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The Cal men’s rugby team got their fourth win in seven days with a 47-13 drubbing of University of British Columbia on Saturday at Witter Field. The Bears took a home sweep of Canada’s top two collegiate teams with the victory. 

“It’s been a good week,” Cal head coach Jack Clark said. “The guys were keen for both games, to keep our tradition going.” 

The Bears also avenged their only loss of last season, a 27-25 setback in Berkeley. After a close win over University of Victoria on Wednesday, Saturday’s game was less competitive much more spirited, with several fights and a barrage of penalties slowing the game to a crawl at times. 

“The referee’s contributions weren’t up to snuff, and the game got a little niggly,” Clark said. “We don’t need that. It just distracts us from what we’re trying to do.” 

It took Cal just seven minutes to take the lead, as a lineout deep in BC territory resulted in flyhalf Matt Sherman punching through the defense for a try and a 7-0 lead. The teams traded penalty kicks twice before Cal center Alex Houser scored on a short run for a 20-6 halftime lead. 

All-America loose forward Kort Schubert scored two tries in the second half for the Bears, the first when he went wide into the backline to outnumber the Thunderbird defenders in the 53rd minute. Schubert scored his second try when Sherman broke loose for a long run, then dumped the ball off just 10 yards from the goal line. 

The Thunderbirds did manage to score their only try in the second half on a freakish play. A poor pass from flyhalf Saro Turner slipped through fullback Stan Manu’s grasp, but the ball hit Manu’s foot and flew through the Cal defense. Manu recovered the ball on a full sprint, then threw a blind pass to wing Rob Petretta for the score. But by that time the Bears were comfortably ahead, and the rest of the game was marked only by a full-field dustup between the teams and a pushover try from the Bears.