BERKELEY – California rugby commences its 2024 postseason campaign Saturday with the D1A national collegiate championship round of 16 match against California Polytechnic State University. The Golden Bears will host the Mustangs for a matinee matchup at Witter Rugby Field, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. PDT.
 
Cal posted a 10-3 overall record in regular-season competition to earn a playoff berth and the No. 4 seed in the west region. Cal Poly visits Strawberry Canyon as the No. 5 seed in the west.
 
The Bears went undefeated in their first six games of the season, including a 33-7 defeat over Cal Poly at the Dennis Storer Classic Jan. 13. Cal also claimed a Feb. 3 road victory over sixth-seeded UCLA, putting up a 66-12 final score with the Bruins. Cal's first loss came Feb. 10 at the hands of No. 3 seed Brigham Young, but a trio of road victories over seventh-seeded Arizona (85-10), eighth-seeded Grand Canyon (74-7) and Utah (69-22) put the Bears back in the winning column. East region No. 7 seed Army dealt Cal a tough loss March 2, but two weeks later the Bears put up a statement 47-24 win over east region No. 1 Navy during their March 16 Homecoming celebration.
 
Last time out on March 23, Cal traveled to Moraga for a matchup with the Saint Mary's Gaels. The Bears held an advantage for 47 straight minutes before the Gaels edged ahead with a 26-24 lead. Cal leveled the score at 31 with a converted try in the 62nd minute, but Saint Mary's retook the lead with four minutes to play left in the contest. The Bears had their chances in the last minutes of the match, before falling 38-31 to the top seed in the region.
 
Cal Poly put together an 8-4 overall record to secure a spot in the playoffs this season. The Mustangs went 2-1 at the Dennis Storer Classic, defeating LMU and UC Santa Cruz while falling to Cal. Cal Poly took a 26-12 loss to BYU Jan 20 but bounced back with three wins over San Diego State (89-5), Santa Clara (78-21) and UCSC (112-8). The Mustangs were handed a 39-20 defeat by Central Washington – the west region's No. 2 seed – before picking up a 63-14 win over UC Davis. Cal Poly lost to Saint Mary's 73-34 at the beginning of March before closing out the regular season with a pair of victories over UC Santa Barbara (29-14) and UCLA (51-32).
 
Cal was without some key starters for the last leg of the regular season, including senior co-captain center Will Shankland, sophomore center Max Threlkeld, junior flanker Jon Puckett and senior second rower Pat Deely. The Bears are hopeful for them to make their return in some capacity during the postseason.
 
The Bears will likely need more time to get back to full strength, which could necessitate changes in the forwards, along with the backline. Senior Clayton Seastrand in the front row and second rowers sophomore Miles Malone and junior Ryan Marshall have their hands up for selection, along with freshman Bryan Bogne and fourth-year Dom Paga. Sophomores Michál de Beer and Oliver Newall, and senior team leader Caleb Tomasin are braced for an opportunity.
 
Cal will rely on forward senior co-captains Alex Aguero and Charlie Walsh to lead the squad into the opening match of the playoffs. Walsh will feature in the front row while Aguero is expected to once again wear the No. 8 shirt.
 
The Bears' halfback and flyhalf duo was consistent throughout the regular season, with sophomores Solomon Williams and Rand Santos paired as the No. 9 and No. 10, respectively, for six matches. They are likely to retain those starting positions Saturday.
 
"It's single-elimination rugby and it's our last match of the year on Witter Rugby Field," Walsh said. "It's an important weekend."
 
Tickets for the match can be purchased here and fans unable to attend in person can watch the live stream. With it being a busy day in the canyon – including a double-header at Witter Ruby Field's neighbor, Levine-Fricke Field (softball) – fans are advised to arrive early to secure parking.
 
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