Final score is 35-26 in favor of the Gaels. SMC was the better team from start to finish, in discipline, effort, and execution. They thoroughly deserved this win today especially with the crowd that was behind them.
I had to turn it off when we went down 26 - 0 only 28 minutes into the game. CAL looked terrible: really poor tackling, losing scrums and rucks, and not adjusting their flat back line to be able to get the ball out. SMC looked like it was clearly the better team. I'll wait to see the final score.
For sure this is the real Natty...#1 and #2 ranked teams will battle it out in a semi final. and CAL is not guaranteed a win. Timmy O'Obrien, who once played for CAL (and we were teammates on the very first 1980 National Championship Team) has been coaching St. Marys for a while. They have been a powerhouse for the last 10 years at least. The Natty's they won were not the same Championships that CAL won. In those days the best teams played for the Varsity Cup, which was considered the real Natty. St. Mary's did not play for the Varsity Cup and thus there were two different National Champions crowned each year. St. Mary's should have played for the Varsity Cup. It was recognized at the top of the heap in terms of the true Natty. I hope that helps understand the history.
Hi Bob, I would actually have to go back and look all this stuff up. I think the top tier clubs weren't happy with USA Rugby Championship program at the time (if my memory is correct) and so they went an alternative route to the Varsity Cup. Amongst the players and people 'in the know' at the time, the Varsity Cup was known as having tougher competition with the best teams vying for it, so it became known as the Natty trophy to have on your shelf. As to Polynesian players being the best, I'm not sure if I would agree...their are great players from everywhere around the world of all races, sizes, and nationalities. Rugby truly is a a sport representing diversity and inclusion!
I'm not as worried as most, but it is a point of concern. I think across the line we are taller, bigger, stronger and more athletic now than at any other time since JW has been here. We need eight solid guys incase one goes down. Driscoll has been out and Swinney is out today. That hurts. But, I think we'll pick up one or two players in the Transfer Portal. It's too bad we didn't get those guys before Spring so they could learn the system. Our O-line will absolutely be critical to our success this year so we need to have a core of solid big, strong, physical guys that Angus can coach up to the point they get the chemistry going that any great offensive live must have to succeed.
Tim O'Brien, St. Mary's HC, was a coach at Cal when I played. He's a great coach and players will run through a brick wall for him. Tim was a back during his playing days and you can see that influence in the way St. Mary's plays today. The 1st game, a few weeks ago, was a tough game and so was this one. Congrats to St. Mary's well deserved victory.
From 2013 to 2017, Cal was playing in the Varsity Cup which is a different competition. The Varsity Cup was mostly Cal vs. BYU before BYU got banned for a season and got to vacate a title.
Yes. And BYU fired their coach and completely changed their player composition. The BYU team that was beating everyone actually had some overseas pro players. Not a good look for amateur college athletics.
I did not hear about that. When we played UBC it was a college team. WHen we played UVic they had an all star team with alums and pros who had played overseas for top teams. They were good, but we gave them a physical game the like of which I don't think they had ever experienced. I do remember it was a night game, if was below freezing. the torn up pitch and mud was frozen rock hard and it started sleeting while we played. But we had some big physical football players on our team (Bruce Sorenson, Greg Bracelin, Brian Vincent, Paul Jones and yours truly, to name a few) who were not shy about laying licks on the opposition any chance we had. We lost but earned respect and drank a lot of beer with our new friends.
Final score is 35-26 in favor of the Gaels. SMC was the better team from start to finish, in discipline, effort, and execution. They thoroughly deserved this win today especially with the crowd that was behind them.
Great comeback by Cal although they fall short in the end.
Go Bears.
I had to turn it off when we went down 26 - 0 only 28 minutes into the game. CAL looked terrible: really poor tackling, losing scrums and rucks, and not adjusting their flat back line to be able to get the ball out. SMC looked like it was clearly the better team. I'll wait to see the final score.
For sure this is the real Natty...#1 and #2 ranked teams will battle it out in a semi final. and CAL is not guaranteed a win. Timmy O'Obrien, who once played for CAL (and we were teammates on the very first 1980 National Championship Team) has been coaching St. Marys for a while. They have been a powerhouse for the last 10 years at least. The Natty's they won were not the same Championships that CAL won. In those days the best teams played for the Varsity Cup, which was considered the real Natty. St. Mary's did not play for the Varsity Cup and thus there were two different National Champions crowned each year. St. Mary's should have played for the Varsity Cup. It was recognized at the top of the heap in terms of the true Natty. I hope that helps understand the history.
Hi Bob, I would actually have to go back and look all this stuff up. I think the top tier clubs weren't happy with USA Rugby Championship program at the time (if my memory is correct) and so they went an alternative route to the Varsity Cup. Amongst the players and people 'in the know' at the time, the Varsity Cup was known as having tougher competition with the best teams vying for it, so it became known as the Natty trophy to have on your shelf. As to Polynesian players being the best, I'm not sure if I would agree...their are great players from everywhere around the world of all races, sizes, and nationalities. Rugby truly is a a sport representing diversity and inclusion!
I'm not as worried as most, but it is a point of concern. I think across the line we are taller, bigger, stronger and more athletic now than at any other time since JW has been here. We need eight solid guys incase one goes down. Driscoll has been out and Swinney is out today. That hurts. But, I think we'll pick up one or two players in the Transfer Portal. It's too bad we didn't get those guys before Spring so they could learn the system. Our O-line will absolutely be critical to our success this year so we need to have a core of solid big, strong, physical guys that Angus can coach up to the point they get the chemistry going that any great offensive live must have to succeed.
Yes, that's why I suggested it would have been netter to get transfer portal players prior to Spring Ball and why 'chemistry' is so important.
no live stream...
And I am totally bummed!!
There should be one in the post.
Found it, thanks!
Go Bears! Shows how little I know to ask if Coach Clark is still the coach? Embarrassing to ask that, but there you go.
Tim O'Brien, St. Mary's HC, was a coach at Cal when I played. He's a great coach and players will run through a brick wall for him. Tim was a back during his playing days and you can see that influence in the way St. Mary's plays today. The 1st game, a few weeks ago, was a tough game and so was this one. Congrats to St. Mary's well deserved victory.
From 2013 to 2017, Cal was playing in the Varsity Cup which is a different competition. The Varsity Cup was mostly Cal vs. BYU before BYU got banned for a season and got to vacate a title.
Yes. And BYU fired their coach and completely changed their player composition. The BYU team that was beating everyone actually had some overseas pro players. Not a good look for amateur college athletics.
I did not hear about that. When we played UBC it was a college team. WHen we played UVic they had an all star team with alums and pros who had played overseas for top teams. They were good, but we gave them a physical game the like of which I don't think they had ever experienced. I do remember it was a night game, if was below freezing. the torn up pitch and mud was frozen rock hard and it started sleeting while we played. But we had some big physical football players on our team (Bruce Sorenson, Greg Bracelin, Brian Vincent, Paul Jones and yours truly, to name a few) who were not shy about laying licks on the opposition any chance we had. We lost but earned respect and drank a lot of beer with our new friends.