McCormick Cup Day Preview

On Saturday, September 30th at Fletcher’s Fields, five Senior Men’s Cup matches will take place, three of which are Cup Final matches: The Gee Gage Cup, The Fall Cup, and the McCormick Cup. Join Rugby Ontario at Fletcher’s Fields for a super rugby day and if you’re unable to attend, the McCormick Cup Final will be streamed on our YouTube Channel. Long-time rugby community members, Matt King and Myles Martin will be commentating on this Saturday’s McCormick Cup Final – so don’t miss out! Check out the upcoming action below.

McCormick Cup Final 

Brantford Harlequins v. Balmy Beach RFC, 3:30 PM

The 2023 McCormick Cup Final will feature the reigning champions, Balmy Beach RFC, and Brantford Harlequins, this year’s Marshall League Champions, battle it out for the illustrious Cup. The two teams met in the Marshall League Playoff Semi-Final which resulted in a 35-24 victory for Brantford.

Balmy Beach enter the Cup Final as the third seed having beat Waterloo County in the semi-finals, 35-32. Beach finished overall 8-0-2 record in regular season and 1st in the East. They’re on the hunt for the record of Most Men’s Championships by a single club, being tied with Markham Irish with 16 provincial championships.

“Balmy Beach is excited to defend our McCormick Cup title this weekend against Brantford. Every year, we play them in the Fall, and it’s always a hard-fought battle. This year will be no different. Brantford always has a strong, experienced pack and we know that containing them will mean the difference between a win and a loss. We’ve got a bit of history with them, and we’re looking forward to writing the next chapter,” says Beach Head Coach, Iain McLeish. 

Brantford, on the other hand, are hoping to secure their first Cup since 2019. Finishing with a 9-0-1 regular season record and coming into the Cup as the number 1 seed after beating the Burlington Centaurs 46-43 in the semi-finals.

“The Brantford Harlequins are ecstatic to be back competing for another McCormick Cup against such a strong and historic club in the Balmy Beach. With obviously lots of rugby talk and tactics the last couple of weeks at training, veteran back rower Jordan Kozina has provided our group with some words of wisdom from a book, The Beach, written by Alex Garland, that he try’s to live by: ‘I still believe in paradise. But now at least I know it’s not some place you can look for, ‘cause it’s not where you go. It’s how you feel for a moment in your life when you’re a part of something, and if you find that moment… it lasts forever.’ We hope to find that moment this Saturday,” says Brantford Assistant Coach, Will Kelly.

The McCormick Cup Final will be streamed LIVE on the Rugby Ontario YouTube channel! Be sure to follow Rugby Ontario on social media for live coverage of the games.

Fall Cup Final 

Peterborough Pagans Rugby Club v. Toronto Nomads, 1:30 PM

The Toronto Nomads and Peterborough Pagans will meet in the 2023 Fall Cup Final. The Pagans are looking to defend their Fall Cup title after winning in 2022. Peterborough came into the Fall Cup as the 3 seed and knocked off the Ajax Wanderers in the quarterfinals before heading to London for the semis. The Nomads won on the road vs Barrie in the quarters, which put them on the road again in round 2 vs the Oshawa Vikings. Peterborough won their semi-final game against London St George with a shy 38-34 victory, while the Nomads swept in with a 40-5 victory over the Oshawa Vikings in their semi-final game.

Gee Gage Cup Final 

Balmy Beach Marshall 2XV v. Oakville Crusaders 2XV, 11:30 AM

The Gee Gage Cup is another historic Rugby Ontario Championship, which is contested by Marshall 2nd League sides and Branch Union first teams. This year’s Gee Gage final will host Balmy Beach Marshall 2XV and Oakville Crusaders 2XV. Balmy Beach went 2-0-0 in the Gee Gage league and Oakville Crusaders finished with a 1-0-1 record after, unfortunately, losing to the Bay Street Pigs in the first round, but they secured the all-important losing bonus point in that match.

McCormick Cup Consolation Final

Aurora Barbarians v. Toronto Scottish, 1:30 PM

The Aurora Barbarians and the Toronto Scottish will meet in the McCormick Cup Consolation Final. The Scottish finished first in the North Division of the Marshall League regular season and posted a record of 10-0-0. Meanwhile, the Barbarians finished second in the North Division with a record of 4-0-6. Both teams met in the regular season twice resulting in two victories for the Scottish in 36-10 and 38-21 games.