February 7, 2026

Boxer Stadium
San Francisco, CA

Stanford 17 – San Francisco State 86

Stanford Men's Rugby traveled to San Francisco to face San Francisco State at Boxer Stadium. The Cardinal brought 16 players on the roster, with several sidelined due to injury. The Gators, playing at home, fielded strong numbers for the match.

San Francisco State used their size in the forwards and an effective offload game to put the Cardinal on the back foot early. The Cardinal were valiant in their defensive efforts, working tirelessly to reset and prepare for the next phase. In the 20th minute, fullback Su Reh '28 made one of many try-saving tackles on the day. Flyhalf Jacob Bethell '29 poached the loose ball after the tackle and sliced through the Gator defense for a 30-meter line break. The freshman from London, UK, then put boot to ball, only to have it blocked back into his hands. Moments like these individual efforts injected momentum into the Cardinal squad, who began the second half with just 13 players.

While Stanford was held scoreless in the first half, the second half was a 37–17 contest. The grit and character of the Cardinal shone through in their commitment to one another and in a surge of attacking momentum.

In the 60th minute, Leiden Brueschke '28 chipped over the Gator defensive line just outside the attacking 22 meters. The Gators' fullback gathered the kick, but pressure from Brueschke forced him to carry the ball back into his own try zone, resulting in a five-meter scrum to the Cardinal. The forwards went to work, and five phases later prop Terry Guo '28 dove over for the try. Brueschke added the conversion.

In the 72nd minute, Brueschke sent the restart deep to the right. A strong chase from first-year players Harris Layson '29 and Nigel Willacy '29 forced the Gators to kick from within their defending five meters. Brueschke gathered the clearance and carried into Gator territory. Quick ball from Louis de Germay '27, stepping in at scrumhalf, launched a multi-phase attack. Following a Gator penalty at the line, Brueschke stretched over for the try.

In the final minute, Brueschke again kicked deep to the right off the restart, and a Gator knock-on awarded the Cardinal a five-meter scrum. Led by captain Nolan Pierce '27, the forwards battled through fatigue to unite for one final effort. The scrum provided a strong platform for the backs. Brueschke, at flyhalf, put Ryan Mago '28 into space, and the winger—still with work to do—finished in the corner for a well-earned try. It was a fitting conclusion and a strong demonstration of the program's potential.

Special recognition to forwards Terry Guo '28, Harris Layson '29, Liam Boyd '29, and Jaime Cano '29 for their relentless work rate. A shout-out as well to backs Leiden Brueschke '28 and Louis de Germay '27, who problem-solved on the fly after the team went down three starting backs in the second half.

Join us on Saturday, February 28, 2026, for a Family Weekend doubleheader at Steuber Rugby Stadium. The Stanford Women kick off at 11:00 a.m. vs. Fresno State, followed by the Men at 2:00 p.m. vs. Fresno State. The Cardinal look forward to welcoming family, friends, and alumni to fill the stands and cheer on the teams.

If you are unable to make it to the Farm, watch the matches live or on replay via the @StanfordClubSports YouTube channel. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @stanford_rugby for updates and match photos.

Tries: Terry Guo, Leiden Brueschke, Ryan Mago
Conversions: Leiden Brueschke

Stanford Men's Roster vs. SF State
David T • Jaime Cano • Terry Guo • Liam Boyd • Nolan Pierce • Harris Layson • Nigel Willacy • Andrew Yang • Leiden Brueschke • Jacob Bethell • Ryan Mago • Louis de Germay • Dylan McAdams • Kyle Sisitsky • Su Reh • Ihsaan Doola