The PAC Rugby Conference finds out what’s what this weekend, with the 1-0 Utah Utes traveling to 3-0 Cal, and the 1-2 UCLA Bruins making the trek to Tucson to face 0-2 Arizona.

After this weekend we find out how close Arizona is to getting that DIA playoff berth they so dearly want (right now, they’re not there), and we also find out whether the Bruins are in the hunt for 2nd. After this weekend, we find out how close Utah is to getting a DIA al-large berth (right now they look good for one), and, more importantly, we find out who is going to win the conference. If Cal wins, Cal will have basically sewn up the PAC. If Utah pulls it out, then the Utes, with Arizona State still on their horizon but UCLA already in the bag, are in good shape to take it.

Cal Head Coach Jack Clark is not taking Utah lightly at all. While Utah’s 38-0 defeat of UCLA, and Cal’s 18-12 defeat of UCLA, is not necessarily an apples-to-apples comparison, it’s the only comparison anyone has at the moment. 

“We’re entering a tough stretch of games and this is definitely one of them,” Clark told Goff Rugby Report. “Utah is a very committed side. They have a plattern of play that really suits them, and guys up front who really run at you. They have that player at fullback - Lauti - who is really very good.”

Still Cal is almost there. They dominated possession against UCLA, but just couldn’t punch it in. Most expect Cal to punch it in this week.

“Cal will ave gone back to the drawing board a bit to assess the UCLA game, and we expect that, but we feel we’re ready,” said Utah program director Mark Drown. “We’ve been focussing really hard on fundamentals, because without them, you can’t execute. We have to retain the ball and set the platform.”

They also have to defend doggedly, something UCLA did superbly against the Bears last week. Good defense leads to turnovers, “and turnover ball is often the best,” said Clark.

So true.

“Turnovers are a big thing and we do have players who can score from turnovers,” said Drown.

That might be the matchup - the elusive, slipper running of the Utes against the patterned running lines of the Bears. Or it might be the almighty tussle up front, where Cal is always tough and Utah has some size and a little experience (Spencer Vickery having a lot of both).

Or it could be in the back row, where Cal has talent but is still finding its way, and Utah, with youngsters Chad Gough and John Kacinski punch well above their weight. Or it mist likely will be in the second row, where Cal has significant size and strength with Xavier HS product James Kondrat, Piedmont product Carl Hendricksen, and huge-but-green former footballer Sione Sina are imposing.

Utah brings former HS All American Gabe Rufflin and Alex Alba (who can also kick goals) to the second row in what could be the major battle of this contest.

Meanwhile, over in Arizona, UCLA comes in feeling fairly good.

Head Coach Scott Stewart said his team was on their heels for most of the game against Cal, but an intercept try from Race Noeldner and a brilliant team effort scored by Zach Bonte kept it close, or, as Stewart said, “gave us some life.”

“We went into the game knowing we’ve have to defend,” said Stewart. “Cal was going to pressure us and they did, and we needed to hold. We did that. Against Utah it was the opposite. At times we have not been a cohesive whole, but that’s what we need to be, offensively and defensively. That try by Zach showed war we can do as a team, and defensively we were working as a cohesive team. We just need to put in that performance for a full game.”

Arizona is coming off a loss to Arizona State where they were in it at halftime and a little bit after, but saw the rival Sun Devils pull away. Head Coach Sean Duffy knows his squad is young, and they will likely be young next year, too. But he’s happy to have this conference as a classroom.

“How great is it to have these teams to play?” he said. “There’s a challenge in every game. It’s tough, but we’re learning what college rugby is like, and if we want to compete at that level, these are the games we need to play.”

Notes: Saturday is Homecoming at the University of California, and among those in attendance will be those from the 1985 Cal rugby team that won the national championship - Clark's first team he coached to a title. They will be celebrating their 30th anniversary. That team included Don James, who is in the Cal Hall of Fame and was capped nine times by the USA at prop, and Gary Hein, capped 25 times at wing.