Bears Roll Past Rams, Advance To Quarterfinals

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Bears defeat Rams in Berkeley to advance in postseason.

RUGBY4/5/2025 5:15 PM | By: Cal Athletics

No. 1 Cal To Host Next Round In Berkeley

BERKELEY – The west region No. 1 California rugby team scored 12 tries by seven different players and held No. 8 Colorado State to only one try to clinch the D1A National Collegiate Championship First Round victory and advance to the quarterfinals. The Golden Bears will host the west region quarterfinal contest in Berkeley next Saturday and will face No. 5 Arizona.
 
“Colorado State put together a fine season and advancing to the postseason is no small accomplishment, they should be congratulated,” Cal head coach Jack Clark said. “I am appreciative of our team’s efforts today and in the buildup this past week.”
 
Cal sent out a first-15 that featured nine underclassmen, including six freshmen, to face the Rams in the single-elimination postseason contest. Freshman Talan Jones punched in Cal’s first try of the day and senior Kealan O’Connell added the extras to take an early lead at the fourth minute.
 
Colorado State intercepted a faulty Bear pass after the restart and carried the ball into the tryzone for its only score of the afternoon. The Rams converted and the score was level at the sixth minute.
 
The Bears retook the lead four minutes later, this time with freshman Oliver Teague picking it from the back of a scrum and carrying it into the tryzone. O’Connell scored and converted his own try two minutes later and freshman Chris Biller scored his first of two tries at minute 16.
 
Sophomore Quinn Spieker chased down a chip on the wing and touched down the ball for his first try of the day and Biller scored his second a few minutes later. Spieker added one more try as the half expired to extend the Bears’ lead going into the break.
 
After the intermission, Cal remained in control and sent sophomore Jack Byszio racing into the tryzone for a score at minute 46. Spieker made it a hat trick and dotted down his third try of the afternoon seven minutes later.
 
O’Connell logged a second try just three minutes later before sophomore Tommy Rainsford scored back-to-back tries in minutes 62 and 71 to add to the scoreline. O’Connell was 7-for-11 on conversion kicks while junior Cormac Saint went 1-for-1 on the extras to make it 76-7 in favor of the Bears at the final whistle.
 
Scoring Timeline:
Cal vs. Colorado State
4:00 – Talan Jones 5, Kealan O’Connell 2
6:00 – Colorado State 5, Colorado State 2
10:00 – Oliver Teague 5
12:00 – Kealan O’Connell 5, Kealan O’Connell 2
16:00 – Chris Biller 5, Kealan O’Connell 2
27:00 – Quinn Spieker 5
35:00 – Chris Biller 5, Kealan O’Connell 2
40:00 – Quinn Spieker 5, Kealan O’Connell 2
Half: Cal 45, Colorado State 7
46:00 – Jack Byszio 5
53:00 – Quinn Spieker 5, Kealan O’Connell 2
56:00 – Kealan O’Connell 5
62:00 – Tommy Rainsford 5, Kealan O’Connell 2
71:00 – Tommy Rainsford 5, Cormac Saint 2
Final: Cal 76, Colorado State 7
 
Starting XV:
1. Alex Vieira 2. Broc Daily 3. Charlie Walsh 4. Byron Finley 5. Kimani Laumoli 6. Talan Jones 7. Brady Weingart 8. Oliver Teague 9. Cormac Saint 10. Mack Fell 11. Jack Byszio 12. Chris Biller 13. David Hause 14. Quinn Spieker 15. Kealan O’Connell
Substitutions:
Tommy Rainsford (28:00), Tom Archer (35:00), Talae Tuimaunei (53:00), Michael Freeman (62:00), Dylan Thygesen (75:00), Steele Dombo (75:00)
 
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