Nine University of California players scored a total of 13 tries as the Golden Bears soundly defeated #12 Utah 82-5 in front of a big Homecoming crowd Saturday afternoon on Witter Rugby Field.

Cal, ranked #4 by Goff Rugby Report going into this game, improved 11-1 overall and 4-0 in PAC Rugby Conference play. The Bears spent most of the match in Utah territory and virtully assured themselves of a third straight conference title. Utah drops to 1-1 in conference play.

“Really proud of the team having set a high standard for what we wanted to get done today,” said captain Jake Anderson. “We showed a commitment to making tackles and playing hard, which are good signs going forward.”

Outside center Harry Adolphus led the Blue and Gold with three tries, adding one conversion on two attempts.Andrew Battaglia and Carl Hendrickson both scored two tries apiece while Anderson went 6-of-11 on conversion attempts and added a penalty kick (1-of-2) for the Bears.

The Utes’ try was scored by scrumhalf Danny Christensen in the 26th minute to finish Utah’s first trip inside the Cal 22 on a day which the Rugby Bears froze Utah’s forwards at the gainline and kept the visiting backline from getting untracked.

“We had a good plan today and the boys were very good in the execution of the plan,” said head coach Jack Clark. “That match played in a different landscape could have been a problem. Utah is a very capable team.”

“There was a lot of passion on that field today. We came out on fire and kept it up all 80 minutes,” said outside centerAnthony Salaber, who joined his brother, Nick, in the starting lineup as their father, Rob, watched proudly with his teammates from the 1985 national collegiate championship team on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.

The elder Salaber and his ’85 team addressed the team before the match, which fueled the fire under the team before it ran out onto Witter Rugby Field. “That was a big positive influence,” Nick Salaber said. “Thinking about my dad out here 30 years ago playing with his buddies, I looked to my teammates and it was a huge motivator.”

Meanwhile, UCLA improved to 2-2 after a last-second win over Arizona. The Bruins were down 29-24 when they scored at the death, winning the game with the successful conversion.

Cal has not clinched the conference yet, but would need to lose to Oregon State and have either Utah or Arizona State run the remaining table to lose it.