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Sports 34 O k ill SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011 By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Over the past few years, Oakville Trafalgar and Abbey Parks rugby teams have developed one of the strongest rivalries in all of Halton high school sports. The Red Devils and Eagles have met in the past two Halton senior Tier 1 finals, with OT coming on top both times. And their paths crossed again in the bronze medal game of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations AAA/AAAA tournament earlier this year, when OT blanked the Eagles 13-0. They talked their team up and then we smoked them, recalls Mike Santangeli, one of the key cogs on the bronze- winning Devils squad. Given the history between the two programs, it might seem like asking for trouble to put players from both teams in the same room, let alone on the same squad. And that will be the case next month as two players from OT Santangeli and Matt Gottschling join up with two Eagles Dan Mathie and Chris Woodhead on the Ontario Blues under-18 team that will represent the province at the national rugby champion- ships next month in Calgary. Its weird beating them and then playing on the same team as them, Santangeli says. fRivals to join orces at rugby nationals Pictured clockwise from left (all carrying the ball), Dan Mathie, Mike Santangeli, Matt Gottschling and Chris Woodhead will play for the Ontario Blues under-18 team at next month's National Championships Festival rugby tournament in Calgary. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER See Ontario, page 36