12/09/2015, 1:15pm ESTBy SCRC
Tennessee defeated South Carolina 23-22 on the final play of the game to earn the 2015 Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference Championship. The title match was played at the Rugby Athletic Complex in Charlotte, North Carolina as part of the American Collegiate Rugby Championship Bowl Series.
South Carolina advanced to the final with a victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Trailing 17-8 at the break the Gamecocks adjusted to a wider game plan to score four second half tries for the 34-27 win.
Tennessee defeated Florida in Knoxville to earn a trip to the championship game. In the second half the Volunteers extended a 20-13 halftime lead by two tries and held the Gators out of the try zone to account for the 30-13 final score.
Game Summary
Game summary provided by ACRC
5 min:
Try – University of South Carolina
USC on the board with a try from Dana Corcoran 5-0 Gamococks
14 min:
Penalty Kick by Andrew Sayers – University of Tennessee
Tennessee on the board. 5-3
21 min:
Penalty Kick by Andrew Sayers – University of Tennessee
Tennessee gets another three to pull ahead of the Gamecocks 6-5
24 min:
Try by Ben Mather; CK by Brian McKeown – University of South Carolina
Try and conversion for USC puts the Gamecocks back ahead 10-6
29 min:
Try by Kerry Roberts – University of Tennessee
Vols score first try but do not convert – score now 12-11
38 min:
Try by Nick Duklewski; CK by Sayers – University of Tennessee
Tennessee brings it across for another try; conversion good – 18-12 Vols
40 min:
Try – University of South Carolina
Gamecocks get try at tail end of the half but do not convert – score now 18-17 Vols up
55 min:
Try – University of South Carolina
South Carolina dots one down to regain the lead – 22-18 Gamecocks.
70 min:
South Carolina has been keeping the ball in Vols territory most of the half. A real defensive battle.
79 min:
Try – University of Tennessee
Vols’ Kerry Roberts pounds his way across the try line to put Tennessee back ahead in a hugely dramatic final drive – 23-22
80 min:
An INCREDIBLE finish to the SCRC Championship game – Tennessee manages to get downfield in the final minutes and eventually pounds their way through a determined USC line to snatch victory. Raucous Gamecock fans silenced in disbelief as Tennessee claims the championship.
East Division
| Tennessee | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4-0-0 |
| South Carolina | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3-1-0 |
| Georgia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1-3-0 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2-2-0 |
| Vanderbilt | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0-4-0 |