Aggies to make up game vs St. Mary's in Moraga on Sunday 4/3

The Aggies make up game vs St Mary’s will take place on Sunday, 4/3 at 12 NOON on the stadium field at the back of campus in Moraga

Ags Rally around Seniors for Huge Win vs Santa Clara

In their final home game of the season UC Davis Aggies faced off against the Santa Clara Broncos, a well respected club in the division.  Before the game started, the Aggies honored the players who will be leaving at the end of the season including seniors Sam Eddins (captain), Lucas Peters, Alexander Obodoefuna, William ‘Cole’ Lipelt, Aidan Moore, and visiting students Thomas Dowling (Ireland) and Roberto Natho (Chile).  This was the final home game for each of these players. And they made this game count.

From the start, UC Davis was controlled and accurate but it was the performance in the first scrum that set the tone for the remainder of the game.  The Aggies didn’t just hold the line, they trampled the opposition. Santa Clara didn’t do themselves any favors giving away penalty after penalty.  In the first 10 minutes of the game, the Aggies had already tagged 6 points on the board as a result of Bronco errors.  The Aggies quickly set a rhythm to the game capitalizing on Bronco penalties to gain meters and over the next 30 minutes scored five tries (four converted).  The Broncos finally had a break in the last minute of the half with an uncoverted try.  The score at half-time was 39 to 5.

Santa Clara came back in the second half stronger in defense and more controlled in their ball handling but within 15 minutes the Aggies scored another try.  The Aggies added points on the board with another penalty kick but then let Santa Clara in to score a try. It might have seemed that Santa Clara was perking up just as the Aggies fitness was starting to wane until the Aggies made a break just minutes later and bagged their sixth try of the game.  Unfortunately, with just about 10 minutes left in the game, Aggies #4 was penalized with a yellow card and the team would have to finish off the game one man down.  The final ten minutes was a testament to the resilience and determination of both sides. Santa Clara used the final 10 minutes of the game and the diminished numbers of their opposition to put three tries on the board while the Aggies pushed on making one final try.  The team memorialized the final try with Captain Sam Eddins stepping in to kick the conversion in his final home game. The game concluded with a score of 61 to the Aggies and 31 to the Broncos.

The coaching staff was pleased with the performance because it demonstrated everything they knew the players were capable of bringing to the game.  After a few disappointing losses this season, it was heartening to see everything come together for a group of very hard working young men.  When asked for comments, Coach Malpass said, “Davis showed up on Senior Day. It was wonderful to see the team finally start to tap into their abilities and play with some confidence.”

Aggies First Travel Game Proves Difficult

Reminder for the Final Home Game BBQ:

The UC Davis Men's Rugby Club invites you to return to Russell Field for the final home game of the '21-22 season as the Aggies face off against Santa Clara on March 12th.  A-sides clash at 1pm.

After the game, alumni and team parents are hosting a BBQ fundraiser as a tribute to the club's seniors, families and supporters.  We want you to come out and help us celebrate.  Find more details and RSVP here by March 8th:

https://ucdavisrugby.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/8258

UCSB Recap:

The UC Davis Aggies suffered another disappointing loss on Saturday (February 19th) at their away game against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.  In the early minutes of the game, the Aggies appeared ready for the challenge, holding onto possession and making progress down the field.  However, their defense struggled and so did their set piece.  The first scrum of the game made the Gauchos’ dominance in the set piece abundantly clear and set up the play that would lead to the first try of the game for UCSB just ten minutes into the game. UCSB scored a second try ten minutes later.  

The Aggies fate seemed sealed until Azeh Kani’s quick thinking and speedy footwork chased down a UC Davis penalty kick that failed to find touch and was knocked back into the field where Azeh was perfectly positioned to secure possession for the Aggies.  This set up a great field position after a blistering run into midfield. From a quick ruck, a short pass sent to the blind side set up a series of pick and goes at the Gauchos’ line. The Gauchos finally succumbed to this leading to the Aggies’ Mike O’Donnell (#6) scoring their first try of the game with 10 minutes left in the first half.  

The teams returned to the field after half-time without a lot of changes. Both sides had some egregious ball handling errors but the slight advantage of the Gauchos’ set piece ultimately secured the game.  With a successful penalty kick ten minutes into the second half and then three tries within just a few minutes of each other in the fourth quarter, the Gauchos secured the win. The Aggies were able to slip in one final try. After a successful counterruck UCSB had taken possession and attempted to kick the ball down field. The kick was charged down by Aggies’ William Bradford (#7). The charge down was picked up by Aggies’ Aidan Moore (#3) and carried under the posts.  With this try, converted by Francis Schumann (#12), the game closed with a score of 34 Gauchos to 12 Aggies.

The coaching staff and players were disappointed with the result.  

Coach Malpass felt the team struggled to handle the difficulties of travel.  This was the first travel game in 2 years and the affects of the long drive and quick game turnaround proved difficult.

On a positive note, due to continuing injury crises, we were forced to give some inexperienced players the opportunity to play first team rugby thus increasing the depth of experience through the squad.” 

Special mention has to go to the heroic efforts in defense of Guy Barrons (#9) and William Bradford (#7). Both players never gave up on the defensive effort and saved the team from what could have been a worse score line. 

Thank you to Santa Barbara’s new coaching team and players for being excellent hosts and demonstrating a classy program.

Grand Canyon Dominant First Half Puts Aggies in Hole

On Friday, February 11th, the UC Davis Aggies faced off against Grand Canyon University, a

team ranked 21st in D1A Rankings (Oct 11 2021). In the opening minutes of the game, the

Aggies looked strong with good line speed and game management. There were a few ball

handling errors but other than that the team maintained discipline in open play against a very

powerful side. The glaring weakness became apparent with the first few scrums. GCU

dominated in this set piece and with growing confidence translated this strength into open play

and the breakdown with a physical style of play that overpowered the Aggies.

With about 12 minutes into game GCU scored their first try off the back of a scrum near the 5

meter line after several phases of aggressive engagement and a failed Aggie line out. Several

minutes later, the Aggies (Francis Schumann, #12) secured a penalty kick awarded after GCU

was caught offside, bringing the score to 3-7.

Those would be the only points the Aggies won in the first half. GCU went on to score four

more tries in the second quarter as a rattled Aggies defense allowed GCU to add speed to their

powerful play. The score at half time was 3 to 31. The Aggies coach’s speech in the interim

was simple. The players needed to face the powerhouse head-on and slow them down to regain

the advantage in the game.

Grand Canyon ran another try in with just three minutes on the clock in the second half. But

something clicked for the Aggies at that point. They firmed up their defensive line and brought

the aggression up a level. By the end of the third quarter, the Aggies ratcheted up the score to

13 to 36 with two unconverted tries from James ‘Cole’ Lipelt #5 and Jordan Naumburg #13.

GCU had one more moment on the field with their seventh and final try of the game with just 10

minutes left on the clock. But it was the Aggies who had the last sip of glory with a try by Sam

Faucette #4 right as the buzzer went to end the game. The final score was 20 to 43

All in all it was physical match. Both sides had their share of yellow cards and the Aggies lost

Harrison Wheeler #8 to an arm injury halfway through the game.

Coach Malpass summed up the game stating the team showed a strong start with a

disappointing second quarter. However, he was pleased with mental fortitude in the second half

from some young players who are learning to step up and take more of a leadership role.

“There is some very good young talent on the team. They are facing some difficult tasks in their

growth and understanding of the game. Mistakes are an important part of learning but being

able to restart when challenged is critical. We will take what happened in the game and

continue to grow from it. The big lesson from today’s match is to stay mentally in the game

despite set backs.”

Club captain, Sam Eddins, was ruled out of play for this game due to his head knock in the last

game. But he continued to lead from the sidelines throughout the game with encouragement

and tips for the players. In his absence, Cole Lipelt (#5) was awarded captaincy for this match.

Cole has shown consistent dedicated play throughout the season and his career at UC Davis.

He carried this new responsibility as captain very well in the game.

Coach Malpass recognized Tom Dowling (#2) as his player of the match for the Aggies. Tom’s

high energy and physicality at high tempo continues to be an asset on the team and for this

game.

Also critical during the match and deserving of highlight was the work of Aiden Moore (#3), Sam

Faucette (#4), William Bradford (#7) and Cole Libelt (#5) carrying hard in the tight and

producing quick ball which allowed for Guy Barrons (#9) to move the ball away from the

breakdown quickly creating space for the outside backs to attack. This display of quality skill

gave Azeh Kane (#14) the opportunity to show off his dazzling footwork, high work rate and

speed in the game causing problems for the the GCU defense.

Special mention also goes to Alexander ‘Obi’ Obodoefuna (#1) who played a full 80 minutes as

loose head prop in a very physical game. Obi is showing great potential in his skill and handling

in the game as he continues to learn.

The coaches and team wish to thank the GCU players and coaches who brought a hard

physical game after several hours on the bus. They also want to thank the parents and alumni

for all the support including another wonderful meal for both teams at the end of the match.

Aggie Rugby to Hold Post Game BBQ/Fundraiser on 3/12

 FINAL HOME GAME OF THE YEAR + BBQ FUNDRAISER

The UC Davis Men's Rugby Club invites you to return to Russell Field for the final home game of the '21-22 season as the Aggies face off against Santa Clara on March 12th.  A-sides clash at 1pm.

After the game, alumni and team parents are hosting a BBQ fundraiser as a tribute to the club's seniors, families and supporters.  We want you to come out and help us celebrate.  Find more details and RSVP here by March 8th:

https://ucdavisrugby.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/8258

If you can't make it, please consider making a donation here:

https://ucdavisrugby.charityproud.org/Donate

What else?

All proceeds will support the club's operating costs.  

 This is an on-campus event so alcohol is prohibited.

 Unofficial pre-game or post-game gatherings are encouraged.

If you need a refresh or some recommendations on where to go pre-game or post-game, or where to stay in Davis, reach out to ian@ucdavisrugby.com.  

That's it for now.  Stay tuned to ucdavisrugby.com for more.

Aggies Handle Ducks

UC Davis vs Oregon

It was a perfect sunny day on Saturday when UC Davis Mens Rugby team walked out onto Russell Field for their first game of the season against the University of Oregon Ducks. At the close of the pre-season, the Aggies suffered a gut wrenching loss against Fresno State that quashed their winning streak. There were a lot of lessons learned in that game and based on their performance Saturday, it looks like the Aggies understood what it would take to prepare for the season.
 
From the kickoff, the Aggies displayed a faster and more accurate line speed and it paid off.  Within minutes Will Bradford (Aggies #7) soared over the try line putting the first points on the board for the Aggies. Francis Schumann (Aggies #14) converted the try bringing the score to 7-0.
 
With a frenzied pace throughout the first half, the Aggies left the Ducks with very little room to work. The Aggies scored five more tries in the first half. Try scorers included: Sam Faucette (#1), Azeh Kani (#11), Francis Schumann (#14), and Sam Eddins (Captain #4). Azeh Kani, scored two of the tries in this first half; this was his first game with the Aggies and he lit up the field when he got traction. In his second try, after sprinting across the field at top speed he stopped abruptly just short of the try line, let the Ducks defense fall past him and then walked the ball over the line and set it down.
 
With three of their six tries converted, the Aggies closed out the first half with 36 points to the Ducks 0.
 
When the second half kicked off, it looked like the Aggies were going to keep up the pressure and pace. Captain Sam Eddins (#4) made an early interception and passed the ball to Aidan Moore (#3) who ran it all the way down the field for the Aggies seventh try and proved that props can sprint too. Several minutes later the Aggies set up a kick chase outside the 22 meter line and Max Schoenberger (#10) beat out a pack of Ducks to touch the ball over the line and score Aggies eighth try. Francis Schumann (#14) converted both tries bringing the score to 50 nil before the middle of the half.
 
But it is at this point in the game when the strain to hold up the fast pace took its toll. The Aggies started to make more mistakes and discipline slid. Two Aggies players were penalized with yellow cards over the next twenty minutes, both for cynically slapping the ball to obstruct a pass. The Ducks took advantage of the fatigue and for the remainder of the game stacked try on top of try. The final score of the game was 50 Aggies to 24 Ducks.
 
In a post match interview, Head Coach Andy Malpass offered these thoughts on the game.
 
“I am extremely pleased with the way the team has reacted to their pre-season loss against Fresno State. The players have worked hard on returning from Winter break and the continued interruptions due to Covid. I felt like the first half performance was by far the best this group has played this far. However, we did slip away in the second half losing shape and showing lack of conditioning after the long break.”
 
Two players suffered injuries during the game that the coaches and staff will be evaluating. Devin Flores (#12) suffered a foot injury early in the game and Captain Sam Eddins (#4) took a nasty knock to the head in a line out lift. Our thoughts are with these players and we hope to see them well and fit at a future game.
 
Two players had their first game time for the Aggies. Tom Dowling (#2) and Azeh Kani (#11). Both contributed well in the game and we will look forward to seeing them out there in future matches.
 
In addition to the two newest players, overall, the coaches were pleased with the level of play and development shown by each of the players. Captain Sam Eddins continues to demonstrate that his understanding of the game is a level above with good game management and mature leadership. Cole Lipelt (#4) deserves special mention for his consistent, dogged, hard work in every game; he has never let the team down.
 
Thank you to all the supporters who came out to fill the bleachers. And thank you to the Alumni Association and parents who brought out a delicious spread of post match grub for both teams. We look forward to seeing everyone again at the next game. The Aggies will be playing against Grand Canyon University on Friday, February 11th at Russell Field at 1pm

Rugby Season Delayed.....

As of this writing, Universities and Colleges have delayed students coming back for live classes because of Omicron, therefore, the season is on hold temporarily. For the Aggies Men’s Rugby program, this means the first game of the season on 1/15 at St Mary’s has been postponed and will be re-scheduled for later in the season. As of now, the home game against Oregon on 1/29 is still on. For more information on the Aggies Schedule, please visit ucdavisrugby.com.

Thank you!

Fresno Delivers Message, Aggies Have Work To Do

On Saturday the Aggies’ winning streak was brought to an end in their final pre-season scrimmage against a fierce Fresno State side. Right from kick-off the Aggies felt the pressure from a well-organized opposition and the penalties started adding up.  The first points on the board came from a penalty against UC Davis for not releasing.  Fresno had 3 points up 8 minutes into the game. The next twenty minutes of play were dominated by Fresno State and they put two tries on the board with one converted.  

Finally, UC Davis gained possession when Fresno State was penalized for being off-side.  UC Davis kicks to touch and takes the line out. Sam Faucette (UC Davis #8) crashed through the Fresno defensive line and smuggled the ball across the line for UC Davis’s first try of the game.  The try was converted by Max Schoenberger (UC Davis #12). With 10 minutes left in the first half the score was 7 to UC Davis and 15 to Fresno State. 

With some points, the Aggies pushed harder in their attacking game but weren't able to retain possession.  With just under two minutes left in the first half, Fresno State sniffed out space along the left channel to score another try. The score at half time was 7 to 22.

When the teams returned for the second half, Fresno kicked up the pressure.  Fresno had another try on the board within minutes of kick-off.  UC Davis’ Devin Flores (#13) responded quickly, intercepting a pass and running it over the try line.  With no conversion, the score was 12 to 29.  But Fresno was not deterred and added another 4 tries to the board over the next 10 minutes.  UC Davis’ Ernesto Perez (#17) secured another try for the team with some hard work in the breakdown but it wasn't converted.  In the final 15 minutes of the game, Fresno State added another three converted tries closing out their win with 70 points to the Aggies’ 17.  

It was a tough pill to swallow for the Aggies who have been gaining momentum during this pre-season campaign. But it was good that the team had an opportunity to play against a side with a high level of game management on the field thanks to Fresno State’s #10, Isaia Kruse.  Kruse’s experience in the game exposed the Aggies lack of line speed and narrow defense that gave Fresno State ample time to plan out their offensive strategy. It will be this class of players the team will be up against when they begin the season in January 2022. As captain Sam Eddins said in his post-match chat with the team, it will be important for the players to hold on to the feeling of this loss to drive themselves to improve as players and a team.  

The Aggies have just two weeks left of practice before breaking for the holidays. Their first match of the season will be on January 15, 2022 at Saint Mary’s.  Special mention goes out to the team parents who have been setting up scrumptious post match meals for the teams at each game. Thank you!

Ruggers Take Down Banana Slugs

On Saturday, the UC Davis Aggies faced off against the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs for their fourth pre-season scrimmage.  Within seconds of the kickoff, Guy Barrons (UC Davis #11) intercepted the ball and ran it over the try line. The try was converted by Francis Schumann (UC Davis #14). UC Davis spent the next ten minutes defending in their own half and gave away a handful of penalties. The Slugs ultimately scored their first try but were not able to convert it.  The Aggies still led at 7 to 5.  

Fifteen minutes into the first half, the Slugs #1 was penalized with a yellow card for a high tackle. The Aggies didn’t waste the opportunity. Mike O’Donnell (UC Davis #2) quickly scored the Aggies second try off the back of a successful lineout.  Another excellent kick from Francis Schumann (UC Davis #14) converted the try bringing the score to 14 to 5.  

UC Davis dominated play after the restart forcing penalties and gaining meters.  Sam Faucette (UC Davis #6) took the ball the last few meters from a successful scrum to score the Aggies third try of the game.  The converted try brought the score to 21 to 5. Just a few minutes later, with their #1 back on the field from the sin bin, Santa Cruz found a gap in the Aggies’s defense and blazed through for their second try. The try wasn’t converted.  The score was 21 to 10.

The Aggies scored two more tries with little effort in the last minutes of the first half.  First, Aiden Moore (UC Davis #3) with great attacking effort from the team after a successful lineout. And next Sam Faucette (UC Davis #6) for his second try of the game and only a minute left on the clock. Francis Schumann (UC Davis #14) continued to slot the conversions with clinical accuracy. The Aggies closed out the first half leading 35 to 10.

The start of the second half was about territory. The Aggies demonstrated skill with their kicking game.  Max Schoenberger (UC Davis #10) used his kicks strategically to gain an advantage while Guy Barrons (UC Davis #11) got under the high ball to secure the ball keeping the momentum in the Aggies’ favor.  Frustrated, Santa Cruz gave away more penalties and was yellow carded again.  The effort on the Aggies side paid off when Will Bradford (UC Davis #8) carried the ball over the try line from a penalty at the 5 meter line.  The converted try brought the score to 42 to 10.

Santa Cruz continued to show dominance in the scrum and early in the final quarter of the game disrupted the Davis defense with a brutal scrum and quick ball handling to score their third try. The try was not converted leaving the score at 42 to 15.  The Aggies restarted with determination and jumped when Santa Cruz fumbled the ball.  With one pass to Max Schoenberger (UC Davis #10) he took the ball half the length of the field to score the seventh try for the Ags.  The converted try brought the score to 49 to 15 with just 10 minutes left in the game.

The final minutes of the game included one more try by Aggies captain, Sam Eddins (UC Davis #4) who carried the ball from the halfway line after the Aggies intercepted the ball.  Francis Schumann (UC Davis #14) completed his kicking streak slotting the 8th conversion of the game.  

The Aggies showed a stronger attacking game in this match as well as cleaner line outs and more accurate kicking thanks to the hard work from Francis Schumann (UC Davis #14) and Max Schoenberger (UC Davis #10).  Several of the players brought their skills to a whole new level in the match but Captain Sam Eddins (UC Davis #4) put in a solid performance and demonstrated excellent leadership winning the coach’s choice for Man of the Match.  The team will be working on scrums this week as well as tightening up the defense along the right hand channel. 

The second teams took to the field right after a short warm-up.  UC Davis #14 secured the ball, dodged the defense and planted the ball  under the sticks in the first two minutes of the game. The try was converted giving the Aggies an early lead of 7 over 0.  Santa Cruz answered back quickly scoring their own try just a moment after restart. The try was not converted leaving the score at 7 to 5. The game showed work to be done on the breakdown, but the players ball handling was greatly improved. Unfortunately, the game was cut short due to injuries to two UC Davis players.  The coaches awarded Mike Acierno man of the match and also a special mention to Evan Wong for his performance.

The coaches and team appreciated the support of the fans and alumni!

Aggies Win vs Sac State/Work to be done!

On Saturday, the UC Davis Aggies went up against Sac State Hornets for a second pre-season scrimmage, this time hosted by Sac State.  Sac State entered the game ready for a fight after their loss in the previous match up against the Aggies.  The Hornets showed focus and determination in the offensive position but UC Davis again demonstrated a secure defensive line, aggressively holding back Sac State.  

Sac State had the first opportunity to put points on the board when the referee awarded a penalty against UC Davis. Sac State took the kick but failed to get the ball through the goal posts.  Sac State continued to dominate most of the first half with the Aggies pegged back into their half on defense. 

With just a few minutes left in the first half, UC Davis gained possession through a Sac State penalty, executed a clinical lineout and then made a break through the Hornets defensive line.  With heavy support from the forward pack and Guy Barrows (UCD #11), Aidan Moore (UCD #3) planted the ball over the try line giving UC Davis the first points in the game.  The try was not converted.  

Sac State wasted no time with the restart, kicking the ball deep down field. UC Davis fumbled the ball and possession was awarded to Sac State with a scrum right outside the try line.  In a sprint, Sac State's #9 pulled the ball from the scrum and slapped it down over the try line bringing the score level at half time with five points to each side. The Sac State try was not converted.  

The performances from the teams did not change after the half time break.  Sac State brought energy and UC Davis held the defensive line steady frustrating Sac States attempts to move the ball forward.  The Hornets fought hard for every meter gained.  Several minutes into the second half, Max Schoenberger (UCD #10) took advantage of a Sac State penalty, cut up the defensive line and filtered the ball down the field for Harrison Wheeler (UCD #12) to finish the play with another try to UCD.  The try was not converted.  The Aggies reclaim the lead with 5-10.

As the game drew to a close, UC Davis lost their scrum but quickly turned the ball over.  Cole Lipelt (UCD #4) took possession and sprinted the ball over 50 meters to score one more try for the Aggies.  This try was not converted. Final score for the game is 5 to Sac State and 15 to UC Davis.  

Despite securing another win, the coaches and players expressed frustration that the performance did not reflect strong improvement in game management and decision making in offense.  However, the team showed consistency and were able to retain a strong defense throughout the game.  At the post-match debrief, Coach Malpass named Cole Lipelt the Man of the Match.  

The second team took the field shortly thereafter playing two 20 minutes halves.  Although UC Davis put up a good fight in the first half, Sac State dominated the field.  Coach Flynn met with the players at half time and encouraged them to keep working hard out there.  Pablo Braojos (UCD #10) didn't disappoint, scoring their one and only try of the game within a minute of the second half starting.  But, the Aggies seemed to run out of gas quickly in the second half and Sac State was able to score try after try.  The final score was 36 Sac State to 5 UC Davis.  Coach Flynn noted that several of the players showed growth in this game but Pablo Braojos (#10) stood out above the rest.

The coaches and players want to thank all the supporters who came out to Sac State on Saturday to cheer them along.  

By Mary Parton