San Clemente, Calif. – Fresh off a successful two match barnstorming tour of Arizona, the San Diego Mustangs Rugby Club traveled to San Clemente Saturday and won 49-7.

The game was played at Vista Hermosa Sports Park, a beautiful sports setting that, astoundingly, had concrete bordering the field. So despite the line surface being wide enough for a good rugby field, referee Michael Lewis was forced to have the playing area reduced for safety reasons.

The field the teams played on was only 51 yards wide. After San Clemente kicked off it became obvious that neither backline was going to have any space to work with. But, San Diego scrumhalf Beau Morgans managed to put one over under the posts, followed a few minutes later by wing Carson Ward. No. 8 Jackson Baere nailed the easy conversions.

It was still a tight match, even after San Clemente missed a penalty kick. But, then the Gators' strapping No. 8, Austin Moore, was red-carded for what Lewis said were “three warnings for not wrapping up.”

That was clearly a blow to San Clemente. With Moore sidelined, the Mustangs got methodical and started pounding the ball in, with big runs by prop Mike Perrone and Forward Tanner Wyandt.

San Diego had seven players miss practice this week with flu symptoms, so they substituted liberally.  When starters James Downey (cut forehead) and Jack Lewis (head injury) went down, the Mustang depth was tested, and passed the test.

Second-half sub Adam Eastwood, returning to rugby after a several-year football hiatus, came on and made an impact. Eastwood, a San Diego State football recruit who received permission from Aztec Head Coach Rocky Long to play rugby this season, rambled ahead on a 50-meter run, broke two tackles up the middle, put on a burst of speed to the right, cut left, and outraced the Gator wings for a try.  

With a blend of subs in the backline and front lines, the Mustangs stood on their own tryline and fended off a fiv-minute push by the Gators.  San Clemente went wide, went up the middle, wide again, and pounded inside with their forwards.  But, the Mustang line held until Morgans was able to kick a turnover out of the danger zone.

“The Gators pack was quality,” said Mustangs Head Coach Ramon Samaniego.  “They tested us all day. The challenge will help us as we continue through league play.”

San Diego turns around quickly for theteam's first home match - Wednesday against the San Diego Young Aztecs, followed by a league match Saturday, March 25, against the always tough Coastal Dragons.

“There are no easy matches on this schedule,” said Samaniego.  “Our depth, cohesiveness, training and, the assistant coach’s ability to put these different parts together are going to be tested.”