March 18, 2009

BERKELEY - Saturday's match in Moraga on Pat Vincent Field between the California Golden Bears and Saint Mary's Gaels will decide the top seed in the local, regional and national postseason.

The Bears (25-0) and Gaels (16-0-1) are both unbeaten, with a Nov. 8 tie between Saint Mary's and Utah the only blemish on either team's record. Both teams successfully turned the page after bidding goodbye to some of the best players in collegiate rugby following the 2008 season.

"Saint Mary's is an excellent team with first-rate management that goes all the way to the top with former coach Marty Storti," said head coach Jack Clark of the Gaels' current Associate Director of Athletics.

"The Gaels deserve every bit of the acclaim they're enjoying. They deserve this respect because they have earned it."

Today's fans may know this rivalry as a recent phenomenon but, said Clark, "What is a surprise to some is the Gaels have always been good."

Both programs date back to the 19th century, achieving at a high level throughout their histories and often standing in each other's way.

Coach Clark has been on the losing end against the Gaels as a Cal student in 1977 and as a coach. "Our 1988 Cal national championship team got beat in Moraga by Irishman Brian Sheerin's side and we've survived a couple of close results as well," he said.

"Playing in Moraga feeds into the challenge, too," Clark added about Saturday's matchup. "They play really well at home."

Last spring's spirited national semifinal was the most recent run-in between these schools separated by a dozen miles, and plenty of followers of the rivalry are quick to remind Clark of the two teams' long-running history.

Helping to honor former New Zealand All Black and Cal rugger as well as longtime Saint Mary's rugby coach Pat Vincent during the Bears' Feb. trip to the San Diego Invitational, coach Clark chatted with USA Eagle teammate Brad Andrews, SMC '71. "He shared a story about playing at Saint Mary's and beating the Bears his senior year," Clark said.

"My lock partner on the Eagles was a Saint Mary's forward named Gerry Kelleher and together with Brad there was a third Gael on the national team with us named Mike Fanucchi, to this day the best and hardest tackler I've ever seen play rugby.

"I still remember losing to Saint Mary's my junior year at Cal out in Moraga," Clark continued. "We were a pretty good team that went to the semis of the old Monterey Rugby Tournament before narrowly losing to the best team in the country at the time, Santa Monica RFC. But the Gaels had the better of us earlier in the season."

That was - and still is - good for American rugby.

"At the end of the day, it's really important to have a strong local rival," Clark said. "I believe it helps both teams. Not every college rugby team in our patch is improving; some are in gradual decline. So on a larger scale, even U.S. rugby needs a strong Saint Mary's College."

Both sides know only 80 minutes of determination and teamwork can put them in position to win this top-seed decider. The result will keep one team close to home for the national playoffs, likely send the other to Atlanta and definitely continue a strong local rivalry that strengthens the U.S. college game.

"We're really looking forward to the challenge," Clark said of Saturday. "It should be a good rugby day."

The Rounds of 16 & 8 are co-hosted by Cal, with Pools A and C on Witter Rugby Field and Pools B and D at Life University in Atlanta April 17-19.

The Pacific Region has garnered four spots in the 16-team national field. Brigham Young has already taken the No. 2 Pacific and second overall slot, pitting the Cougars against another clinched seed, Dartmouth College, the Northeast No. 2 and national No. 15 seed, in Atlanta.

Teams vying for the three remaining Pacific seeds include the Bears, Saint Mary's and another upcoming opponent, Central Washington, whom Cal must face on the road two days after traveling to Vancouver for the grueling rematch against British Columbia to culminate the "World Cup" series.

The No. 1 Pacific seed, also the top slot in the competition, will play the Round of 16 in Berkeley against Midwest No. 2 and No. 16 overall, which could be Bowling Green, Ohio State, Notre Dame or Indiana, among others. The No. 4 Pacific Seed also stays on the West Coast, but the team that ends up slotted at Pacific No. 3, the fourth overall seed, must face Northeast No. 1 Army, the No. 13 seed, in Atlanta.

Whoever succeeds at securing the top Pacific slot and No. 1 overall seed will face the Midwest No. 2 team at 11:30 a.m. Sat., April 18, on Witter Rugby Field. The winner advances to the Round of 8 Sunday at 1 p.m. against the winner of the No. 8/9 faceoff, which will pit Southern California No. 2 - with San Diego State and Cal Poly strong candidates and UC Santa Barbara knocking on the door - against West No. 2. The Air Force Falcons or Wyoming Cowboys might fill that latter slot.

The four semifinalists that emerge will compete at the national championships May 1-2 at Stanford's Steuber Rugby Stadium.