This year marked the 150th anniversary of the first inter-collegiate rugby game in North America, played between the Mcgill Redbirds and the Harvard Crimson. This first game dates back to May 15, 1874 and was played in Cambridge, Massachusetts. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of this historic rivalry in 1974, the Covo Cup was established. Since then, these two teams annually compete head-to-head in competition for this trophy. This past fall season, not only did McGill triumph in the fight for the Covo Cup with a thumping 57-0 win, but they preserved the Redbird’s historic legacy and ensured a promising future.
“[The game] was genuinely… the best atmosphere I’ve ever played in,” said first year player Mathew Corkum during a sit-down interview with The Bull & Bear. Legacy matters to this program: members of the Redbird’s Rugby alumni cheered McGill on in Molson Stadium. Corkum told The Bull & Bear that Mcgill Rugby’s “team-focused culture…upholds” their legacy within the program.
The Redbirds started the 2024 fall season strong with a five-game winning streak in the Quebec Student Sports Network (RSEQ) conference. The RSEQ comprises universities in Quebec that compete inter-collegiately. During regular season play, all McGill sports teams compete within the RSEQ and will only play against universities in Quebec for conference games. The results from conference play will determine whether or not McGill sports teams qualify for nationals. The Redbird’s first – and only – regular season loss was against ÉTS, the eventual national champions. Despite the strength of their team, ranked 5th in Canada at one point, McGill’s playoff run was unexpectedly cut short in an upset loss to the University of Ottowa in the RSEQ conference semifinals. This further disqualified the Redbirds from the national playoffs and ended their fall season.
Though the team was disappointed with their playoff performance, they are looking toward a bright future. Corkum mentioned being “super excited” for the upcoming 2025 season and the team’s future. Along with Corkum, multiple talented first-years gained valuable playing experience and not many players are graduating after this year. For these reasons, McGill Rugby has a bright future, and Corkum is “itching to get back in” with his team next season.
Additionally, the Redbird and Martlet athletics saw other triumphs in an exciting fall season last semester:
McGill Men’s Lacrosse: The Redbirds had a triumphant 2024 season with an undefeated 10-0 conference run. Their strong performances earned them a spot in this year’s national tournament, hosted in Ontario. In the first round of sudden-death playoffs, McGill proved their strength with a 19-5 win over Bishop’s University. Their momentum and season was unluckily ended after a last second goal in quadruple overtime gave Western University the edge over the Redbirds in the semi-finals of the national tournament.
Martlets Cross Country: McGill women’s cross country had a very successful campaign this season. They did not finish worse than 3rd place in any of their regular season events. Furthermore, the Martlets placed 1st in multiple events including the McGill Invitational (6k) and the Carleton Capital Challenge (6k). Their season ended with a 15th place finish out of 22 teams at the U-Sports Championship (8k).
Redbirds Cross Country: The Redbirds also had successful moments during the regular season as well. They placed 1st in the Sherbrooke Invitational (8k) and finished 2nd in the Carleton Capital Challenge (6k) as well as the Laval Invitational (8k). Their season also concluded at the U-Sports Championship (8k) with a 10th place finish out of 22 teams.
Redbirds Soccer: The Redbirds performed beyond expectations this season. They finished with a 10-7-4 record and made it to the RSEQ championship game where they narrowly lost 2-1. This was enough to send them to the USports Championship tournament where they defeated Ontario Tech in an exciting penalty shootout. Though they were unable to make it past the semi-finals, an exciting future is on the horizon for this program.
Martlets Soccer: The Martlets season began strong with 4 wins, 2 ties, and no losses. Though their unbeaten streak was eventually broken, the Martlets still finished with an over .500 win percentage with a solid 9-6-2 record. Unfortunately, their season ended prematurely, with an own goal leading to a loss in the RSEQ semi-finals round.
Furthermore, there is much to look forward to this semester:
Redbirds Basketball: After traveling across the country and playing against teams in the United States, the Redbirds have played over 20 games of basketball. Their next home game will be played against Bishop’s on January 23rd at 8 P.M. and their Seniors Night, also against Bishop’s, will be played on February 15th at 6 P.M.
Martlets Basketball: The Martlets have an impressive 11-7 record going into the latter half of their season. Their next game will also be played on January 23rd at 6 P.M. against Bishop’s and their Seniors Night game will be played against Bishop’s on February 15th at 4 P.M.
Redbirds Hockey: After beginning their season with a successful campaign in the Czechia International Tournament (Czech Republic), the Redbirds have had an above .500 season. As they near the playoffs, they look to maintain a successful record. The Redbirds next home game will be on February 7th against Guelph.
Martlets Volleyball: The Martlets began their season at the Queen’s invitational tournament. Between their pre-season tournament and regular season games they have attained a 9-9 record as they look to finish the regular season strong. Their next home game is on January 31st against UQTR at 6:30 P.M.
For further information on McGill athletics or to purchase tickets to support our winter season athletics, visit the McGill athletics website.
