GRR: Queens University of Charlotte
A dominant scrum, some tenacious defense, and smart game management saw Brown edge Queens 23-20 Saturday night to win NCR's D1 championship.
This is Brown's 2nd title in three years, and Queens will have to settle for two runner-up finishes in the same period.
NCR D1's final is a rematch of the 2022 final, and while we hope some things don't repeat this time around, we do want and expect the same intensity.
Of course the 2022 final wasn't ... shall we say ... "entertaining" per sé, what with 11 cards issued ... but the atmosphere and grit is something fans might want to see again.
We will potentially have a new face in the NCR D1 final if Wheeling wins their semifinal this coming weekend, but every other team in the final four—St. Bonaventure, Brown, and Queens—have been in the championship game before.
Queens beating Life 29-26 over the weekend shook up the Rugby East and top-level collegiate rugby in general.
Was this a one-off? Not necessarily. Remember that Life had that close call with Mount St. Mary's in late September, and of course the close win over Navy. Queens has had two close wins, as well, and in fact about a quarter of the Rugby East games end up being within a try.
The Rugby East once again is the competitive gift that keeps on giving as we get exciting and interesting results, and always a few surprises.
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