GRR: Southern Rugby Conference
The time finally came, and in fact the time came with just a few minutes left in the first half.
This was the Men’s DII College final, and leading into halftime Wisconsin-Whitewater was leading 7-3. Only 7-3.
Furman University pulled off quite the upset Saturday, winning their Men’s National DII semifinal over three-time defending champs Minnesota-Duluth 32-29.
Bolstered by a vocal home crowd - the semis were held at Furman - the Paladins played some sterling defense and torched the Fighting Penguins for three key first-half tries that proved the difference.
The key game for Furman University this season was the Southern Conference final.
Going into that game Head Coach John Roberts - after whom the college’s rugby field is named - acknowledged the massive importance of that matchup with UNC-Charlotte. Lose and you still make the national playoffs, but win … and you’re at home for the entire playoff run.
The Men's DII College schedule for this weekend is suddenly far, far smaller than it has been the previous weeks.
Now that we're into the national playoffs, we've got nine games this weekend, all involving ranked teams, and most involving two ranked teams.
Furman University has won the Southern Conference and in doing so the Paladins put themselves in excellent position for a good national playoff run.
With the victory Furman takes the #1 seed out of the Southern, and will play in the bracket at their home fields in Greenville, SC. Should they win and make the final four, the Paladins host that final weekend, also.