Atlantic Rugby Conference rivals St. Bonaventure (10-1-1) and Queens (8-2-1) will battle for the third time this season to decide the Division I national title Saturday at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, TX. 

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Since losing to St. Bonaventure, 32-29, in Charlotte in September and drawing with Wheeling a week later, Queens has won seven-straight, including the Atlantic Rugby Conference final over the Bonnies, 26-22, in Washington, D.C. 

Since falling to the Royals in the conference final, the Bonnies have reeled off three-straight blowout playoff wins. They dominated Southern Nazarene in a snowy opening round, 44-17, and put defending champion Brown to the sword, 51-17, in the quarterfinals, before walloping Walsh, 33-8, last week.    

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St. Bonaventure is seeking its second national title this decade, and first under head coach Danny Neighbours. Queens, in its first year under Tyree Reed, is going for its first Division I title in program history, having finished runners-up last year and 2022. Both Neighbours and Reed served as assistants before taking over their respective programs.
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Both sides enter the championship arena battle-tested and well-rounded, with dangermen throughout the lineup. For Queens, grad scrumhalf Hilton Olivier is as experienced as they come, and hometown hero Zach Colson is a rising star at flyhalf. With Thomas Mussi at fullback, Queens has a three-headed playmaking monster. 

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So does St. Bonaventure, who boasts Noah Edwards at flyhalf, Charlotte native Koen Webb at fullback, and Scottish halfback Scott Wilson serving from the deck. The Bonnies also have a star in the centers in Manu Taula, reigning Prusmack Award Winner, while Queens will be without lightning wing Everett Boyd.  

Up front, the Bonnies are led by grad hooker Reynard Boshoff, a scoring machine and yeoman of the hard yards. They also have a great lineout target in junior lock Maseah Young, and Kyle Otineru is a specimen in the back row. 

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Queens’ pack is led by Roan Shawver, who often lines up at prop but can play anywhere in the forwards. Lock Tertius Dietrechsen has a nose for the try line, especially off the Royals’ potent driving maul. And Wayne State-transfer flanker Seth Vallance is a nuisance in both the lineout and loose play.

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The Royals and Bonnies kick off at 5 p.m. CST Saturday, with the game streaming live on NCR TV. The College Rugby Show will provide live pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage.  

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