Here’s what’s up among D1A teams this week.

Top 5 Action

When we talk about rankings we’re talking about the full D1A poll. See the graphic at left.

Top-ranked Cal won 54-21 over #15 UCLA. 

“UCLA were game for the match,” head coach Jack Clark said. “They made it hard on us in spurts, credit to them. We were solid-ish overall, really good some of the time to slightly below our standard at other times. It was a match that will help us grow.”

Wing Nick Bloom scored three tries scored three tries for Cal and Nate Salter kicked for 14 points.

“We ran into a few problem areas that we hadn’t been faced with too much prior to today’s game,” senior Max Murphy said. “UCLA did a good job at challenging us at the breakdown. We were also a bit slow in defending their lineout, and there were instances where we got ball and man even when we weren’t under too much pressure. Fortunately for us, identifying these areas means we can work hard to fix them and have them become strengths in our next game.”

Saint Mary’s (#2) and Central Washington (#7)  played a wild one in which the Gaels game back to win by three. More on this game here>>

Army, ranked #3, won 34-12 in a playoff warmup against Queens University Charlotte. More on this game here>>

Lindenwood (#4) won another tight game, taking a defensive clash with #10 Arkansas State, while #6 Life kept pace by beating #12 Davenport. More on this game here>>

BYU (#5) took care of rivals Utah (#21) 57-5, putting aside a rough loss to Cal last week.

"With our quick turnaround the guys had to bounce back and get ready for Utah pretty much right away," said Head Coach Steve St. Pierre. Playing flyhalf this time around, Tayson Hammer score 17 points but really it was lock Ben Austin and win Tevita Ika both scoring in the first ten minutes that set the tone.

Navy and Arizona Score Big

Ranked #8, Navy is also working on warmup games and they blasted Mount St. Mary’s 64-15. Arizona (#14) got some players back from injury and it showed as they put a game Texas A&M (#19) side to the sword. This game was competitive for a while (27-17 at halftime) but a torrid start to the second half, thanks to what Head Coach Sean Duffy called “little tweaks,” saw Arizona gallop away. Scrumhalf Maxime Cathala scored 25 points with a try, two penalty goals, and seven conversions. Hooker Zach Barker scored two tries but the rest of the scoring was spread out throughout the team. 

California Conference

Santa Clara edged San Diego State 26-25 in a game that was a big deal for the Broncos. Emmanuel Lai was superb at scrumhalf and Aiden Sarafin scored two tries. SDSU, which has been hit the worst by needless COVID shutdowns this winter, was playing their first conference game of the season. The Aztecs did a lot well, scored five tries, but couldn’t convert them.  Prop Ryan Ohanesian’s try with a minute to go won it for Santa Clara.The Broncos improve to 2-2.

Also in the California Conference, Grand Canyon (#16) held off an improving UC Santa Barbara. GCU led 31-7 after 45 minutes but the Gauchos kept the score in check and scored late to make it a little closer. Flyhalf Ethan Van Tonder returned to the lineup and kicked kicked 11 points, including a 50-meter drop goal.

“Our scrum is looking better,” said Head Coach Sean O’Leary, who added that new UCSB Head Coach Neil Foote “is doing a great job with them.”

GCU is now 4-1 in the conference, having only loss to Saint Mary's.