May 7, 2000
Tampa, FL -
Roll on you Bears.
Cal claimed its 10th consecutive collegiate rugby crown Sunday, routing Wyoming 62-16.
The Bears battled heat, humidity and arcane officiating to dominate the match and continue their remarkable collegiate dynasty.
The day belonged to the Bears' loose forwards and outside backs. Flanker Kort Schubert opened the scoring for Cal after No. 8 Shaun Paga penetrated Wyoming's midfield defense, and a switch of attacking direction saw Schubert cross in the corner.
That was the cue for fullback John Buchholz to calmly slot the conversion from the sideline, the first of six conversions. Schubert would go on to close out Cal's scoring with two second half tries for a hattrick on the day.
His individual performance was rivalled by freshman wing Cameron Bunce who scorched the Cowboys for two tries. The second was a spectacular 60m solo effort during which the true freshman beat three defenders before touching down under the posts.
"It was a spectacular run," noted Cal's head coach Jack Clark. "Cam is just too fast when he is in the open field."
Bunce's fellow wing Eric Andersen was at the end of an overlap to also score in the first half, and flanker John Taylor sliced through Wyoming's fringe defense following an attacking line-out.
By halftime, the Bears held a 38-10 lead, and while Wyoming's flyhalf Leif Gibson slotted two penalties to open the second period, the Bears were not about to allow a comeback.
About 20 minutes into the second period, lock Matt Kane put Cal firmly in the driver's seat, crashing over the line from short range, after a quickly taken penalty stretched the Wyoming defense.
Center Jason Forney scored only minutes later after a Bears' maul drew in the defense yet again. The 90 degree heat and two days of championship rugby began to show on both sides in the final quarter, and together with suffocating refereeing, turned the match into a stop-start affair.
Substitute fullback Andy Tamayo weaved through the defense to set up Schubert's second try and the lanky flanker drove from the base of an attacking scrum for the final score of the match.
The comprehensive victory extended Cal's record to 10 consecutive collegiate titles and 17 national championships in the 21 years of national competiton. Cal has lost to American teams only twice in the last decade.
Scoring First Half: Kort Schubert try (5 points) & John Buchholz conversion (2 points), 7th min., Buchholz penalty kick (3 pts), 14th min., Cameron Bunce try & Buchholz conv., 19th min., Wyoming try & conversion, 22nd min., Wyoming pen. kick, 25th min., John Taylor try & Buchholz conv., 29th min., Eric Andersen try & Buchholz conv., 33rd min., Bunce try & Buchholz conv., 38th min.
Second Half: Wyoming pen. kick, 1st min., Wyoming pen. kick, 8th min., Matt Kane try, 17th min., Jason Forney try & Buchholz conv., 21st min., Schubert try & Andy Tamayo conv., 34th min., Schubert try, 38th min.
First Half Cal 38 Wyoming 10
Second Half Cal 24 Wyoming 6
Final Cal 62 Wyoming 16
Cal Record: 17-3-0
