Cal Rugby 2020 XVs Season Preview

Saturday, January 18

Los Angeles, CA

9:50 AM

California

Dennis Storer Classic

Cal wins a lineout in their final regular season win over Saint Mary's in 2019.

Photo by: Alex Ho / hoiho.net

1/16/2020 11:33 AM | Rugby

The 138th Season Of Cal Rugby Continues As The Golden Bears Head To Los Angeles To Begin Their XVs Campaign

By: Cal Athletics

BERKELEY – After closing a 2010s decade which included four fifteen and five sevens national championships, California rugby opens 2020 with optimism for their 15-a-side season in the spring.

"It is the normal apprehension heading into a new year," said head coach Jack Clark. "We've graduated some really good players to include the team captain and All-American flanker Nic Mirhashem, along with other All-Americans Jack Iscaro at prop and Troy Lockyear at fullback. When you fold in the seasonal losses of Dyer and Walsh through injury, it gets daunting. Our schedule is somewhat out of balance as we will spend much of the season on the road. That said, hosting a doubleheader with three of the best teams in the land will be a highlight. Overall, if we can stay healthy, we may have enough to make a run in the postseason. This weekend in Los Angeles, we will look to get every healthy player on the roster some match time. The plan is for every player to open their account and show what they've got. "

After spending two weeks in training camp, the Golden Bears will head to Los Angeles for their first XVs action of the spring at the Dennis Storer Classic. The annual tournament will feature six teams with Cal facing UC Santa Cruz at 9:50 a.m. and UC San Diego at 12:20 p.m. on Saturday, January 18. The Bears will face UCLA in their final game of the weekend on Sunday, January 19 at 1:30 p.m. All of Cal's games will be played at Wallis Annenberg Stadium on the campus of UCLA.

The Bears' roster this season will house four returning All-Americans including seniors Damon Wiley, Sam Cusano, and Christian Dyer along with junior Jack Manzo. Wiley collected nine tries in 11 starts last season from his tight head prop position including two in Cal's last regular season win against Saint Mary's and two more in the championship match against Life. Also making 11 starts in 2019, Manzo earned All-American honors in just his sophomore season. Meanwhile, Cusano was named an All-American in both the 7s and 15s seasons; the Granite Bay, Calif. native scored the second-most tries on the team last spring (17), including the game-winner in the Bears' second win of the year versus Saint Mary's in the semifinal.

Altogether, Cal will return nine of the 15 players who started the National Collegiate 15s Championship in 2019, the Bears' seventh-consecutive appearance in the title match. Of the returners, seven are upperclassmen including five seniors: Cusano, Dyer, Wiley, Keanu Andrade, and Sebastian Bader. However, Cal will begin the season with two of last year's important starters out with long-term injuries: senior center Dyer and sophomore flyhalf Sam Walsh. Last year, Dyer ended the season with 11 starts and 14 tries which were boosted by a hat trick in the Round of 16 against UC Davis. Walsh on the other hand, ended his freshman campaign with 67 conversions and 10 tries in eight starts.

Nevertheless, the Bears will look to receive strong contributions from some of their other returners. Some of whom include: Sam Golla (moved to the back row this year, started the national title match in 2019 as a lock, and scored four tries against UC Davis in the Round of 16), starting wing Marcus Shankland (scored the most tries on the team last season – 27), starting halfback Henry Poon (received starts for the Hong Kong U20 national team in 2018 and 2019), flanker Jason Severance (seven starts in 2019 including the Round of 16 and championship matches), lock Max Murphy (received starts in both the quarterfinal and semifinal of the national postseason in 2019), Thomas Spradling (a first choice back row player who received 11 starts last season and was used in reserve in the national championship match), Sid Holland (fast and explosive senior flanker), Seth Purdey (started the national championship game in 2018 as a freshman), center Adam Roeske (used in reserve in 2019's title game), and Ethan Greene (could make a bid for a center jersey this year). The team will also be lifted by 12 freshmen who began their collegiate careers in the autumn, including seven who saw time in the fall's Olympic 7s schedule.

"Talent is not always straightforward," said Clark. "Certainly, ability is the most important factor, but improving over the course of a season is likewise critical. Finally, good old fashioned grit is a powerful quality. If we can improve over the next four months, and increasingly display some resolve, we just might have a solid team."

After spending the first three weeks of the season on the road at Dennis Storer, UC Davis and San Diego State, Cal rugby fans' first opportunity to see their team at home will be on February 8 during Parents' Weekend when they will play a doubleheader against California Maritime and UCLA. The following weekend, the Bears will compete at Arizona in Tucson on February 15 before beginning the 99th edition of the World Cup Series with British Columbia on February 22 during homecoming weekend. The first leg will be played at Witter Rugby Field and the second will be on Sunday, March 1 in Vancouver. The following week, Cal will feature in a doubleheader on March 7 which will include a 1:30 p.m. contest between national powerhouses Saint Mary's and Navy before the Bears face Army at 3:30 p.m. The Bears will then play their final home game of the regular season on Wednesday, March 11 when they welcome Santa Clara to Strawberry Canyon at 6:30 p.m. California's final two road matches will be at Utah and Saint Mary's on March 14 and March 28 respectively.

On the broadcasting front, Pac-12 Networks will televise three home Cal rugby matches this season: UCLA (February 8), British Columbia (February 22), and Army (March 7).

Depending on the results of the season, Cal still has a chance to potentially host two matches in the postseason: The higher national seed will be given the opportunity to host both the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals.

To follow Cal rugby all season long, be sure to visit calbears.com/sports/mens-rugby or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.