The Southeast Thistles Rugby Club is embarking on new territory as they get set to head to Winnipeg for their first playoff game as a division one team.

Having locked up third place in the Manitoba Rugby Men's top division, they are slated to play the U of M Wombats in the semi-final on September 29th. 

The two teams met only once during the regular season and it was the Wombats taking advantage of a sluggish start by the Thistles, putting up multiple scores in the first half to grab the lead. The Thistles did get their motors going in the second half and did take a brief lead but it didn't last as fatigue and penalty trouble eventually sunk the club.

After that game, captain Matt Evans was already well aware that a similar effort cannot happen in the post-season. "You can't win the game in the first 15 or 20 minutes, but you can sure as heck lose it. We've had too many games where we take too long to switch into game mode and we cannot do that come playoff time."

Considering the Thistles were expected to be in division two this year, the fact they clamped down third is maybe the most impressive feat of the year. It's not the same team that would show up shorthanded and lost by fifty or more points. Those days are behind them. Not only is the team competing in every game but finding ways to win.

Fond Farewell

The final regular season game was a bittersweet affair as the Thistles most senior member, club founder, former President and coach Les "Daddy" Whatford played his final game for the Southeast Thistles.

The native Scotsman founded the club alongside Isi Masi and Tony Clark in 2010. In his post-game speech, Whatford looked back at just how much detail and effort was put into getting the club off the ground. "It was a ton of work, getting the right colour jerseys, getting all the money together and everything sorted out with the league. But, this club would not exist without help from my wife Christy."

The Southeast Thistles Rugby family wants to thank Les, Christy, Abbey, Isla and Rhona for all the memories and hard work they've put into the club and the community.