Stanford Rugby Hosted West Coast 7s at Steuber Rugby Field
This past weekend, Stanford Rugby hosted the West Coast 7s at Steuber Rugby Field, welcoming 24 teams to Palo Alto for a fantastic day of rugby in the California sunshine. Rugby sevens is the Olympic version of the sport, with just seven players per team on the field and games consisting of two seven-minute halves. With fewer players and more open space, rugby sevens is a fast-paced and exciting version of rugby that puts a premium on speed, fitness, and skill. It also provides a great introduction to competitive rugby for many of Stanford's newer players.
With the tournament falling so early in the academic year, the Cardinal had limited preparation time and were unsure what to expect. However, those concerns were quickly put to rest as both the men's and women's teams put together impressive performances and continued to improve throughout the day.
Stanford Men Finish 3–1
Stanford Men's Rugby opened the tournament in dominant fashion, recording a 36–0 victory over Cal State Fullerton before following it up with an impressive 31–5 win over Cal Poly.
In the Semi-Final, the Cardinal then faced a tough UC Davis side that competes two divisions above Stanford in the regular season. In a highly competitive, back-and-forth contest, Stanford came from behind and tied the Aggies with less than a minute remaining. UC Davis scored in the final play of the game to secure a 31–26 victory.
Stanford responded immediately in the third-place game, producing a convincing 22–0 win over American River College to finish the tournament with a 3–1 record.
It was an encouraging day for the men, particularly with several new faces pulling on the Cardinal jersey for the first time. Max Burns 'GR, Jordan De Sousa '29, Will Thomas '30, and Stevie Halprin '30 all made their Stanford debuts, while returning players Jacob Bethell '29, Leiden Breuschke '27, and Taki Rifai' 27 provided valuable leadership throughout the tournament.
Cal went on to win the men's tournament.
Stanford Women Finish Just Three Points Shy of the Championship
The Stanford women had a similar experience, growing stronger as the tournament progressed.
The Cardinal started slowly against Sacramento State, with a few early miscues contributing to a narrow 19–14 defeat. It proved to be exactly the wake-up call the team needed.
Stanford made adjustments and bounced back with an excellent 24–17 victory over UC Santa Barbara. The win was particularly satisfying after UCSB defeated Stanford in the National 7s Final in Indiana last year.
That set up a final game against longtime rival Cal Women's Rugby, and the Cardinal saved their best performance for last. Stanford dominated from the opening kickoff and ran out convincing 36–0 winners.
The emphatic victory put Stanford right in the mix for the tournament championship. Ultimately, UCSB claimed the title, edging the Cardinal by just three points scored across the day. It was an incredibly narrow margin and an impressive showing from Stanford given the limited preparation time leading into the tournament.
Like the men, the women showed tremendous growth throughout the day. New players such as Camilla Avery '30 and Anoushka Buddhikot 'GR were able to step in and gain valuable experience, while senior players including Jacqui McClean '27 and Josie Davidson '27 provided the leadership and experience to help guide the group.
A Showcase for Stanford Rugby
Overall, the West Coast 7s was a tremendous success and a great showcase for what Stanford Rugby is all about. From the first-class facilities at Steuber Rugby Field and the support of our athletic training team to the quality and competitiveness of the rugby on the field, it was a fantastic day for the program.
All games were also professionally livestreamed, allowing Stanford Rugby fans, families, and alumni from around the world to follow the action and be part of the day. Match replays can be found on the Stanford Club Sports website.
With both Stanford teams showing what they are capable of despite limited preparation, the West Coast 7s provided plenty of reasons for excitement about the season ahead.
