Latest News

Science & Technology

T-cells take the wheel

by Margaret Wdowiak on

More in Science & Technology:

In recent years, modern targeted cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery have become better at effectively treating the disease. However, these methods continue to be invasive for patients, as they essentially involve  racing to kill cancerous cells faster than healthy ones. Fortunately, discoveries in the field of immunotherapy—using the immune system for treatment—are widening the possibilities for successful cancer procedures. This year, the 2018 Nobel Prize for Medicine went to Japanese researcher Tasuku Honjo and American researcher James Allison for their groundbreaking development in immunotherapies, which show promising results in the fight against cancer.     

Fundamentally, cancer is a disease of cells. The genes inside a cell control its growth, division, and death. However, sometimes cells ignore these signals and multiply at a facer rate than normal, potentially resulting in cancerous tumours.

Honjo and Allison’s research largely concerns T-cells, which are white blood cells that play a key role in the immune system by recognizing and destroying abnormal cells, such as the ones that spread cancer. There are a variety of T-cell types including ‘cytotoxic T-cells,’ which kill tumour and virus-infected cells, and  ‘helper T-cells,’ which assist other white blood cells in performing their functions.

“Historically, [T-cells] were thought to be CD4 [helper] and CD8 [cytotoxic] in nature, but this simple classification has expanded dramatically in the last decade,” Brian Ward, associate professor in McGill’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

In order to trigger an immune response, all T-cells interact with a complex system of proteins that act as accelerators and brakes. This system is similar to that of a car, which can brake to stop or accelerate to go faster. T-cells can accelerate to destroy cells but also brake before they destroy healthy ones. Deformed cancerous cells spread when the T-cells either are either not acting fast enough or braking before destroying them.

The new research is the result of decades of work. In the 1990s, Allison studied the effects of a protein called CTLA-4, which acts like a brake on T-cells. He was able to develop an antibody to block the protein’s function and, with the brakes cut, T-cells can go on destroying cancer cells beyond what is normally possible.

A few years later, Honjo discovered another brake protein known as PD-1. PD-1 also inhibits T-cells but does so by preventing their activation. Honjo then developed a treatment for cancer based on PD-1 blockage.

Studies have demonstrated the incredible potential of these two novel immunotherapies; many trial patients are experiencing long-term remission and some are even cured. While the anti-PD-1 therapy has been found to be the more effective of the two, combining them has proven to be the most successful option.

“[The] field [of immunotherapy] has already radically changed cancer treatment and will, undoubtedly, change the approach to many autoimmune condition[s] as well as some infectious diseases,” Ward wrote.

In the future, immunotherapy could develop into a cure for many more illnesses than cancer. Its potential is unlimited.

Basketball, Know Your Athlete, Men's Varsity, Sports

Know Your Athlete: Alex Paquin

by Ender McDuff on

More in Basketball:

Alex Paquin, the McGill men’s team’s fifth-year starting point guard from Candiac, Quebec, began his athletic career in a different sport: Baseball. At age seven, Paquin’s brother—who went on to play baseball in university—introduced him to basketball.

“I was playing [basketball] everywhere [after that], in the park, at home,” Paquin said. “I was just this little kid who was always playing […and] having fun.”

Eventually, Paquin chose to pursue basketball more seriously and set his sights set on playing in university. He made his way to American University, an NCAA Division 1 school in Washington, DC, where he played for three seasons.

“[Playing in the United States] was pretty cool,” Paquin said. “It’s a lot different than in Canada. The culture of sports is on another level.”

After graduating three years later, Paquin returned to Montreal to play for McGill while working towards his diploma in applied finance. He gained two more years of playing time with the move due to U Sports’ eligibility rules which allow for five years of varsity athletic participation.

Paquin has, thus far, made the most of his return to his home country: He helped the McGill men to a program-best fourth-place finish last year while earning RSEQ and U Sports Championship All-Star honours.

“At first, it was hard to adjust, […] but once I [did], it was honestly the year I loved [the] most […and] had the most fun,” Paquin said. “It was just a connection […with] their culture […of] brotherhood, working hard, and having fun doing it.”

Despite growing up as a Kobe Bryant fan, Paquin models his play most closely to Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard. Paquin sees himself as a smart, tough player who is a strong shooter and a hard worker.

“I feel like I’ve eliminated most of my deficiencies [on] offence,” Paquin said. “Now, it is mostly about getting in shape.”

The biggest change Paquin has seen in his game over the years has been in his approach to the game.

“It used to be hard,” Paquin said. “I used to [think] ‘I need to score, I need to put on a lot of pressure,’ but, now […] I’m really prepared. When I come into a game, it doesn’t matter what’s in front of me. I’ll know what to do.”

Looking ahead to his final university season, Paquin has set himself lofty goals. He hopes to earn All-Canadian honours, and he wants his team to keep winning.

“Most people think that because [five graduating players] left, we’re going to have a down year, but I really want to show everyone that it doesn’t matter,” Paquin said. “They instilled [a winning attitude] at McGill, [and] we’re still going to win.”

Paquin hopes to play professionally in Europe upon graduating from McGill. That process requires finding an agent, showing off his skills in a highlight reel, and, most importantly, having a strong season.

“It’s stressful […] because there’s a lot of uncertainty,” Paquin said. “I’ve got to show up [to] every game. I can’t take a break [….] I have to perform.”

Paquin’s game has benefitted from that sort of additional pressure thus far. The point guard has averaged 19 points, three assists, and three rebounds through the eight preseason games in which he played—all improvements from his numbers last year. As the regular season tips off on Thursday, Nov. 8, Paquin will look to maintain his team’s pace and lead McGill to yet another record season.

Science & Technology

Understanding asbestos

by Sophia Gorbounov on

More in Science & Technology:

Asbestos: Mid-twentieth century American houses were hopeless without it. Malcolm in the Middle made a punchline out of it in an episode. Now, buildings are being forced to remove it, and some countries—including Canada—are introducing legislation to ban it completely. This is a problem that hits close to home, since many of McGill’s historical buildings contain large quantities of the material.

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) building is currently under construction in part to remove asbestos. As the building is over half a century old, it was constructed when asbestos usage was at its peak. Its closure calls the threat of asbestos in other aging McGill buildings into question. The McGill Asbestos Web Database shows that many buildings on campus—including the Adams Building and Redpath Library—have areas where asbestos material content ranges from 25 to 75 per cent. Moreover, many of the reports have not been updated in nearly a decade.

Asbestos refers not to a single thing, but to a category of materials. The word ‘asbestos’ comes from Greek and means ‘unquenchable.’ By definition, asbestos is a group of naturally occurring, fibrous, silicate materials and acts as a very good insulator.

The most common form of asbestos is chrysotile, or white asbestos. In comparison to other variants, it has softer fibres, meaning that it is less dangerous to inhale as opposed to  sharp fibres, which get caught more easily in the lungs. Other types of asbestos include tremolite and brown asbestos, although they are not frequently used in commercial products. Asbestos is resitant to fire, electricity, and corrosion, making it useful as a heat-resistor and as friction control in brake linings and household insulation. Asbestos can also act in conjunction with materials such as steel or rubber to strengthen them.

The U.S. government recognizes six types of asbestos, which it categorizes into two main groups: Serpentine, which corresponds to white asbestos, and amphibole, which includes all five other recognized types. Research shows that there are more than five types amphibole asbestoses which the U.S. government does not recognize, but that exist in sizeable quantities and that can be just as toxic.

When it first came into use in the mid 20th century, asbestos was primarily used as a construction material. By the 1980s, it was used as the main fireproofing and insulating material for multi-story buildings. It was incorporated into adhesives, sealants, cement sheets, and was sprayed on walls, ceilings, and girders. Asbestos was truly the ‘miracle material’ of the construction world.

In Canada, asbestos mines constituted a large source of income. By 1966, Canada was producing over 40 per cent of the world’s white asbestos.

While it may once have been an architectural and financial miracle, asbestos has a toxic legacy. When it breaks down, fibres release into the air. These fibres pose respiratory and long-term risks not only to residents in the building, but also workers and repairmen. Tearing down an asbestos-filled building only increases the risk of releasing harmful fibres.

One of asbestos’ most lethal effects is mesothelioma, a form of cancer caused almost exclusively by long-term exposure to asbestos. The disease has a poor prognosis rate; most patients die within 21 months of diagnosis. Canada has some of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world and asbestos is the number one cause of occupational death in the country. Yet, its use is still increasing worldwide.

Despite the existence of safe alternative materials and the health complications it causes, the desire to ban asbestos has been sluggish. In the U.S., asbestos can still be used in most materials, so long as it is in concentrations of less than one per cent. In China and India, asbestos is still regularly used in building materials.

Canada has only recently taken its first step to banning asbestos. Though the Canadian government lists it as a toxic substance, the legislation to ban it was only introduced for the first time in January of this year and still has a long way to go before implementation.

McGill, News

McGill students protest the use of the Redmen name

by Maggie Roberts on

More in McGill:

McGill students gathered outside the James Administration Building on Oct. 31 to demonstrate against the continued use of the ‘Redmen’ name, which is currently used by all 28 of McGill’s mens’ varsity teams. Organized by Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU)’s Indigenous Affairs Committee, the peaceful protesters chanted “Not your Redmen” and stressed the name’s racist invocation of indigeneity.

Speakers from the McGill and Montreal communities took part in the demonstration, including representatives from McGill Indigenous Affairs, McGill Black Students Network (BSN), and the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal. Abdel Dicko, the BSN’s vice-president (VP) political coordinator, spoke about his organization’s solidarity with indigenous students and expressed the organization’s support for the name change.

“We, the BSN, firmly believe that the Redmen name and the very significant weight it carries does not have its place at this university,” Dicko said. “The idea that language and symbols can ever be isolated from historical, political, or racial implications is not only naive, but it is also highly dangerous.”

Other organizations have also voiced their support outside the protest. On Oct. 29, the McGill University Non-Academic Certified Association, a labour union which represents the university’s non-academic support staff, sent a letter to Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier, urging the administration to change the name and criticizing their lack of action thus far.

While the controversial name has been debated among the McGill community for decades, the push to change it has gained traction in the past few years. In 2016, McGill’s Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education found that, in the past, McGill media and yearbooks have used racial slurs against indigenous communities in reference to McGill athletic teams, including uses of the terms ‘indians,’ ‘squaws’ and the phrase ‘redmen scalped.’

Tomas Jirousek, SSMU Indigenous Affairs commissioner and a McGill varsity athlete, organized the protest and is a driving force behind the initiative to change the Redmen name.

“The demonstration is meant to express that indigenous students are hurting,” Jirousek said. “The name is offensive and creates a series of psychological and sociological effects which are quite negative and have repercussions for indigenous students on campus.”

McGill Athletics, however, claims that the name has no connection with offensive stereotyping of indigenous peoples. According to their website, the Redmen name solely refers to the school and uniform colours as well as the university’s Celtic history.

Even if the original intentions were not racist, this claim does not sit well with many students.

“I don’t believe them,” Aneeka Anderson, an Inuk U1 Arts student who attended the protest, said. “There are so many articles—I see new ones everyday—that present our perspective and the evidence that we have, proving that these names, despite the original intentions, were really warped and used in a very harmful way.”

McGill Athletics declined to comment on the demonstration and its call to change the name, instead forwarding an email sent out to the McGill community on Oct. 23. The email had informed students that the future of the name will be guided by the final report from the Working Group on Principles of Commemoration and Renaming, which is due to released in December. Ultimately, McGill’s Board of Governors has the final say in the decision.

Despite the uncertainty, the demonstration carried a message of optimism for the future and a belief that the name will be changed.

“I believe it will happen,” Anderson said. “Last year, in my first year, I said, ‘I want to do something to make this change,’ and at the time I didn’t know that other people were already doing those things and planning those things, so all I had to do was join them.”

The question “Do you endorse the immediate renaming of the ‘Redmen’ name and mandate the SSMU to work towards immediate renaming of the Varsity Men’s Team?” will appear on SSMU’s Fall referendum ballot. Voting will take place Nov. 9-12.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Dollar Cinema screens cult classic ‘Hausu’

by Noah Simon on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

On Oct. 31, Dollar Cinema hosted a special Halloween screening of Hausu, a 1977 Japanese cult horror film directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi. The film follows a schoolgirl named Gorgeous who, upon discovering her father’s impending remarriage, travels with six friends to vacation at her aunt’s haunted country house. Although the trope of the haunted house is typical of the horror genre,  Hausu is anything but conventional. From the beginning, Hausu is, quite frankly, insane. Some of the more notable examples of its lunacy include people shapeshifting into bananas, an evil, carnivorous piano, and cats metamorphosing into people. Hausu is full of cinematic magic, complete with trippy special effects and cheap, B-movie thrills. It combines upbeat music, corny humour, gratuitous, over-the-top violence, and sharp self-awareness. These elements contribute to Hausu’s own particular brand of charm.

The film’s biggest trick, however, might be convincing the audience that it is not scary. Though it seems innocent and even childish at first, underneath Hausu’s campy veneer lies an extremely sinister film. When Gorgeous, Melody, Kung-Fu, Prof, and Fantasy finally decide to call the police after losing their other friends, the camera’s over-exposure gives the image a ghostly quality. Gorgeous—now possessed—picks up the phone, and, from the other side of the line, come the gruelling, horrid screams of her friends. These kinds of eerie moments are rare, but they suggest a much darker film below the superficial playfulness. The darker scenes are haunting within a movie where, for the most part, its characters implausibly ignore the horrors going on around them, and in which scares are often played off as jokes. The film toes the line between comedic and horrifying: In a running gag, characters yell “An illusion!” whenever they encounter the supernatural. Hausu doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s no less scary for it.

Like many horror films, Hausu is best experienced with a group. Through laughs, grimaces, or bewilderment, the film’s spectacle is only complete when sharing these moments. This may be why it is perfect for Dollar Cinema, a theatre known for showing movies months after their initial release at incredibly cheap prices. Dollar Cinema’s familiar atmosphere and underground reputation make it the ideal place for a film like Hausu and its ardent fans.

Bernie Gurberg, Dollar Cinema’s eccentric owner, recently ran for Montreal mayor on one simple campaign promise: Cut the poverty line. While he lost the election, Dollar Cinema is proof of his ability to provide a space for people to enjoy themselves without breaking the bank. The theatre was packed for Hausu, and according to the event organizer, was one of its most successful screenings, other than Rocky Horror Picture Show, another iconic cult film. Films like Hausu, with its colourful personality and meta-cinematic nature, will always attract cult followings, and Dollar Cinema is the perfect spot for movie nerds to convene at an affordable price.

 

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

‘Mid90s’ tugs at familiar heartstrings

by Sophie Brzozowski on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

“I think it’s really dope that times are changing,” a grinning Jonah Hill said in an interview with the hosts of New York City-based radio show The Breakfast Club. In lieu of introducing himself, the 34-year-old actor-turned-director launched into a monologue about how exciting it is that counter-culture-centred media outlets are finally featuring mainstream celebrities.

After becoming a household name through now-iconic films such as Superbad (2007), 21 Jump Street (2012), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013),  it is hard to imagine that Hill was ever a rough and tumble skate-rat like the kind depicted in his directorial debut Mid90s. The film follows Stevie (Sunny Suljic), a 13-year-old boy from an unstable home in Los Angeles who finds solace and brotherhood in a band of teenagers at the local skate shop. As Stevie slowly becomes integrated into their tight-knit circle, he falls in love with skateboarding and the subculture’s debauchery.

As any skate film must, Mid90s makes doing drugs and breaking the law look cool. The more poignant scenes of mischief, however, manage to evoke both nostalgia and concern, in large part due to Stevie’s young age. Suljic, born in 2005, looks comically small next to the teenage boys he admires. The scenes in which he is pictured holding a forty of liquor that is almost as large as his skinny torso are at once funny and heartbreaking.

Though the film deals with themes of domestic abuse, race, and poverty, it falls short of providing any sort of impactful commentary on these issues. At times, it seems like Hill may fallen into the trap of equating actual marginalization with the feeling of being an outcast. One of the more touching scenes in the film finds the group’s leader, Ray (Na-Kel Smith) consoling Stevie after he has a violent altercation with his older brother (Lucas Hedges). To make him feel less alone, Ray reveals to Stevie the troubled home lives of the rest of the characters, as if to imply that their shared struggles brought them together.

Although perhaps lacking in imagination, and, at times, tact, Mid90s still manages to be captivating in a sentimental sort of way. Underscored by an original soundtrack written in part by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, the film meets its gnarly skate footage quota, adding to its authenticity. Hill cast pro skateboarders Olan Prenatt, Ryder McLaughlin, Na-Kel Smith and Gio Galicia to play the group of friends who take Stevie under their wing, and the entire ensemble delivers compelling performances on and off their boards. Suljic, easily one of the more charming child actors of our time, delivered an endearing and emotional performance well beyond his years.

Along with 2017’s Lady Bird, Mid90s provides compelling evidence that, contrary to popular belief, the sub-genre of movies about teenagers doing nothing of substance has yet to be exhausted. The day-to-day misadventures of boys coming-of-age are plentiful, but remain, for whatever reason, unexpectedly moving.

Perhaps, it’s because there were so few female characters of significance, but, unlike with Lady Bird, or even 2013’s Palo Alto, the bittersweet depictions of adolescence didn’t make me reminisce about my own teenage escapades. Instead, they reminded me of my younger brother. He’s a few years older than Stevie and has never, to my knowledge, stepped foot on a skateboard. However, I’ve watched from a distance as he’s navigated young adulthood in similarly calamitous and idiotic ways. At times, I wanted to strangle Stevie, but mostly I just wanted to look after him.

Mid90s was, by no means, a groundbreaking film. At its core, the moral of the story is simply that adolescence always has and always will be fun and painful and confusing. It’s a shallow message, but, for what it’s worth, a true one.

 

McGill, News

Children of the Corn orphaned

by Helen Wu on

More in McGill:

Children of the Corn, a Halloween event hosted by the Student’s Society of McGill University (SSMU) on Oct. 25 at Macdonald Campus, ended with over one hundred students scrambling to find transportation home after a chartered bus company cancelled its returning rides. SSMU Vice President (VP) Internal Matthew McLaughlin received notice of the cancellation during the event and informed students that they would need to find alternative transportation back downtown.

“One of these companies, [after taking students] to Mac Campus, said students threw up, were smoking on the bus, and it was just a mess,” McLaughlin said. “That company refused to send buses back to take home students. So we had six buses that weren’t returning to Mac.”

The buses were booked by SSMU through bus.com, a service which orders buses for their clients from licensed charter bus companies. According to McLaughlin, SSMU has used bus.com for past events without any problems occurring.

“We’ve always worked with them knowing that they will find suppliers who understand [that] these are students who are going to a party,” McLaughlin said. “When we were first booking these buses, I explicitly stated that we have worked with [them] many times before and as always, we want to make sure the bus drivers are more accommodating with this type of behaviour.”

Upon learning about the bus cancellations, McLaughlin called bus.com immediately and tried to negotiate a way to secure return transportation.

“I offered to pay more or have myself and committee members clean the buses for them,” McLaughlin said. “We offered everything we could to persuade this company to come back through bus.com, but they weren’t amenable to that.

McLaughlin insisted that he exhausted all transportation options before announcing the problem to attendees. As the party’s $25 ticket included transportation, he promised a full reimbursement for students taking a taxi or Uber home. He then talked to students individually to ensure that everyone had a safe ride home.

“I made calls to a dozen other bus companies […and even] talked to the McGill administration to see if they could come up with ideas,” McLaughlin said. “I thought we [could] get the Mac shuttle to come for some emergency trips but I couldn’t reach anyone [….] I also reached out to McGill Security at [the Macdonald campus] and discussed with them various options [….] None of [which] ended up working at all.”

SSMU is still in negotiations with bus.com over prices and potential refunding. In its Terms of Service (ToS), bus.com states that it reserves the right to cancel a booking at any time. While the ToS also state that cancellations must be refunded, they points out that passengers may be refused service if they are smoking, drinking, or intoxicated.

“In general, we do refuse the right to provided services in instances where the safety of our riders and bus drivers is in jeopardy,” bus.com Chief Administrative Officer Art Elizarov wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

Marianne Gilbert, U3 Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, does not believe that event organizers made sufficient efforts to handle the situation.

“No one announced that the buses were cancelled, so, [shortly] before 2 a.m., my friends and I went outside and we waited for 10-15 minutes,” Gilbert wrote in a message to the Tribune. “Then, the Macdonald Campus Student’s Society (MCSS) told us to cab downtown and that we would get reimbursed.We called the taxi company but they told us that we would have to wait at least 30 minutes because everyone was ordering cabs to Mac. I was very pissed.”

79 students have applied for a reimbursement of their ride, totalling almost $10,000 payable by SSMU. However, McLaughlin does not believe that this financial loss will affect SSMU operations.

“It’s not a problem, we can carry deficits,” McLaughlin said. “It won’t impact any operations at SSMU. At the end of the year, we need to decide if we want to liquidate a small portion of the capital expenditures fund, create more revenue-generating events [or] carry the deficit over to next year.”

fee
Editorial, Opinion

The Anti-Violence Fee Levy requires immediate support

by The McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

More in Editorial:

While the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) is notorious for inaction, SSMU broke ground on Oct. 11 when it became the first student union in Canada to pass a Gendered and Sexual Violence Policy (GSVP). However, the decision was contentious, and the Legislative Council saw lengthy debate about the policy’s proposed source of funding: The Anti-Violence Fee Levy (AVFL). During the Fall referendum period, taking place Nov. 9–12, it is essential that students vote in favour of the AVFL so that the GSVP can be implemented immediately and substantively.

The GSVP, a student-directed initiative over a year in the making, is an incredible accomplishment for our campus. Written by Caitlin Salvino—Carleton alumna and national chair of campus–sexual-violence advocacy group Our Turn—Priya Dube (BA ’18), and Bee Khaleeli (U3 Arts), the GSVP is a substantial stand-alone document that maintains a survivor-centric approach and clearly outlines the procedure for filing a complaint against a SSMU member.  

To properly implement the policy, the GSVP report recommends the introduction of the AVFL, a $0.45 per term opt-outable fee. If the AFVL is not approved, the GSVP will be without allocated funding. SSMU Vice-President (VP) Finance Jun Wang maintains that SSMU’s current budget is unable to adequately fund the GSVP.

As a result of Wang’s statements and an alleged breach of procedure, on Oct. 14, Bryan Buraga, a member of SSMU’s Board of Directors (BoD), filed a petition against SSMU President Tre Mansdoerfer and VP Finance Jun Wang to the Judicial Board (J-Board). The petition questions whether the VP Finance has an obligation to provide funding for the GSVP in the case that its accompanying fee is voted down in the upcoming Fall referendum.

Buraga’s petition identifies a legitimate flaw in SSMU’s financial management: Students should not have to pay for services that keep them safe. However, SSMU’s financial issues run deeper than the uncertainty over the GSVP’s funding and reflect its lack of experienced leadership. Executives’ short tenures hamper their ability to see projects through to completion; in the absence of long-term planning, SSMU tends to react to unexpected issues instead of anticipating them. For example, it became apparent in Jul. 2018 that former VP Finance Esteban Herpin miscommunicated the size of SSMU’s financial reserves by over $1 million, which resulted in the reduction of student dental coverage from $750 to $500. The absence of available expertise must be addressed if SSMU’s budgeting issues are to be fixed.

In the interim, it is crucial that students vote to support the AVFL. Although the creation of a fee levy is not ideal, students’ imminent safety is contingent on the implementation of the GSVP.

SSMU’s mandate is to advocate for student interests, and the creation of avenues to disclose and report sexual violence is clearly needed. For now, it is important that the AFVL pass, but, going forward, fundamental issues shouldn’t be split into individual, opt-outable agenda items. The VP Finance is correct that funding for sexual violence should not come at the expense of other portfolios such as Indigenous Affairs and Sustainability, and adequately funding each initiative is necessary for SSMU to fulfill its mandate. However, the debate over the AVFL speaks to a need for SSMU to fundamentally reform the way it raises funds so that these trade-offs need not be considered.

Men's Varsity, Sports

McGill rugby falls to Bishop’s in semi-final

by Owen Gibbs on

More in Men's Varsity:

On Nov. 3 at Percival Molson Stadium, the McGill men’s rugby season came to a close when the team (5-2) fell to the Bishop’s University Gaiters (5-2) by a score of 19-17. With this semi-final loss, McGill was eliminated from the RSEQ playoffs.

Bishop’s was in control of the action throughout the first half. After opening scoring with a try 15 minutes in, the Gaiters followed up with a successful free kick shortly after to take a 7-0 lead. They then extended the lead to 14 with a second try and free kick. McGill’s only points of the half trimmed Bishop’s lead to nine: Third-year hooker Alex Pantis scored a try, but McGill could not convert for the extra two points, and so the half ended with a score of 14-5 in the Gaiters’ favour.

Bishop’s carried its momentum into the second half, quickly scoring a try. However, the Gaiters were unable to convert for the two additional points. Then, the McGill offence started to take over. Third-year outside-centre Jessen Gibbs scored a try to cut the Bishop’s lead to nine; later, with minutes to go, first-year fullback Benjamin Russell reached the end zone to make it 19-15, and a two-point kick brought McGill within two. Unfortunately, time ran out, ending both McGill’s comeback bid and its season while Bishop’s booked its ticket to the RSEQ Championship.

“It was all going to come down to who was going to make the most mistakes,” first-year fly-half Owen Cumming said. “We had too many penalties in the first half, and that cost us pretty heavily.”

Ultimately, it was a successful season for the McGill men’s rugby squad. They finished with a regular season record of 5-1, which earned them second place in the RSEQ. Their only regular season loss came on Oct. 19 against the undefeated Concordia Stingers. Unfortunately, McGill’s attempt to win their first championship since 2015, and its sixth in the last 10 years, fell short. Though the loss was disappointing, the team held their heads high and appreciated this season’s success.

“From the start, the team was more cohesive than I’ve seen it since I started playing here,” Gibbs said. “The wins we locked down were certainly a product of our bond, and I am confident that this team will be in the finals next year.”

Gibbs, the team captain, was named an RSEQ first-team all-star. His faith that the future is bright for his squad extends down the roster: Among this increasingly-cohesive unit  were ten rookies, including Cumming and second row Karl Hunger, who agreed with Gibbs’ assessment of the bond that the team shared this season.

“The older players made sure all the younger guys felt included and part of something bigger than just a rugby team,” Hunger said. “Together, we’ve built a strong bond between all players on and off the field which I believe is a very important part of having a rugby club.”

Moment of the Game:

The crowd erupted as Benjamin Russell scored a try in the final 15 minutes of the match to pull McGill within two points, giving the team and the fans hope that they could complete the comeback.

Quotable:

“Seeing my team stand tall and support each other following such a devastating loss is the greatest success that I could ask for.” – Captain Jessen Gibbs on the teamwork within the McGill locker room.

Stat Corner:

McGill had one of the RSEQ’s strongest defences this season, surrendering only 61 points all year, and fewer than 10 points in four of their six regular season outings.

1 … 530 531 532 533 534 … 1,363

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue