BERKELEY – California rugby will see its first 15-a-side action of the 2024-25 academic year with a preseason friendly at Long Beach State on Saturday. The Golden Bears and the Sharks will kick off at the LBSU Rugby Field at noon PT, with a reserve-grade contest scheduled to begin immediately following the conclusion of the first match.  
 
Saturday marks the beginning of Cal's 15-a-side competition schedule following its appearance on the west coast fall sevens circuit in October. The Bears went undefeated in sevens play, clinching a pair of West Coast Collegiate 7s titles. Cal now shifts its focus to XVs with this weekend's contest to serve as a preview to the Bears' full 2025 schedule.
 
This will be the first time in recent history that Cal and Long Beach State have contested a XVs match, with the last time the two programs met being at the 2021 WCC7s tournament at Cal Poly. The Bears defeated the Sharks 21-12 en route to winning the tournament trophy.
 
The Bears are returning a handful of key starters this season, including junior halfback duo Solomon Williams and Rand Santos and starting center Max Threlkeld. Starting junior hooker Cade Crist will also make his return to the forward pack in addition to senior flanker Jon Puckett.
 
Cal will go without senior stalwarts Tom Dixon and Charlie Walsh this weekend, although both are expected to return in the new year. Walsh is set to captain the squad for the second straight season.
 
The Bears have added a wealth of new talent to their roster, with 20 new student-athletes eager to see their first 15-a-side action for the Blue & Gold. Freshmen Seamus Deely, Oliver Teague and Chris Biller along with sophomore transfer Jack Byszio earned call-ups to Cal's top sevens side earlier this fall and are looking to now get the call in XVs play.
 
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