In one of the most exciting games between the two team, Cal scored a late try and added a penalty to defeat local rivals St. Mary’s 27-20 Saturday at Cal’s Witter Rugby Field.

The game was played at a furious pace and with immense physicality, and produced some spectacular tries. The Pac-12 Networks broadcast the game and while different regional Pac-12 outlets can choose to carry or not carry a specific game, all regional Pac-12 outlets showed the rugby game. If you missed it, it will be replayed on the Pac-12 Networks tonight at midnight Pacific Time.

As predicted in Goff Rugby Report’s preview, the two teams worked to assert dominance where the other team had the reputation. And so St. Mary’s bulled into the rucks and worked to poach, and Cal tried to show dominance in the scrum. Both largely succeeded.

With the scrums and lineouts going Cal’s way, St. Mary’s had to defend a great deal, and they did well. The two teams traded early penalty kicks and then Cal took the lead when pressure inside the t. Mary’s 22 led to Paul Bosco slicing through a gap out wide and putting Cal up 8-3. 

But St. Mary’s replied. Some good phase play, using the likes of Henry Hall (back from injury) and Dino Waldren to run up the gut, the Gaels found room out wide, where captain and fullback Cooper Maloney race through from 40 meters out. Dylan Audsley hit the conversion to put St. Mary’s up 10-8.

Some outstanding work in the rucks led to a penalty for the Gaels and Audsley slotted it to put his side up 13-8. 

But, as they had in their previous two kickoff receptions, St. Mary’s turned the ball over to Cal on the kick. The Bears pressed their advantage and earned a penalty with time almost up in the half. They took a quick tap and sent powerful lock Sione Sina right over the line. Between Sina and a try was diminutive Cooper Maloney, who somehow put his body under the ball and held it up, saving a try.

Cal did ultimately get another penalty and Jake Anderson lined it up, but his kick was wide.

In the second half, St. Mary’s were penalized early and Anderson hoofed the ball through from long range. St. Mary’s replied. They sent their big guys up the gut, using Hall and Vili Helu especially. That led to a ruck right at the line. Scrumhalf Holden Yungert saw a big hole on the right side of the ruck. Sina and Alec Gletzer grabbed him, but the scrumhalf somehow manned to touch the ball down. Audsley was good on the kick and St. Mary’s led 20-11.

Cal regrouped, and using Gletzer as a battering ram and with their front row working the scrums, they made their way down the field. With numbers out wide, Cal’s backs drew the attention of the St. Mary’s defense, and that allowed lock James Kondrat to rumble in from 35 meters out. That put the Bears within a try, but 20 minutes remained. Anderson added another long-range penalty, and then the big turnaround. St. Mary’s sent Kingsley McGowan through. The All American had some room but opted to offload a shade too late. The ball rolled loose, and Cal regained it. Out to Harry Adolphus, wh booted downfield, and nabbed the turf bounce. Adolphus had Andrew Battaglia on his right, and sent the wing into the corner.

That put Cal up, and soon thereafter Anderson made it a seven-point game with yet another penalty.

St. Mary’s had one more attack. They made their way into the Cal 22 and Waldren was dragged down just short of the line. The Gaels recycled, but a knock-on at the goal line gave Cal the ball, and the Bears kicked free.

In the end, Cal worked a powerful vertical offense nicely, but scored a key try on broken play. St. Mary’s struggled at the set pieces, but defended very well. They scored two excellent tries, but surrendered too many turnovers and penalties, squandered some crucial scoring opportunities.

St. Mary's Head Coach Tim O'Brien expressed disappointment at his team's penchant for penalties and turnovers. "As a program that wants to demonstrate great skills, composure, and grit, we fell woefully short today."

Cal 27

Tries: Bosco, Kondrat, Battaglia

Pens: Anderson 4

St. Mary’s 20

Tries: Maloney, Yungert

Convs: Audsley 2

Pens: Audsley 2