Vontz, Hanks and Lindsey score two tries each in 10-try haul.
March 20, 2005
BERKELEY - The Cal Varsity Rugby team defeated Midwestern Champion Ohio State, 58-6 in the championship match of the California Invitational. This weekend's two victories, over Oregon and Ohio State, takes the Golden Bears' season record to 15-0. The Bears travel to Vancouver on Tuesday, to play UBC in the away fixture of the annual home and away series between the two universities.
The Bears were able to capitalize on the depth they have developed over the past season as the line up featured 15 changes from the team that defeated Oregon 69-29 on Saturday. Skipper
Tony Vontz,
Andrew Lindsey and
Andy Hanks, scored a brace apiece as
Rikus Pretorius,
Ryan Donnelly,
Louis Stanfill, and
Andrew Blair each touched down once. Blair added four more conversions to his season tally.
Cal looked as if it were shot out of a cannon in the opening exchanges running the ball and hitting rucks with terminal velocity. Despite the Bears' frenetic pace, Ohio State was physical and defended heroically. However all of this possession going forward allowed Pretorius to score the first try just minutes into the match.
Throughout the afternoon the Cal forwards provided a rock solid platform at the scrum and line of touch for the backline to launch attacks from. Led by Stanfill, the pack was determined to put a stamp on the match, driving in a lineout for a try from 25 meters out, much to the delight of the capacity home crowd. Lindsey was explosive, from the base of the scrum and Pretorius cleaned up lots of loose balls on the deck.
The Cal backline also fired with dynamic precision. Donnelly's powerful running in the centers combined with Blair's well-timed insertions created plenty of space outwide for Hanks, always a crowd pleaser, whose slick and elusive running turned the corner on his opposite several times.
"It was a solid victory over a quality team, but more importantly we appear to still be on the track of an improving team," commented Varsity Rugby Head Coach
Jack Clark.
In the consolation final, Dartmouth defeated the Oregon Ducks, 25-24.
The Scoring Timeline:
4:00
Rikus Pretorius 5,
Andrew Blair 2
10:00
Tony Vontz 5,
Andrew Blair 2
25:00
Andy Hanks 5
35:00
Andrew Lindsey 5
Halftime Score: California 24, Ohio State 0
41:00 Ohio State 3 (Drop Goal) Tonderai Kambarami
43:00 Ryan Donnelley 5,
Andrew Blair 2
49:00
Tony Vontz 5
53:00 Ohio State 3 (Drop Goal) Tonderai Kambarami
58:00
Louis Stanfill 5
61:00
Andrew Lindsey 5,
Andrew Blair 2
73:00
Andrew Blair 5
81:00 Andrew Hanks 5
Final Score: California 58, Ohio State 6