SDSU Beats Cal for Regional Rugby Title

The San Diego State rugby team, after trailing at halftime, came back to beat California, 23-12, Saturday night and win the Pacific Coast Rugby Football Union Collegiate Division championship.

The Aztecs (28-1) took the lead early in the first half when Steve Forster made a penalty kick for three points. A few minutes later, Forster extended the SDSU lead to 6-0 with another penalty kick.

Late in the first half, however, Cal--the Pacific Coast collegiate division champion five of the last six years--tied the match by scoring a try and making the two-point conversion kick. California repeated the feat three minutes later to take a 12-6 lead at halftime.

SDSU dominated the second half. Warren Stanley scored a try 10 minutes into the half to cut Cal’s lead to 12-10, but Forster missed the conversion. However, Forster put the Aztecs back in front five minutes later with a drop kick goal to make the score 13-12. Stanley scored two more tries in the closing minutes of the match.

The Aztecs advanced to the rugby final four. They will meet the three other regional winners May 2-3 in Pebble Beach.