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May 14 & 15, 2022 - Atlanta, GA
The Gaels are traveling this weekend to compete for another Natiional Championship. Saint Mary's won this tournament in 2016 and hope to repeat this year. Coming off of a heartbreaking loss in the 15s championship the Gaels wasted no time getting back on the field preparing for 7s. With several injuries the Gaels are leaning on the next man up mantra, and look forward to competing on the field. The Gaels are competing at the highest level, the Gold Division against the best 7s teams in the country.
April 30, 2022 - Houston, TX
The stage was set with a large pro-Army crowd and a warm humid day. Army had their backs to the wind in the first half and used it well to gain territory from the boot. One of those kicks was a 50-22 that resulted in an Army lineout that they won and mauled in for the only try of the first half. The Gaels dynamic attack was thwarted by Army's strong defense, but the mistakes and unforced errors was the story and shown by the final result. The Gaels had plenty of opportunities only to be stopped by knocking the ball on. Attacking late in the game the Gaels were poised to score the tying try and attempt the conversion to win the game. Unfortunately, the Gaels knocked the ball on three times in a row allowing Army to clear the ball each time. The Gaels made several attempts to get back in scoring position, but with good Army defense and yet another knock on, Army was able to score a converted try as time expired for a final score of 20-8. The Gaels will look in the mirror and be disappointed with their mistakes, but knowing that they competed in the National Championship and ended up being the #2 College Rugby team in the Untied States is nothing to be ashamed about.
Saturday April 30, 2022 Aveva Satdium vs Army - 4PM (Pacific Time) Houston, Texas
Saturday April 23, 2022 SMC vs Cal - Witter Field, Berkeley, CA
Saint Mary's College Men's Rugby Team absolutely dominated play and built a 28 to 0 lead in the first half. The Gaels defense was inpenterable and their dynamic offense showed everyone what the Gaels are capable of. With few mistakes and fewer penalties the Gaels sliced up the Cal defense and put across four converted trys before Cal knew what hit them. Cal was able to score as time ran out in the first half, so the scoreboard showed the Gaels on top 28 to 5. The second half saw the Gaels make mistakes that Cal pounced on to start their furious comback. The packed crowd grew tense as Cal scored trys to close the gap. Saint Mary's gathered themselves and scored again to put the game out of reach. Fans from both sides witnessed a great college rugby game. When the Gaels play clean and dyanmic they dominte play. When the Gaels make handling errors and repeated penalties they are ordinary. For the Gael Nation who supports this program unconditionally, they were treated to a dominating performance. And then there were two - SMC vs Army for the USA Rugby National Championship.
SMC to Play for National Title After Semifinal Win Over Cal
Saturday April 16, 2022 - Saint Mary's Stadium - Moraga, CA
The rain which came down on Friday through Saturday morning stopped in time for the third clash between Saint Mary's College and Bringham Young University. The Gaels scored early but BYU came back and took the lead for most of the contest. BYU put together a very strong defense coupled with the field conditions limited the dynamic Gael attack. Uncharacteristic knock ons and slipping on the wet surface hurt the Gaels from putting together any offensive momemtum. Credit to the BYU defense. They put in the tackles with much fury and were solid in limiting the line breaks of the Gaels. Yes the Gaels were behind towards the end of the game and the enlivend crowd responded when the Gaels kept knocking on the door, only to have their efforts dashed by a mistake or penalty. The courageous Gaels were not to be denied and scored a try which was converted in the final minutes to go ahead 24 to 22. The Gaels received the kickoff and were able to retain posession for the final minute of the match to earn the victory and the trip to Berkeley for the Semi-Finals of the USA Rugby D1A National Championships.
Thrilling Comeback Sends SMC Men's Rugby to National Semifinals
Only four players made it through to be a Finalist - LINK to Goff Rugby Report Article
Click on this LINK to read the SMC College Communications Article about Joe Marchant.
The Rudy Scholz Award is the award given to the best men's college rugby player in the country. Joe is our captain and leader of one of the top teams in the country. His dominance in the scrum, defense, and with ball in hand are seen by everyone who watches the Gaels play. Joe is deserving of this award. Please click on this LINK and vote for Joe Marchant as the 2022 Rudy Sholz Award recipient.
With the victories this weekend the Gaels proved their might by cruzing through the California Conference undefeated and taking the title once again. As one of the top two seeds in the West, the Gaels enjoy a bye week and will host the winner of BYU vs Arizona.
Sunday April 3, 2022 - Saint Mary's Stadium - Moraga, CA
De Ja Vu - Yes the sun was out. Yes the crowd was entertained. Yes the Gaels scored lots of tries to end the regular season with a lopsided victory over the UC Davis Aggies. The Gaels were not perfect, and have plenty of things to evaluate watching the film, but the open play and dynamic tacticts were fun to watch. With more young Gaels wearing the first team stripes, the Gaels were anxiously awaiting the whistle to start the game. As with Santa Barbara, the Gaels put on a show of brilliant attack. Fantastic movements and passes proved too much for the Aggies to defend.
Saturday April 2, 2022 - Saint Mary's Stadium - Moraga, CA
The sun was out, the crowd was ready, and the Gaels put on a show. With some players needing a rest, the Gaels put out a lineup that saw some young Gaels in the starting lineup for the first time. The scoring started early and didn't stop until the final whistle blew. The Gaels take the pitch again tomorrow against UC Davis at noon.
Saturday March 26, 2022 - Witter Memorial Field - Berkeley, CA
On a beautiful sunny day the setting was set and the pro Saint Mary’s crowd packed Witter Memorial Field eagerly anticipating the battle between the two best College teams in the country. Cal with nine foreign players and two from California came out ready and scored the first try of the match. The Gaels came back with two converted tries, followed by a Cal try then another score by Saint Mary’s. The Gaels led at halftime 19 to 14. The second half saw Cal score early followed by a Gael’s try to regain the lead. The Gaels made too many errors that Cal took advantage of resulting in the Bears final two tries. With very little time on the clock the Gaels were attacking in hopes of punching in a converted try to tie the contest, but were disheartened by a penalty whistle. The Bears tapped and cleared to end the game with Cal winning 31 to 24.
Saturday March 19, 2022 - Saint Mary's Stadium - 12PM Kickoff
Saturday March 12, 2022 - South Field Soccer Stadium - Provo, UT
The preceeding week saw cold and snow, but for this contest of top tier rugby programs the sun and fans came out. According to the BYU staff, this was the first game in a couple of years when fans were allowed to watch the game. Those who showed up were not disappointed in the physicality and style of play. Although it was a contrast in styles with BYU going forward with hard runners and Saint Mary's spinning the ball out wide with their back finding gaps to run, pass, or kick through. The Gael defense was again stout and forced BYU backwards on several occassions. BYU did have several line breaks and their #6 was a difficult tackle and gained positive yardage everytime he touched the ball. These tactics and several positive mauls by the forwards netted the Cougars 5 tries. The Gaels on the other hand had several line breaks and well-timed kicks resulting in 10 tries. This offensive output can be attributed to hard work and nifty offloads by the forwards and dynamic attacks and finishes by the backs. With that said, we can't diminish Angelo Aguirre, the Saint Mary's lock who darted down the field 40 meters for the try. Surrounded by snow capped mountains and many intense BYU fans the Gaels stood tall and walked off the field with the 60 to 29 victory.
Saturday March 5, 2022 - Tomlinson Stadium - Ellensburg, WA
Playing on a multi use turf field always has its challenges, but once the whistle blows all thoughts are on the opponent. Prior to the start of the match Central Washington paid tribute to a fallen brother. Our thoughts and prayers are with the CWU rugby community. On the field CWU played with energy and veracity. The Gaels committed several unforced errors that lead to lost possessions, poor field position, and/or trys by CWU. CWU capitalized on this along with some strong rugby and built a lead of 27 to 8 in the second half. The Gaels ramped up their effort and showed some stout defense and began playing the dynamic offense we are accustomed to seeing scoring try after try until they dotted the ball down on the last play of the match to go ahead 28 to 27. With the conversion, the scoreboard showed the final score of Gaels 30 - CWU 27. CWU is a significantly improved team and deserving of being identified as on the top tier of collegiate rugby.
Saturday February 26, 2022 - GCU Soccer Stadium - Phoenix, CA
Saturday Febrary 19, 2022 - Saint Mary's Stadium - Moraga, CA
Saturday February 12, 2022 - Saint Mary's Stadium - Moraga, CA
On a beautiful February day Saint Mary’s College and BYU took the pitch for a battle between two of the top teams in the country. The raucous crowd was not disappointed with the physicality and strength of play. Both teams showed their stoutness with passionate and dominating defenses. Saint Mary’s attack was a bit more creative and proved to be the difference in the final score. Each time the Gaels attempted to put the game away BYU took advantage of a mistake and scored to scratch closer on the scoreboard. In the end, the Gaels prevailed and kept their two year unbeaten streak alive. With a few challenging matches until the rematch in Provo, Utah, both teams will look forward to taking the pitch against each other again.
Goff Rugby Report - Delving into Saint Mary's vs BYU
Hello Gael Nation - Season tickets for the upcoming 2021/2022 season are now available. Click on this LINK to purchase your season tickets and watch the nationally ranked Gaels take the pitch.
I want to be the first to tell you that, unfortunately, the opportunity of a rugby lifetime, our tour to play Oxford Cambridge and Trinity must be postponed. Covid and the Omicron variant have made this trip ‘a bridge too far’ for our student athletes. Both England and Ireland continue to be marked a Level 4 by the State Department, and the college will not allow short-term travel to destinations above a Level 3.
This trip is postponed not cancelled as we hope to resurrect the opportunity in the future. For those who have bought and sold raffle tickets the funds are being held in a separate rugby account specifically designated for a tour. Questions, comments or concerns please contact Marty Storti mstorti@stmarys-ca.edu or Team President Mackade Mangels mm80@stmarys-ca.edu
Thank you for your tireless enthusiasm of the program
Head Coach, Tim O’Brien
Thank you Alumni!
Thank you Parents!
Thank you Friends of Gael Rugby!
The Pat Vincent Challenge was a huge success. We are still processing some of the last minute gifts, but we already exceded our goal and have raised $177,688 to support Gael Rugby. The generosity of the Gael Nation is awesome and all of the players are truly appriciative.
Tavite Lopeti and Dino Waldren wore the national team jerseys against the famed All Blacks. Although the score was not in favor of the Eagles they gained perspective on the match. Head Coach Gary Gold praises the play of Tavite after the match.
Over 100 former and current Gaels had a great day of golf and fun at the annual Tucci Golf Party. In memorial of Frank Tucci and all of the fallen Gaels, this was a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, tell some stories that may or may not be embellished, and support the current team. A special thanks to Jim Togneri for all of his work over the past 20 years.
On April 17, 2021 the Gaels hosted the California Berkeley Bears in Moraga, CA. With COVID restrictions the fans had to line up outside of the playing venue to watch this much anticipated match. The atmosphere was electric with the fans tailgating and cheering on their team. The Gaels started strong scoring first and never looking back until the final whistle blew.
The Gaels have beaten BYU twice, both close games, and also beaten Cal and Central Washington. For BYU, it was yet another close game the Cougars didn't quite win—they have been within reach of Cal, and twice with Saint Mary's, and tied Central Washington. Read more here.
Mail in your donation:
Men's Rugby/Pat Vincent Fundraiser
1928 Saint Mary's Road
Moraga, CA 94575
The tone was set early when the Gaels won a lineout and mauled it over from about 15 meters out. That maul was impressive because the players bound tightly and they didn't allow themselves to be distracted from the task at hand. Read more here.
Saint Mary's took it to Cal Saturday, beating their Northern California rivals 32-14 Saturday in the second game either of these two teams have played since March of 2020. Read more here.
Saint Mary's opened up their season after more than a year away from competition, and beat a very strong Central Washington team 38-17 in Moraga, Saturday. Read more here
Registration now open for the 12th annual Pat Vincent Fundraiser. Click here for more information.
Anthony Richardson credits rugby for giving him a new lease on life. At a time when his health was wavering, Richardson was invited to come out to a 7s practice and instantly fell in love. While he knew nothing about the game and was not physically prepared for the game’s demands, he knew that he had found his place of refuge. Read more here.
Join Alex Goff as he officially presents the MA Sorensen Award for the top women's college rugby player in the country, and the Rudy Scholz Award for the top men's college rugby player in the US. The awards are sponsored by the Washington Athletic Club of Seattle, Wash. Hear from the winners, plus a few special guests as we celebrate the best of college rugby. See all our coverage of the Scholz and Sorensen Awards at Goff Rugby Report here: https://www.goffrugbyreport.com/tags/...
Telea Ilalio was named the Rugby Sorensen Award Winner as the top men's college player in the country. He would normally have received his trophy at the annual awards dinner in Seattle, Wash. But with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, the dinner was canceled. Read More here
A student at St Mary’s College of California, one of the leading college teams, Keane is a highly-rated prospect in the US and has ambitions of making it in professional rugby. Read more here.
"There is no better jersey to wear than the red, white, and blue," McCormick told Goff Rugby Report. "To be captain is such an honor. For me and the other players it's very attractive to play against different countries."
Saint Mary's Prop Payton Telea Ilalio Wins Rudy Scholz Award | Goff Report
Payton Telea Ilalio has been selected as the winner of the 2019-2020 Rudy Scholz Award as the top men's collegiate rugby player in the United States.
Telea Ilalio is the first prop, and in fact the first tight five forward of any kind, to win the award.
Fan and team voting around the country pared the group of nominees down to five finalists. Selecting the Scholz Award winner was then the task of the Rudy Scholz Award Panel, which included: Ohio State University Head Coach Tom Rooney, University of Arizona Head Coach Sean Duffy, US Naval Academy Head Coach and former All American Head Coach Gavin Hickie, Dartmouth Head Coach and current All American Head Coach James Willocks, former Central Washington Head Coach Tony Pacheco, journalist Austin Willis, and Goff Rugby Report Editor and Scholz Award coordinator Alex Goff.
Taking a break from working a carpentry job, Payton Telea Ilalio is a multi-skilled prop for Saint Mary's, and he sits down with Alex Goff to talk about his growth as a player and his plans for the future.
Former Saint Mary's All American Brendan O'Meara has been back at his alma mater coaching the Gaels players and mentoring young athletes.
The California Collegiate Conference has named its All-Conference team, with Rudy Scholz Award nominees Payton Telea Ilalio, Ronan Murphy, Patrick Madden, and Aaron Matthews all on the list.
Following fan voting and nominations put forth by the Scholz Award Committee of coaches and experts, The list this year is larger than usual—18 players—and that is a function of the rugby shutdown halting playoffs, which is usually when certain players make an even stronger case for themselves.
D1A Rugby has confirmed that it will cancel the 2020 playoffs and national championships, and that the D1 Elite playoffs, which were to be held in conjunction with D1A, are also canceled.
Amidst the growing risk of the Coronoavirus in the United States, it is important at this time we understand the health and welfare of our student-athletes and the well being of their families is paramount. Therefore, while all rugby is suspended for thirty days we are, in solidarity with USA Rugby, canceling the 2020 D1A Playoffs and National Championship; along with conjoined competition in Women’s D1 Elite. Further information will be released as the situation evolves and becomes available.
Navy and Saint Mary's went at each other as hard as possible, and it was a battle for Saint Mary's to make the gainline early on. But slowly Saint Mary's started to inch their way through. Joe Marchant was very effective running onto the ball, and Ronan Murphy was also useful, while out wide Eddie King continued his good run of form.
Joe Yacoubian put over a penalty goal for the first points of the day, but on the next kickable penalty, the Gaels opted for the lineout, and eventually punched one over. Navy stormed back, and after a yellow card to Tavite Lopeti of Saint Mary's, the Midshipmen kicked deep and turned the ball over to score in the corner. That made it a four-point game. The teams traded scored to keep it that way, 24-20 at halftime.
It remained close through a good portion of the second half, but the depth of Saint Mary's started to tell and the Gaels scored three late tries to pull away.
Saint Mary’s comes in after a pretty solid defeat of UCLA last week, one in which fullback Eddie King had a bit of a breakout performance, and one in which the front row of Payton Telea Ilalio, Nick Hryekowicz, and Joe Marchant put a bit of a stranglehold on the Bruin pack. Read more here.
#2 Saint Mary’s remain undefeated on the year after #15 UCLA match. Read more here.
#4 Saint Mary’s remains dominant within the California conference as other inter-state matchups prove to shakeup the standings; Cal Poly over UC Davis, and UCSB defeating Santa Clara. Read more here.
In a tense 25-24 win over BYU, the Gaels prop was solid throughout, getting Saint Mary's over the gainline in a game where they had trouble doing that.
Back from an injury that sidelined him for close to a year, the young flyhalf started in the #10 jersey and picked apart the Grand Canyon defense in a 69-7 Gaels victory on Monday. Yacoubian also scored two tries.
BYU hit Saint Mary’s hard early and put the Gaels under pressure. Putting together of their best offensive efforts against strong opposition in some time, BYU looked more polished, and were certainly more aggressive than they have been in recent visits to Moraga. Read more here.
The Saint Mary's Gaels defeated the BYU Cougars, 25-24, on the last play of the game at Saint Mary's Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 15. Captions and photos by Darren Yamashita. www.dyamaphoto.com
“This is definitely one of our toughest games,” added Saint Mary’s Head Coach Tim O’Brien. “Playing BYU at BYU, which we do later in the spring, is unquestionably one of our toughest games. Both games are a really good test for our guys.”
On President’s Day, next Monday, #20 Grand Canyon (2-1) will endure their 2nd match of the weekend challenging the ever-powerful and dangerous #4 St. Mary’s (4-0). This will be both clubs 2nd game of the weekend, with the attrition of the previous match a big factor in deciding the winner of the test. St. Mary’s may have more depth, but will be a tough decision who to play and not, with their first match going against the massively successful #8 BYU, just two days prior.
This matchup will be an extremely interesting one with these Top-20 clubs facing off for the first time since last April in 2019. In last year’s two head-to-head matchups, The Gaels of Moraga came away with the clean sweep both home and away, in decisive fashion.
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The Gaels took care of business against Cal Poly on Saturday, but the Mustangs sure made them work for it.
Alex Goff, Gift Egbelu, Matt McCarthy, and Arizona Head Coach Sean Duffy talk with Tom about D1A Rugby featuring in depth looks at Red River, Life University, and more.
SMC @ STANFORD | Win 129-0
An in depth look at D1A rugby from around the country featuring interviews with Alex Goff, Gift Egbelu, Matt McCarthy, and Commissioner Kevin Battle.
Saturday the Gaels traveled to UC Davis and came away with a convincing 97-0 victory. This follows up on an early 93-0 conference win over Santa Clara, putting Saint Mary’s at 2-0 in the California Conference when most teams in the West haven’t started playing. Read More here.
This year, the annual men's rugby tour allows the players to earn academic credit as they travel to abroad. Saint Mary's College offers a unique experiuence to all the student durng the month of January. Read more about Jan Term Here.
Schedule of Activites
Jan 13th - 16th | Sako, Kyoto-City
Jan 17th -19th | Osaka
Jan 20th - 25th | Tokyo
Jan 26th | Departure Home
Rudy Scholz Award Watchlist: Payton Talea Ilalio: Alex Rees, FloRugby
It's rare to find a front rower that moves like a center, and even more rare when that front rower is a prop.
In the case of Saint Mary's prop Payton Talea, however, you get a guy that's as mobile as a back but as powerful as the strongest of forwards.
He combines punishing work in the scrum with game-busting work in the carry, and if you don't go in at 110% to tackle Talea, you will get run over.
Jan Term Tour Raffle Tickets still on sale.
This years Pat Vincent Fundraiser Dinner success is because of your generous donation, all proceeds from this event help support Gael Rugby scholarships and travel.
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Click here to view what the team is up to.
Click here to view what the Rugby Alumni are up to.
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