season-opening match against the University of Victoria, as the Vikes slotted a penalty at the death to secure a 42-39 win at Wallace Field.
Playing in the opening match of the revised Coastal Cup, the Spartans took a 29-14 lead into halftime, but were unable to hang on against a hard-charging Vikes side that outscored TWU 28-10 over the final 40 minutes.
Sam Wegert (Langley, B.C.) scored two tries for the Spartans, while Tamilore Awonusi (Dublin, Ireland), Matthew Willemse (Pietermartizburg, South Africa) and Scott Bowers (New Westminster, B.C.) also dotted down for TWU.
Overall, Willemse led TWU offensively, accounting for 19 points, including two penalties and four conversions to go with his try.
Willemse, who got the start at flyhalf, opened the scoring by knocking through a penalty, before Wegert tallied back-to-back converted tries. Then it was Awonusi, who returned this week from his time with Ireland’s national sevens side, getting in on the scoring, crossing the whitewash before Willemse once again converted. Before end of the first half, Willemse earned a try himself to send TWU into the break with a 15-point edge.
However, the second half saw the field tilt in the Vikes favour, with Bowers scoring TWU’s lone try before Willemse added a penalty to round out the scoring for the Spartans.
QUOTABLE
Andrew Evans Director of Rugby
“Credit to UVIC for coming back in the second half of the match to win with a clutch penalty kick. We were in new territory having a halftime lead over a very good team and we let them off the hook.
“As we look to next week, we need to improve our one-on-one tackles and we need to have a bit more composure for a full 80 minutes.
“Our lineout and scrum were going well today for most of the match and our backs scored some fantastic tries in the first half. We hope to build on these areas in training this week before we face the Pacific Pride next Saturday at home.”
NOTABLE
The Spartans now own an all-time record of 0-2 against the Vikes. TWU played UVIC for the first time in program history on Oct. 23, 2021, which resulted in a 36-25 loss for the Spartans.
TWU’s 2nd XV lost 62-0 to the Vikes.
UP NEXT
TWU hosts the Pacific Pride in the Spartans home-opening match Saturday at 2:30 p.m. (PT) at Willoughby Community Park.
TWU Roster
1. Ethan Jurgeneit, Bracebridge, Ont.,
2. Scott Bowers, New Westminster, BC, United Rugby Club
3. Favour Olaniyan, Gibsons, BC, Capilano Rugby Club
4. Erik Niebuhr, Surrey, BC, Bayside Sharks
5. Martin Zubiri, Pergamino, Argentina, Club Atletico del Rosario
6. Genaro Gandolfo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Club San Andrés
7. Caleb Van Til, Tsawwassen, BC
8. Caleb Gerth, Langley, BC, Surrey Beavers / Langley Rugby Club
9. Fynn Murphy, White Rock, BC, Bayside Sharks
10.. Matthew Willemse, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, Langley Rugby Club
11. Tamilore Awonusi, Dublin, Ireland, Clontarf RFC
12. Collin Lagat, Dallas, TX, Dallas Reds RFC
13. Sam Wegert, Langley, BC, UBC
14. Lynden Duggan, Burnaby, BC, Burnaby Lake Rugby Club
15. Jan Lourens, Smoky Lake, AB, Clansmen RFC
16. Seth Klassen, Surrey, BC, Bayside Sharks
17. Ben Tindall, Sylvan Lake, AB, Red Deer Titans
18. Grayson Hardie, Chilliwack, BC
19. David Wegert, Langley, BC
20. Nate Schroeder, West Kelowna, BC
21. Connor Gibbons
22. Ethan Bernardin, Langley, BC
23. Max Darcy, Calgary, Hornets RFC