Sues and Bennies compete for a line-out in their first face-off.
After three grueling weeks of competition, the University of Michigan Men’s Rugby Intrasquads competition came to an end in dramatic fashion, with the Bennies handily sending the decade-long Sues dynasty to a turf covered grave. Despite weeks of back and forth, where none of the 3 teams were able to routinely beat the others, the Bennies came ahead in their third match against the Sues, also the first match of the night. With their 33-12 rout, the Bennies eliminated any chance of a victory by either the Sues or Dudes by the time the last whistle was blown. The final rankings are below:
#3: Dudes
Despite another year of strong draft acumen, the Dudes find themselves, in the final place of this year’s power rankings. A promising start saw them crush the Sues, a long-standing rival, and best the Bennies in their second matchup in week 2. However, injuries killed the Dudes’ chances, as captain Tommy Hendricks and ankle-breaker Robbie Macpherson sat on the sidelines in dismay as the Dudes ended the last night 0-2. Entering this off-season, the Dudes lose many key seniors. Unless the next captain can bring the disparate group of players together, the Dudes may have lost their chance for an Intrasquads cup forever.
#2: Sues
Although the Sues were no strangers to adversary, winning last years tournament in a comeback win in the standings, their luck finally ran out. In weeks 1 and 2, the Sues managed to come back from devastating losses to comebacks against both the Dudes and Bennies. But in the final week, only one game mattered. Although the Sues saw themselves better equipped than other teams, holding at least one substitute player in their back pocket, the Bennies capitalized on key mistakes in the defensive line, and the Sues failed to cross the try line on multiple occasions. After a decisive loss, the Sues found a magic that remained hidden for the entire tournament, routing the Dudes in a dominant 33-17 victory. Entering the off-season, the Sues expect to keep many strong juniors, reloading with an elite class of seniors and new draft picks.
#1: Bennies
After 10 years of being shot down on their attempts to fly, the Bennies finally found the sky. With dominant wins all tournament, they’ve cemented themselves as the team to beat for next year. Their final match of the tournament, against the downtrodden Dudes, saw them make a 36-10 statement win for any challengers to their newfound Intrasquads Plate: they won’t let up even after victory is secured. As the team reunites for future 7s tournaments and a still-distant 15s season in the Fall, the Bennies have a target on their back. Can they build a dynasty from this?
Full Match results below:
| Team | Score | Team |
| Bennies | 33-12 | Sues |
| Sues | 33-17 | Dudes |
| Dudes | 10-36 | Bennies |
