BERKELEY – The No. 2 Golden Bears host No. 4 Saint Mary's on Witter Rugby Field Saturday, March 28, at 12 p.m. in a major local match to end California's regular season. A reserve-grade contest follows the First XV.
Coming off their epic win March 22 in Canada over British Columbia, the Bears (14-1) will be tasked to take on another impressive opponent in the Gaels this weekend.
“Saint Mary's is an excellent team,” said head coach Jack Clark. “They have a unique blend of tough-as-nails guys up front and skilled, evasive personnel in the backline. Collectively, the Gaels are a tough out for the best of teams.”
Saint Mary's is 7-3 against collegiate competition this spring, its two losses against Brigham Young by only four points at home and nine on the road. The third defeat for SMC came on the road the day before its rematch at BYU, when the Gaels sent a reserve side out against Utah and lost, 49-21.
The SMC First XV trounced Utah at home, 81-15, earlier in the season, one of five common victories between Cal and Saint Mary's in their spring schedules. Saint Mary's has beaten those five common opponents – the Utes, Arizona State, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Cal Poly – by an average margin of 64.8 points.
The Bears' margin of victory over those teams is almost 15 points greater at 79.2, a number that would be even higher if Cal's match against UCSB had gone a full 80 minutes rather than the 40 it lasted in the Dennis Storer Classic's multi-team weekend format.
But don't allow those numbers to create any false confidence – Cal will face a severe test against Saint Mary's on Saturday. Last year in Moraga, the Gaels dealt the Bears a 55-31 defeat on Pat Vincent Field, named for the former New Zealand All Black and Cal Bear who went on to coach Saint Mary's, and the place where SMC ended a 21-year winning streak by the Bears over the Gaels in 2012. Since then, the teams have traded wins on their home pitches.
The Bears have shown steady improvement in the eight wins they've reeled off since Cal's one loss vs. British Columbia. Newcomer lock Sione Sina has synced well with fellow forwards including All-America flanker Alec Gletzer, and the backline has benefitted from the impact of Anthony Salaber at inside center.
Saint Mary's should be upperclassmen-heavy among its starters. The Gaels backline could feature many familiar dangerous names – including senior captain Cooper Maloney, fellow seniors Kingsley McGowen and Mason Colombo, junior center and kicker Dylan Audsley, flyhalf Mike McCarthy and junior scrumhalf Holden Yungert – and a forward pack led by All-America senior hooker Mike O'Neil, powerful senior props Ryan Pratt and Dino Waldren, and 6-3 freshman phenom Vili Helu in the back five.
The Bears will look to avoid the Gaels' penchant for tries from turnovers and errant kicks, which led to several scores off counterattacks in their last meeting, when Cal's control of field position and possession was negated by mistakes on which SMC quickly capitalized.
Following this match, Cal will embark on its quest to win the 2015 Penn Mutual Varsity Cup National Rugby Championship, beginning at either Notre Dame or Texas on April 11, when the Bears face the winner of round one's clash between the Irish and Longhorns in a quarterfinal matchup.
If Cal advances past the Varsity Cup quarterfinals, the Bears will host a national semifinal on Saturday, April 18, against the survivor of the bracket featuring Clemson, Arkansas State, Dartmouth and Navy. The Penn Mutual Varsity Cup National Rugby Championship final takes place Saturday, May 2, in Rio Tinto Stadium outside of Salt Lake City.
Following the conclusion of their 15s season, the Bears will prepare to compete at the 2015 Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship, where Cal has won two consecutive national championships in 7s.
