BERKELEY – The California rugby team returned to campus on Jan. 2 for the beginning of its annual winter training camp ahead of the spring XV's season. Cal rugby, the oldest Intercollegiate Athletics team on campus, enters its 141st year in program history and 40th with head coach Jack Clark as its leader in 2023.
 
"The beginning of a rugby season is special," Clark said. "Particularly, training camp at the start of the campaign feels like a rebirth. With the current craziness of collegiate athletics, there is something very pure about a team pulling together to loyally represent their school."
 
The full roster returned to Berkeley ahead of the start of classes for the 10-day intensive training camp to prepare for the spring season. The team holds meetings and training sessions twice per day, utilizing the facilities at Witter Rugby Field and the Simpson Center for High Performance.
 
One of the most impactful series of storms in recent history has provided a challenge to the Bay Area and the Bears' training camp schedule. Nonetheless, rain or shine in Strawberry Canyon, the Golden Bears are working to set the foundation for the next three months of competition.
 
 "Our focus during this stage of the season is to get our standards correct around technical alignment and effort," co-captain and second team All-American Max Schumacher said. "We have a long way to go to get where we want to be."
 
"Like all the boys, I'm first and foremost committed to getting my role done well," fellow co-captain and stalwart Nathan Zylstra added. "We won't have a lot installed prior to the UCLA tournament, but we must get our fundamentals right."
 
The team looks to build off its successful 2022 sevens campaign when it took home all three tournament championship titles of its fall slate. The Bears' top squad and developmental squad went 20-1 combined, with the developmental side only conceding one semifinal match. The Bears totaled 732 combined points compared to the 118 their opponents collected over the tournament swing.
 
"I think it was a good start," said junior Caleb Tomasin, who was the top try-scorer of the Bears' sevens campaign with 13 total. "It's really great to be back, and it's a lot of fun getting to catch up with the guys. Everyone's got their head on straight and we're ready for the season."  
 
Despite graduating some key players from the 2022 XV's season, the Bears return 42 student-athletes from the 2021-2022 roster. The fall sevens campaign showcased the team's depth in the backline, with several student-athletes demonstrating their abilities. Sophomores Kealan O'Connell and Joe Kirsten were two such players who contributed to the team's success, both tallying 11 tries, with O'Connell successfully converting on 26 of the team's scores.
 
As the XV's season approaches, the forwards are eager to get back in on the action. The team has a challenge in replacing graduated powerhouses Sam Golla, Jack Manzo, Max Murphy and Jake Broekhuizen, and with returning tighthead prop Charlie Walsh facing an injury setback for the coming weeks, the Bears have an opportunity for new faces to join the squad's starting XV.
 
"We are somewhat less experienced compared to the team we fielded last year," Clark said. "The forwards more so than the backs. However, teams evolve and we have players with their hand up. Big game experience aside, we have some good players and, more importantly, we have lots of really fine young men on our team."
 
The Bears open the regular season with an appearance at the Dennis Storer Classic hosted by UCLA on Jan. 14-15. The team then takes the pitch at Witter Rugby Field on Jan. 21 with a match against Santa Clara for the home-opener.
 
"More than anything I'm excited to see the stands filled with fans in Strawberry Canyon," Schumacher said. "We've got a lot of home matches this year and I'm excited for the energy that the fans bring."
 
Tickets for all home matches are now on sale, and fans can find a link to purchase here. Parties of 10 or more can purchase group tickets following this link.
 
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