Kingston Field has endured two weeks of training camp punishment by sixty men with cleats on their feet and a fire in their bellies. After last year’s disappointing loss to Western in the OUA semi-finals, the Queen’s Rugby Football Club is eager to field a more disciplined and fit team for the 2004 season. Club captain Rory Connolly spoke optimistically about the club’s chances this year, but also concedes that a good team on paper is not enough.
“There are a lot of good teams in the OUA this year that all have a chance of winning,” he cautioned. “It’s not about names or reputations on the pitch, it’s about who wants to win the most.” If this young and talented Queen’s Rugby team follows the philosophy of its captain, great things may lie ahead. The promotion of Peter Huigenbos, former assistant coach, to head coach is expected to pay dividends. Huigenbos, more commonly known to his players as “Boss,” brings youth and enthusiasm to the coaching staff, along with a wealth of rugby knowledge and experience. His hiring represents a positive step for the club towards their goal of rediscovering OUA dominance. The club lost a few key players from last year’s campaign, most notably former co-captain and OUA all-star Steve Orchard. However, several of the club’s younger players have stepped up to fill their shoes, and some have even outgrown them. Four of the team’s second-year players—Dave Pottcker, Haddon Murray, Kai Sorenson and Graham Watt—were chosen to represent Ontario at the under-20 national championships. Third-year player Kiel Perchinig is also expected to be dominant in the OUA after a summer spent representing Canada’s Under-21 team, and stands a chance of earning a spot training with the Canadian men’s team. The season kicks off tomorrow at 3 p.m. on Kingston Field against a substantially improved Brock team, and the match will be a good test for the men.
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].