The Stanford Nike Boys Summer Rugby Camp returns to Stanford this summer.  The four day / three night camp runs from June 22nd-June 25th and offers an overnight and day camper option.  The Nike Camp is open to boys ages 9-18 of all skill and experience levels. Participants are grouped according to experience and age.  Join Stanford Director of Rugby Matt Sherman, current Stanford Men’s Rugby players and coaches, and current and former USA Rugby Men’s National Team players for a world class camp experience.

New Nike 7′s Rugby Camp: This summer Stanford will also be offering our first ever 7′s Nike Rugby Camp from June 25th-27th for boys ages 14-18.  This camp will focus on the skills and game play of the quickly growing Olympic version of the game, Sevens Rugby.

Find more information on all Stanford Nike Rugby Camps here.

Russell Field – UC Davis, Ca.

Stanford finished the season this weekend at UC Davis at the Pacific Western Conference Playoffs.  In the semi-final on day one, Stanford would fall to Chico State 12-25, but would bounce back to finish the season with a 33-29 come from behind victory over Sacramento State, claiming 3rd place in the Pacific Western Conference.  Regular season first place finishes UC Davis would eventually win the Pacific Western Conference Playoffs, and advance to USA Rugby’s National Championship Quarterfinals.

On day one, despite a strong start from Stanford, Chico would score first ten minutes in on a long break from halfway.  For the next fifteen minutes, Stanford would dominate territory, eventually leading to a Stanford try from Dahlton Brown.  Nico Sanchez would convert the try and Stanford led 7-5 at the 25 minute mark.  Chico bounced back with an uncovered try to take a 12-7 lead into the half.  Despite the deficit, Stanford had played a strong first half, owning a majority of the territory and much of the possession battle.  However, at the start of the second half, Stanford would make a series of errors that would lead to a Chico penalty, and then converted try only twelve minutes into the second period.  Stanford fought back to regain momentum, but struggled to maintain continuity with the ball.  Chico would again score next through a penalty in the 74th minute.  With the game running out of time, Stanford would fight their way over the try line, with prop Uche Omegara touching down.  Down 12-25 with minutes remaining, Stanford would work the ball down into Chico’s end, but were unable to get the much needed score, eventually falling to the Wildcats 12-25.

Following the day one loss, Stanford would play for 3rd place on Sunday against an improved Sacramento State team.   A young Stanford starting XV that included four freshman and four sophomores would take the field and come from behind to finish the season with a strong 33-29 victory.  Stanford’s Patrick Crowley crossed the line early in the game before Sacramento State would score a long range try from a turnover to tie the game twenty minutes in. Stanford bounced back when Nino Abundes crossed the line, Sam Falkenhagen converted, and Stanford was in the lead and in control, up 12-5 with 15 minutes remaining in the half.  However, Sacramento State would reverse momentum and get the next three scores.  The Hornets scored a converted try and penalty kick before the half for a 15-12 halftime lead, then a converted try minutes into the second half for a 22-12 lead.  Stanford bounced back immediately, with two tries five minutes apart from George Fullerton and Jack Chabolla, both of which Falkenhagen converted, for a 26-22 Stanford lead.  With minutes remaining, Crowley would score his second putting Stanford safely in the lead two scores, up 33-22.  Sacramento State would score a consolation try in the dying minutes to close the gap, but Stanford would hang on for the 33-29 victory.

The come from behind victory was a strong finish to a strong season in which Stanford would finish with a 10-5 overall record and 3rd place in the Pacific Western Conference.

Stanford Team vs. Chico State: 1: Dahlton Brown 2: Jeremy Kim *Captain 3: Chris Herries 4: Alex Barron 5: Sean Means 6: Austin Carey 7: Patrick Crowley 8: Rory Houghton-Berry 9: Alejandro Sanchez  10: Nico Sanchez  11: Nino Abundes 12: George Fullerton  13: Chris Fernandes  14: Jack Chabolla 15: Oscar Sandoval Reserves: 16: Connor Tobin 17: Uche Omegara 18: Mitch Hokanson 19: Nick Perkins 20: Jay Reader 21: Jamieson O’Marr 22: Dean Patrick 23: Sam Falkenhagen

Scoring Summary vs Chico State: 10: Chico State Try  25: Stanford Brown Try (N. Sanchez Conversion) 29: Chico State Try and Conversion (Halftime Stanford 7 – Chico State 12) 52: Chico State Penalty 57: Chico State Try and Conversion 74: Chico State Penalty 77: Stanford Omegara Try (Full-time Stanford 12 – Chico State 25)

Stanford Team vs. Sacramento State: 1: Connor Tobin 2: Jeremy Kim *Captain 3: Mitch Hokanson 4: Nick Perkins 5: Alex Barron 6: Austin Carey 7: Patrick Crowley 8: Jay Reader 9: Alejandro Sanchez  10: Nico Sanchez  11: Nino Abundes 12:  Chris Fernandes 13: Dean Patrick 14: Jack Chabolla 15: Sam Falkenhagen Reserves: 16: Nathan Mix 17: Dahlton Brown 18: Chris Herries  19: Sean Means 20: Rory Houghton-Berry 21: Jamieson O’Marr 22: George Fullerton 23: Oscar Sandoval

Scoring Summary vs Sacramento State: 6: Stanford Crowley Try 19: Sac State Try  24: Stanford Abundes Try (Falkenhagen Conversion) 27: Sac State Penalty  33: Sac State Try and Conversion (Halftime Stanford 12 – Sac State 15) 44: Sac State Try and Conversion 49: Stanford Fullerton Try (Falkenhagen Conversion)  54: Stanford Chabolla Try (Falkehnhagen Conversion)  73: Stanford Crowley Try (Falkenhagen Conversion) 77: Sac State Try and Conversion (Full-time Stanford 33 – Sac State 29)

John Sala Field – Reno, Nevada

Stanford traveled to Reno, Nevada, for their final regular season Pacific Western Conference game Saturday.  Both teams had everything to play for, as the winner was guaranteed a spot in the Conference Playoffs, while the loser’s season would likely come to an end.  On a strange afternoon that featured blustery wind, and a referee needing to be replaced for injury, Stanford got the job done, defeating a physical Nevada-Reno team 24-0.

Stanford spent the majority of the first quarter of the game inside Reno’s end, but weren’t able to convert multiple opportunities into points.  Reno was abel to use the wind at their backs to clear their lines multiple times after turning Stanford over near their own line.  Near the twenty minute mark, it looked like Stanford would score as they inched near the Reno line again, but a turnover led to a swift Reno counter attack taking play deep inside Stanford’s end.  Stanford quickly worked the ball back into Reno territory, and multiple Reno penalties eventually led a Reno player being sent off with a yellow card.  Finally in the 29th minute, Stanford prop Chris Herries crossed the line for the games first score and 5-0 Stanford lead.  Just before the end of the half, flanker Austin Carey would extend the lead with a try, fullback Oscar Sandoval converted, and Stanford took a 12-0 lead into the break.

The second half began similar to the first, with Stanford spending most of the first twenty minutes in Reno’s end, but unable to finish in what was an overall stop start game effected by the windy conditions. In the 63rd minute, Carey scored his second try to take the lead to 17-0.  Carey would complete the hat trick in the 73rd minute, with Sandoval hitting the conversion into the wind for a 24-0 Stanford lead.  Despite two Reno line breaks against the run of play that threatened the Stanford line late in the game, a determined Stanford scramble defense would maintain the shutout and 24-0 victory.

In the second team game, Stanford got strong performances from center Dean Patrick, lock Jay Reader, and prop Uche Omegara in route to a hard fought 31-20 victory.

Next Up: Stanford (6-2 / 9-4) travels to UC Davis for the Pacific Western Conference Playoffs on April 11th and 12th.  On Saturday April 11th, Stanford, the Conference #3 seed, will take on #2 Chico State at 3pm, while #1 UC Davis will face #4 Sacramento State at 1pm.  On Sunday April 12th the winners will play for the Conference Championship at 1pm, with the 3rd place match taking place at 11am.  In Stanford’s previous encounter with Chico State earlier this year, despite taking a 14-12 lead into the half, Stanford eventually fell to Chico 28-41 on the road.  Last year, Stanford won the Conference Championship by defeating Chico 24-18 in the final.

Stanford Team vs. Nevada-Reno: 1: Dahlton Brown 2: Jeremy Kim *Captain 3: Chris Herries (Uche Omegara)  4: Nick Perkins (Jay Reader) 5: Sean Means (Alex Barron) 6: Austin Carey 7: Jack Chabolla 8: Rory Houghton-Berry 9: Alejandro Sanchez (Jamieson O’Marr) 10: Nico Sanchez  11: Jimmy Callinan (George Fullerton) 12: Chris Fernandes 13: Wesley Greiner (Sam Falkenhagen) 14: Ian McColl (Nino Abundes) 15: Oscar Sandoval

Scoring Summary: 28: Stanford Herries Try 39: Stanford Carey Try (Sandoval Conversion) (Halftime Stanford 12 – Nevada-Reno 0) 63: Stanford Carey Try  73: Stanford Carey Try (Sandoval Conversion) (Full-time Stanford 24 – Nevada-Reno 0)