![\"NCR](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ncr-15s-logo.png\" "\\"NCR"){kind=logo}
The team will be departing for the airport at 8:30 a.m. Thursday outside Francis Hall. Community members who\u2019d like to wish the team well can gather outside Francis around 8:15 a.m.<\/p>\n
Neighbour\u2019s club nearly pulled off a remarkable rally Nov. 7 in the ARC title game vs. Queens. Down 23 points with just 25 minutes to play, the Bonnies fell, 26-22, when Mehdi Merah was held up by Queens defenders on the goal line on the final play of the match.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hated losing that match, especially when we were the league leaders going into that weekend,\u2019 Neighbour said. \u201cBut honestly, I think it was the gut check we needed, a wake-up call to get our mental approach right. It grounded us and reminded us that maybe we weren\u2019t as good as we thought. It helped us refocus on what needed to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n
The loss relegated the Bonnies to a play-in game to qualify for the NCR tournament, but that additional hurdle has barely fazed them. <\/p>\n
Since halftime of the ARC title game with Queens, SBU has outscored its opponents, 147-32. They defeated Southern Nazarene, 44-17, in the play-in match; defending national champion Brown, 51-7, in the quarterfinals; and Walsh University, 33-8, in the national semifinal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve built a lot of confidence \u2014 not just winning, but winning convincingly. That builds belief,\u2019 Neighbour said. \u201cThe last three games have lifted the whole program. Our depth and the effort from everyone, even those not traveling, is why we\u2019re so good. If we take the right mindset into this one, we\u2019ll be right there at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having one of the best kickers in collegiate rugby doesn\u2019t hurt, especially at tournament time when points are at a premium. Junior Noah Edwards is a weapon whenever an opponent commits a penalty past midfield. Against Walsh, Edwards was perfect on three try conversions and four penalty kicks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a huge advantage. When you have a kicker who can convert consistently, that\u2019s a massive point swing,\u201d Neighbour said. \u201cIn playoff rugby, it\u2019s critical to keep the scoreboard ticking \u2014either extending a lead or staying within reach. And Noah\u2019s not the only strong kicker we have \u2014 we\u2019ve got depth there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bonnies are playing in their third national title game in the last five years. They defeated Penn State for the title in 2021 and lost to Notre Dame College in 2023.<\/p>\n
As lethal as the Bonnies offensive attack has been the last month, their defense has been just as critical. They\u2019ve surrendered only two tries in the last two games \u2014 to the second- and fourth-ranked teams in the latest NCR poll.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy adage is that defense is another form of attack. When we lose the ball, our mindset is to get it back with 60 to 90 seconds of relentless pressure,\u201d Neighbour said. \u201cWe\u2019ve built ourselves on being a good defensive team.\u201d<\/p>\n
St. Bonaventure, ranked No. 3 in the latest poll, won the first match of the season with Queens, 32-29, when Edwards scored a try on the final play of the match. Queens was ranked No. 1 in the latest poll, boosted by its league title win over SBU.\u00a0(A new poll hasn\u2019t been released since the quarterfinals started.)<\/p>\n
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About the University: The nation\u2019s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).<\/p>\n
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