Advertisement 1

Hager, Victoria win men's rugby title

Article content

In the biggest rugby game of their season, Brantford’s Ethan Hager and his teammates were able to do something that had eluded the University of Victoria for six years.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

Playing in the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship last month at Concordia University in Montreal, Victoria defeated the University of British Columbia 21-20 in the final to win the national championship.

Hager said it was the first time Victoria had defeated UBC in six years.

Article content

“It was easily one of the craziest moments of my life in rugby and just in general,” said Hager, a 21-year-old who played wing and fullback for the Vikes.

Playing New Brunswick in its first playoff game, Victoria won 48-0. Next up in the semifinals was Queen’s University, which beat Victoria in last year’s semifinals.

“Queen’s was the team that ruined it for us,” Hager said of his team’s 2018 campaign, which ended with Victoria capturing bronze.

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

This time, Victoria beat Queen’s 14-8

“It came right down to the last play,” said Hager. “That game alone, to be part of it was amazing.”

That set up the gold-medal game against UBC.

Leading by six points near the end of the game, the Vikes took a yellow card, meaning they played short a man for the remainder of the contest.

UBC had ball in hand for several minutes past regulation time and Hager implored his teammates to play strategically.

“I was just screaming at the boys, ‘Do not let them come up the middle,’” he said.

“We wanted to make sure if they scored it was in the corner to make the kick as hard as possible.”

UBC did eventually score but it was in the corner of the try zone, meaning their team’s kicker would have to make a tough convert for the win.

Advertisement 4
Story continues below
Article content

When the kick missed, Victoria had its one-point victory and the national championship.

“It was definitely a dramatic way to end the game for both sides,” said Hager, a third-year business student.

Hager said the win was made more special because two Victoria’s coaches were retiring at season’s end.

“It was pretty emotional for the boys knowing that we pulled through for our (coaches),” said the son of John and Cherie.

Hager, a Brantford Collegiate Institute graduate who has played high-level rugby throughout his career, said the talent at the university level is “pretty incredible.

“And the level of play is also pretty insane,” he said.

“It’s easily one of the greatest athletic accomplishments I’ve had in my career.”

Advertisement 5
Story continues below
Article content

Western universities play their seasons throughout the entire school year.  Victoria is preparing for its second half to begin in January.

“Everything kind of clicked for us at nationals,” Hager said. “We definitely played the best games I’ve ever seen us play.

“If we can carry that into the second half of the season we can definitely go for the league championship.”

When the summer rolls around, Hager is thinking of going to New Zealand to play.

Further down the road, he wants to play Major League Rugby, which in 2020 will have 11 teams in the U.S. and one in Canada.

“I’m going to try my best to get my foot in the door with a few of the pro MLR teams here in the States and Canada,” he said.

“I’ll be seeking a pro contract over the next couple of years.”

With two more years left at Victoria, Hager said he is looking forward to what lies ahead.

“It’s hard to say you’re not having fun when you live in one of the nicest parts of Canada, in my opinion, going to school and playing a sport you love.”

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers