Western Michigan should be delighted with the Broncos’ 33-26 upset of Bowling Green, and they are, but the Mid-American Conference team also knows it’s a long season.

Photos courtesy of WMU Rugby. WMU in black. Click on image to enlarge.

Bowling Green suffered its first in-conference loss in years - maybe as many as ten years - and that was a result of a variety of factors, not least of which was the fact that WMU played very well. The Broncos went up 19-10 at halftime thanks to tries from lock Soencer Bussineau, flyhalf Tom Kacor, and lock Anthony Saladino. In the second half, BGSU redoubled their efforts, but struggled to get the tries they needed. Kacor and center Alex Meade scored tries to make it 33-19, and then Bowling Green scored two unconverted tries to inch closer. The final four minutes or so were spent in the WMU 22, with Bowling Green pushing for a winning try that would never come.

The game itself was played in front of a large crowd at WMU’s football stadium, Waldo Stadium. It was a narrow field, which changed the game for both teams. WMU head Coach Mark Allen said it was an adjustment.

“We’d never practiced on that field,” said Allen. “But the narrow field did come into play. The atmosphere, though, was great.”

As for the result itself? Well it has to be taken in the context of a full season.

“It’s significant, sure,” said Allen. “And it’s significant because Bowling Green hasn’t lost in so long. But it was also important because the kids played with a lot of heart and defended really well.”

And they adjusted. Starting No. 8 Simba Chirara did not play due to injury, and starting hooker and regular goalkicker Ruairi McGreevy was injured early, forcing wing Ian Chevrier to step in, which he did admirably.

“It’s great that we beat them,” said Allen, “but it was also incredibly close. It could have gone either way. It’s the middle of the season, we know we still have to get better. We know Bowling Green is well-coached and very well disciplined, and they will get better.”

Still there were heroics. Kacor was outstanding again at flyhalf and Bussineau and Saladino were solid locks who bolstered a strong front row effort. It all came together, and in doing so put WMU in a strong position in the MAC North. 

But there are still those caveats - that this isn’t playoff time, and, reiterated Allen, “we need to be a lot better.”