BERKELEY – California rugby hosts UCLA for a contest Saturday at Witter Rugby Field. Kickoff is 1p.m. PT, with the gates in Strawberry Canyon to open at noon. Concessions will be sold on-site with cashless forms of payment accepted. Fans can purchase tickets here, or watch the live stream.
 
Cal holds a 6-0 record in spring XVs competition heading into the weekend. Saturday will be the first PAC conference matchup of the season for the Bears.
 
Last time out, Cal claimed a 69-7 victory over Grand Canyon in a home matchup. Junior Tom Dixon contributed three tries as the lock and senior prop Michael Puckett scored twice, his first career points in a varsity match for the Blue & Gold. Fellow senior Max Clark also contributed a pair of tries within six minutes of each other and senior co-captain Max Schumacher added the extras on seven Cal scores and collected a try to tally 19 points on the day.
 
The Bears and Bruins last met for a conference matchup on March 5, 2022 when Cal traveled to Los Angeles. The Bears scored eight tries by six different players, including Clark and Schumacher, and Nate Salter went 7-for-8 on the conversion attempts. Cal held UCLA to three scores, bringing the final to 54-21 in favor of the Bears. The Bruins last visited Berkeley for a XVs contest in Feb. 2020 when Cal defeated UCLA 59-7.
 
The Bears will make some changes to the starting lineup Saturday, with four freshmen earning a spot in the first 15. Freshman Max Threlkeld will start as the outside center after playing as a reserve-replacement on the wing in last week's match. This will be his fourth start for the Bears, after previously playing in the first 15 against UCSB, Santa Clara and at the Dennis Storer Classic versus UCSB.
 
Freshman Rand Santos will pair with Threlkeld, making his fourth start in the No. 12 shirt for the Bears this season. Santos started against UCLA at the Storer Classic, Santa Clara and Grand Canyon and logged his first career try in 15-a-side play last weekend versus the Lopes.
 
Fellow freshman Solomon Williams will earn the call-up as the starting scrumhalf against the Bruins Saturday. Williams has made four appearances for the Bears, including two starts against Santa Clara and at the Storer Classic versus UCSD. He has contributed two tries this season, one versus UCSD and another playing as a reserve-replacement versus UCLA at the Storer Classic.
 
Miles Malone will be the fourth freshman earning a starting position versus the Bruins. Malone will play as the No. 4 lock, his second start in the position after previously playing in the first 15 against Santa Clara.
 
Juniors Evan Weigold and Lance Hackett also earn the call-up to the Bears' starting lineup Saturday. Weigold will wear the No. 14 shirt in his second start of the season after previously joining the first 15 against UCSD at the Storer Classic. Weigold tallied three tries in the match and added another two tries to his weekend total when he came off the bench versus UCSB at the tournament. Hackett will play as the hooker versus the Bruins, his first career start for the Bears.  
 
The Bruins visit Strawberry Canyon following a contest with Central Washington on Feb. 4, when the Wildcats bested the Bruins 52-21. Prior to that, UCLA faced off with Grand Canyon on Jan. 21 and fell to the Lopes 14-24 in Phoenix. At the Storer Classic hosted by the Bruins, they went 2-1 in the tournament, claiming victory over UCSB and UCSD and taking a 45-0 loss to Cal.
 
Cal rugby will celebrate Parents Weekend this Saturday in Berkeley. A reserve-grade match between the Bears and the Bruins will also be contested immediately after the varsity match.
 
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