Jul 03, 2009 - 11:16 AM

UXBRIDGE -- In the past seven years, the Uxbridge Secondary School Tigers rugby program has been known for producing some very good teams.

The impressive list of accomplishments has included six LOSSA Championships, two silvers at OFSAA for the Seniors, one LOSSA Championship and one Provincial Championship each for the Juniors and Midgets.

However, the program which has risen from humble beginnings, including two winless seasons in their first two years, has achieved the triple crown of high school rugby in the area -- LOSSA Championships at all three age groups.

All three teams went undefeated in the regular season and went on the capture the Midget, Junior and Senior Championships this spring.

The Senior team went on to finish fifth at OFSAA, while the Midget team captured the silver at the Provincial Championships. The fantastic season was topped off by the Junior Provincial Championship gold by a team that is 65-0 over the last two years, winning every tour game, tournament, league game and playoff that they have played.

"That is a truly amazing feat," says Uxbridge phys-ed head and Senior head coach Paul Connelly.

"I've never seen a team dominate like that, especially in an area that is so strong in rugby," added Connelly, who with the help of Chris Mckee, has led the program over the last 10 years.

Both are ecstatic about the success of the program and even more so the interest that the athletes at the school have shown.

"We have over 90 athletes in the program and we started training in November for our March tour to England where the Seniors went a respectable 2-2 and the Juniors went 4-0. The hard work of all these boys has obviously paid off," said Connelly. The addition to the coaching and phys-ed staff of provincial level coach Peter Clayton didn't hurt the program any either.

"Pete is an outstanding coach who brought some new ideas and a different voice to our program and is a very welcome addition," says Mckee.

Can the Tigers repeat this year's success in 2010? With nine players currently involved in the Provincial rugby program and more than 30 players involved in local club rugby this summer, the three coaches are definitely excited about next year.

"This was our best season ever, we just want to keep the momentum going," says Clayton.