The men’s rugby team established itself as the provincial frontrunner on Saturday with a 47-3 dismantling of the McMaster Marauders, the 2010 Ontario champions.

In their last meeting, the Marauders ousted Queen’s in an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) semifinal. This year, strengthened by the return of veterans absent in 2010, the Gaels beat the Marauders in front of a crowd of Queen’s rugby alumni at Tindall field.

Third-year fly-half Liam Underwood, sidelined with an ankle injury last season, scored a try and kicked six conversions for a total of 17 points on Saturday.

Tim and Patrick Richardson — twins who graduated after the team’s 2009 Ontario victory — are back at Queen’s for graduate school, adding leadership and a physical presence to the team’s back row. Tim Richardson scored a try late in the game, sliding into the end zone to ground the ball.

Third-year flanker Matt Kelly scored two tries, while captain Dan Moor, Liam Underwood, George Gleeson and Andrew Kirk also scored for the team.

The team saw strong performances from rookies on Saturday, with hooker Dave Merrithew proving himself to be a presence in the scrum, giving his team consistent possession of the ball.

After the team struggled with communication issues in Waterloo last weekend there was a stronger connection between the forwards and the backs.

Moor said the Gaels outworked a bigger and physically stronger opponent on Saturday. At one point, prop Matt Wolfe stepped upwith a big block deep in Marauders territory to create a try.

“Our boys are just ready to throw their bodies out on the line for the team,” captain Dan Moor said. “It was probably the best it has been this season.”

The Marauders became frustrated as the score became lopsided. Near the end of the game, a Marauders player stomped on eight-man Russell Gray’s torso, prompting a skirmish between the two teams.

“I didn’t see the incident personally so I don’t know how dirty it was, but that’s part of the game of rugby,” Moor said

The Gaels will face the undefeated Western Mustangs in a game to determine first place in the OUA.