Anyone else watching online?

5-0 now, Cal

13 nothing at the half.

Tough to watch on the small screen.... While up, BYU has been putting the pressure on much of the time. After last year, I hope we can get a little more separation.

For those who don't have the link: http://www.ustream.tv/usarugby

Good stuff! There was just a BEAUTIFUL block of a kick a moment ago.

cal89;322330 said:

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13 nothing at the half.

Tough to watch on the small screen.... While up, byu has putting the pressure on much of the time. After the last year, i hope we can a little more separation.

For those who don't have the link: http://www.ustream.tv/usarugby

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16 - 0 cal

3 score game, so it's looking good! Damn good defensive game, by both teams.

Barrett is playing like a beast.

lol cal wins :bravo:bravo:bravo

:cheer:cheer:cheer
:gobears:

elpbear;322338 said:

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:cheer:cheer:cheer
:gobears:

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I thought BYu scored???

Cal wins 19-7, not 26-0.....
:gobears:

That's their season record, for those not paying attention...

Thank you Cal89 for posting the link. I enjoyed watching the last several minutes.

Fantastic! 25 titles in Rugby.

I really like how Cal came at them right to the end, aggressive, not trying to protect the lead...

Do JT and staff chat with coach Clark? It would seem that much can be gained from fellow coaches sharing amongst each other...

Congratulations to these noble lads, who have upheld the tradition of Rugby at Cal, and many of whom will go on to represent the Eagles for the USA!
This may be the best side I have seen (goes back to the '60s but not every team), they are not the biggest, they are not the strongest, they are not the fastest squad I have seen at Cal, but maybe, maybe they are the quickest. They always seem to get that first step on the opponent, whomever it may be, and then with that quickness put tremendous pressure on the opposite side leading to lengthy runs for goals. No grind-it-out for these lads! A tremendous victory over a worthy opponent, and no serious challenges in the entire season! Jack Clark, you always downplay our chances in order to mitigate arrogance, but here is a side that must make you very proud! As am I!!!

Well said. Go Bears!

That Barrett kid was tough to bring down. At 5'10", 225 lbs, he has the size of a FB.

Eric Fry was the MVP!

Go Bears.

Chabbear;322361 said:

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Eric Fry was the MVP!

Go Bears.

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Well, that makes it even extra special to leave on such a high note!

Just back from the game. That was one of the best displays of defensive rugby I have ever seen. Both teams played very well in defense with the Bears being a bit better. They restructured their forces well in the mutiple phases and launched themselves well in defensive attack, both up the field and laterally, against some big and strong men.

We repelled a couple of excellent BYU scoring opportunities in the second half. One came on a hard hit which stood the Cougar attacker up almost directly under the posts and forced a knock on which gave us the scrum at our own 5 meter and allowed us to clear the ball to touch. Later we held an attacker up in-goal, not allowing him to actually touch the ball down across the line. BYU ended up scoring (a penalty try under the posts) on that possession but it was a good example of how hard our lads fought to keep a good opponent off the scoreboard.

We missed a few opportunities in the first half by failing to move the ball through hands when there was an overlap but overall, the game plan was very good and the execution, particularly in defense, fantastic. Our first try came from a lineout in the right corner and was a class bit of set piece rugby. The final points came on a drop goal by flyhalf Engelbrecht which barely cleared the posts. Hawley, Barrett and Fry all played extremely well, the latter being all over the field from the opening whistle and earning MVP selection.

It was a true team effort. The lads showed focus, discipline and toughness throughout the match, and were humble and proud in the on-field victory celebration with family, friends and fans.

Congratualtions Bears! Another well deserved national championship. You should be proud. I certainly am.

Hard to believe, but today, both the Chronic and Mercury news had independent writeups about the game that weren't cribbed from the Cal website. Okanes posted his last night, and Crumpacker (who is he?) did his this morning. If it were Ratto, he would have found some way. nasty to spin it.

Chronicle Story

I believe Crumpacker's the last Cal alum
on the Chron Sports Staff.

Go Bear Rugby!

Yes, Crumpacker has covered football and rugby since at least the '80s when I played (not sure if continuously). He is a Cal alum. I spoke with him briefly last night after he interviewed MVP Eric Fry. I liked Crumpacker in the 80s. Seems like he is a good guy and he definitely has no anti-Cal agenda.

For those who didn't make the game or see it on streaming video, it is now available as a replay on http://www.ustream.tv/usarugby. Also, the replay of Friday's game with Arkansas State is there too.

I was impressed with the Arkansas State team, as they were able to play head-to-head on the line, but weren't fast enough when our people got into the open. Give them a few more years. Yesterday's game was refreshing in that it wasn't a blowout, and heart-stopping play on both sides made it exciting up to the final whistle. Hats off to the ones that played in both games for both teams - there seemed to be tongues dragging on both sides in the second half.

Let me revise that, it was better this year than last year's game in that we won. Last year, it was evident (at least to me) that a win was unlikely, because BYU was pushing us around so much. This year, it was more equal, and Cal made several stands at the goal, especially the one where they held up the guy, not letting him touch, which then resulted in a scrum, then getting the ball moved out further away. Last year, we couldn't stop the BYU guys from punching through.

Arkansas State is a up and coming program. They offer partial scholarships and are well coached>

From the USA Rugby Site:

Arkansas State University - Rugby has grown at Arkansas State to the extent that the school is now able to offer partial scholarships for men and women Rugby players. Qualifying Rugby players from out-of-state may now attend Arkansas State for the in-state tuition rate.

Other colleges that offer scholarships include Penn St, Texas A&M, Kutztown University,

Does Cal offer a rugby scholarship, another question are football players allowed to play rugby, I think they were under Joe Kapp, most people attribute the success of "the play", to a rugby like lateral practice at the end of practice in the Kapp era.
Congrats ruggers

Anybody else chime in, but I think the last player to play both football and rugby was Sean Paga. Not sure of the years, but 2003 time frame? He played linebacker, second string I think.

Garrett Cross played rugby in 2007 after returning to Cal.

Joe Kapp let scholarship football players play rugby in the spring. There were a lot of dual players in that era (James, Walgenbach, Loberg, Zenker, Bailey, Hillesland, Metoyer, Hein, Zawatson, Ortega, Smith, Hendrickson, Slevin). Bruce Snyder, RIP, put a quick end to that when he came in.

These days, football players that also play rugby are either walk-ons or have used all of their football eligibility. Some guys that come to mind of relatively recent vintage are Paga, Cross, DL/front rower Jacob Waadorp, TE/lock Brian Surgener and a backup QB whose name escapes me that was a second team rugby player his senior year after quitting football.

The walkon QB was Bryan Van Meter who's twin brother played rugby at Cal Poly.

Congrats to the Bears from a Guano.

BD26 - wasn't there a Crumpacker who played football?

Not sure whether there was a Crumpacker who played football at Cal or, if so, whether John was the one.

Rushinbear;322585 said:

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Congrats to the Bears from a Guano.

BD26 - wasn't there a Crumpacker who played football?

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I'm not BearDog, but there was a Karl Crumpacker who played for the Bears in the early seventies.

These guys are like machines.

They are just awesome. Undefeated season!

Karl. That's who I was thinking of. Not the same guy, I take it.

Not the same guy, but I believe Karl played for the OMBAC rugby club in San Diego for a number of years after college.