Uxbridge Tigers Rugby Team

April was an especially exhilarating time for the senior boys’ rugby team from Uxbridge Secondary School. The Uxbridge Tigers have already been making waves this season and as of May 2, are ranked by Rugby Ontario as the third best team in the province. The Tigers have consistently been ranked in the top five of the senior boys’ division and have reached as high as the number 2 spot.

All of this success is the result of the hard work and dedication that each and every team member displayed throughout the off-season and leading up to the start of this season. With last year’s stinging loss (their only one of the season) to the Lorne Park Spartans in the AAA Championship game still fresh in everyone’s mind, team members went through individualized winter skill development sessions to identify and improve on any areas of weakness. With the tools and guidance provided to them, it was then up to each player to put in the work in the weight room over the winter. The Tigers took their training to another level when they flew down to Orlando, Florida to train at the ESPN Sports Complex at Disney World in the beginning of April. The trip was certainly an excellent team builder that not only helped players get to know each other even better, but also develop their skills while training at a world-class facility.

Soon after returning from Orlando, the Tigers’ hard work and off-season training was put to the test when they hosted the reigning US high school champions from Xavier High School on April 28. The event was billed as a clash of Canada vs. USA and was the main event of the school’s Spirit Day, which saw more than 1,500 students crowd the sidelines to see the action. The Tigers knew that they were up against an extremely tough opponent but that no matter what the outcome, they would stand to benefit from the overall experience.

The Tigers fought hard, however in the end they fell to Xavier in consecutive games with final scores of 20-12 and 46-5. While they were disappointed with the losses, the Tigers learned a lot just by playing against such a high caliber team. Two weeks later they were able to put their lessons into action at the Third Annual McDougall Insurance and Financial Centennial Invitational Tournament in Belleville.

The tournament has quickly gained a reputation for having one of the highest levels of competition in the region and was an excellent test for the Tigers. The tournament got off to a great start for the Tigers as they shutout Ashbury College from Ottawa with a score of 17-0. The Brock Bulldogs were no match in the semi-finals, as the Tigers continued their stingy defence en route to a 22-10 victory. The Championship final was a rematch of last year’s Durham Region final and featured the Tigers going up against Eastdale CVI from Oshawa. With a wealth of pre-season preparation already behind them, the Tigers came out on top 24-7 to take home the title.

With league play well underway, the Uxbridge Tigers certainly have high hopes for this year as they try to keep their momentum going following the Championship victory to kick the season off. Be sure to keep an eye on the Tigers in 2011!