On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, San Mateo Wolverines took on Belmont Shore in a NorCal/SoCal mashup. The game had some amazing moments - players made incredible runs, threw beautiful passes, and put the ball to boot in ways that brought you to your feet. And in the end the Wolverines came out on top with a score of 45-38.
They say rugby is a game of inches, but this game started out as anything but. Blink and you’ll miss it; there were huge line breaks from both sides to start the match.
Soon things settled a bit as both teams found their rhythm.
The first half saw Belmont Shore's flyhalf, Sinamoni Hola, applying pressure with deep kicks, consistently pinning the Wolverines deep in their territory. (Seriously, this guy’s boot was insane.)
You'd expect a high-scoring game like this to see both teams scoring tries early on. But surprisingly, neither team managed to get on the board in the first 20 minutes. It wasn't until Belmont Shore worked the ball wide from a line-out that the scoring finally got underway, giving them a 5-0 lead.
The Wolverines struck back fast, with flanker Kolei Maile bursting through the line to score a try. The conversion was good, putting the Wolverines in front 7-5.
Belmont Shore quickly fought back after the Wolverines lost the ball. A gorgeous chip and chase by Lenny Ibarra, collected by Sinamoni Hola, led to the Belmont pack crashing through to retake the lead 12-7.
Belmont's kicking game was really strong. And when Sinamoni Hola cleared their lines it traveled a whopping 70 meters, putting Wolverines under pressure. Then Lenny Ibarra—a force all game—wrestled the ball away from the Wolverines at the breakdown and put Belmont on the front foot again. A few phases later, Hola stomped on the gas pedal and took it to the house, extending the Belmont Shore lead to 19-7.
Next the Wolverines struck from distance. Fullback Mateni Puamau made a fantastic break through the line and galloped into the try zone, which brought the score to 19-12.
As the first half was winding down, the ball changed possession several times before a loose Wolverine pass hit the turf and Belmont scooped it up. A long pass moved the ball into space and lock Preston Leomiti broke the line for a 40-meter try, ending the first half with Belmont Shore in the lead at 26-12.
The second half got off to a flying start with the Wolverines coming out strong. They quickly got the ball back after a clearance kick and scored a try, making it 26-17. But Belmont Shore didn't let up - they kept pushing forward, playing phase after phase, and eventually scored another try in the corner. This put them ahead 33-17. And it seemed like Belmont Shore might pull away.
But the Wolverines weren’t done.
Outside center Motu Keanaaina displayed excellent footwork with quick changes in direction, racing in for a try under the uprights—an excellent individual effort. The conversion was good, so the scoreboard read 33-24.
After a gritty midfield battle that spanned several minutes, Belmont Shore was dealt an unfortunate blow — a yellow card for illegal entry in a ruck — leaving them down a man. The Wolverines took advantage of this and scored another try, making the score 33-31, and narrowing the gap.
Belmont Shore answered with a clever move from the line-out: Lift in the back pod, quick pass directly to the prop on the ground and a quick pop back to the hooker for another Belmont try. This is one of those simple, yet cheeky set pieces that can look brilliant or sloppy. Belmont Shore pulled it off perfectly and gave themselves a bit of breathing room at 38-31.
The Wolverines refused to quit. Phase after phase they rumbled, and even lost the ball briefly in Belmont's try zone before getting it back. In the end, it was one of the Keanaaina brothers (unclear which one) who danced around defenders and into the try zone. With a successful conversion, the score was level at 38-38. Tie game with three minutes to go. A real nail biter.
Belmont Shore found front-foot momentum as the clock wound down, pounding the gain line ferociously and threatening to break free. But a scrum infraction awarded the Wolverines a penalty near midfield, which set the stage for the final dagger.
Wolverines 8-man Ben Pahulu tapped the ball quickly and popped it to Kaimani Keanaaina. Catching the Belmont defenders slightly off-guard, he burst into open space and was in the try zone before anyone could catch him.
After a successful conversion kick—a drop-goal, no less—Wolverines held a 45-38 lead. Belmont Shore tried one last push but Wolverines regathered and kicked into touch. Ball game.
Final Score: Wolverines 45 — 38 Belmont Shore
The Wolverine’s were relentless with quick taps, offloads after contact, and keeping the ball alive by any means necessary. Belmont Shore was more methodical and structured in their attack—but still wicked fast. Straight runs, in-routes to hold the defense, and quick hands allows them to threaten the space on the outside in an instant, and then boot the ball over the heads of the defenders to attack the back field.
These guys could, and did, attack from anywhere.
Looking ahead, Belmont Shore competes next Saturday, April 18th, against SOC Raptors while the San Mateo Wolverines compete against San Francisco Golden Gate.