BERKELEY – After a doubleheader weekend in Strawberry Canyon, California rugby will front the challenge of a short week and cross-country travel to take on a top side from the U.S. Naval Academy on Saturday in Annapolis, Maryland. The Golden Bears and the Midshipmen will kick off at 9 a.m. PT at the Prusmack Rugby Center and will be aired as the collegiate "Match of the Week" on The Rugby Network.
 
Cal is undefeated in 2024-25, most recently coming off a 49-24 win over a formidable side from University of British Columbia in Berkeley last Sunday; the Bears claimed the victory by way of seven tries and two penalty kicks. Max Threlkeld led the Bears in try-scoring, contributing three within a span of seven minutes, and Cal's defense only allowed four scores by UBC and held up the T-Birds in the red zone a few more times.
 
Navy holds a 10-1 record in XVs action in 2024-25. The Mids picked up notable wins over Army (32-5), Air Force (79-14), Penn State (35-10) and BYU (43-28) last fall, while their one loss came at the hands of the Life Running Eagles, 23-20.
 
Cal and Navy last met on Homecoming in Berkeley on March 16, 2024, when the Bears claimed a 47-24 victory over then-No. 1 ranked Mids. Cal scored seven tries and two penalty kicks and held Navy to only three tries and one penalty kick to hand the Mids their first loss since beating Cal 28-22 in the 2023 national championship match. Ten of Cal's starters in the 2024 match returned for the Bears this season, including five of the six tryscorers in the contest. Navy's loss to Cal was its only regular-season defeat before eventually advancing all the way to the title match where the Mids lost narrowly to Saint Mary's, 26-22.
 
The Bears last made the trip to Annapolis on March 11, 2023, when Navy outlasted Cal to clinch a 33-28 win. It was a tightly contested match, with Cal holding a slight 14-12 advantage at halftime thanks to tries by 2025 returners Charlie Walsh and Threlkeld. The Mids put up three-straight scores during the first 15 minutes of the second period to pull ahead and, despite the Bears scoring a pair of converted tries within six minutes to close the gap, time expired with the Mids on top. Then-freshmen Threlkeld, Cade Crist, Rand Santos, Oliver Newall and Solomon Williams all played in the match in addition to current seniors Walsh, Tom Dixon, Jon Puckett and Ryan Marshall.
 
Cal is expected to start a similar side to the team it fielded on Sunday, with the exception of U.S. international flyhalf Santos, who has been ruled out with injury. Also unavailable is fullback Newall, who has had a sensational season.
 
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