Stanford 52, Texas A&M 0

Saturday was an exciting day for Stanford Rugby. The Texas A&M Aggies came up to the Stanford pitch in order to bring some variation and increased competition to their game schedule, and Stanford welcomed them for the same reasons.

The two teams adjusted to each others' game plans for the first few minutes, but Stanford soon broke the line to score a try. The Aggies, however, did not make it easy for the Cardinal. The Texan forwards consistently disrupted Stanford's rucks throughout the game and turned over many Stanford balls. The backline also utilized dummy runners, which the Stanford defense soon adjusted to. The Aggie's well-placed kicks did not give Stanford and room to mess off during kick-off receives.

However, Stanford's hard hitting backline and could-be-backs forwards continued to throw points on the board. Most notably, winger Ono Nseyo touched down many a ball in the try zone. Susan Dekker and Victoria Whittaker also worked some magic as they found themselves in the try zone with ball in hand.

Overall, Saturday's game was what Stanford was looking for. The Aggies aggression around the breakdown and constant pressure was a huge challenge and will serve as point for improvement. After the game, the two teams had a lovely social, which was coordinated by Stanford's lovely Team Mom. Stanford would like to thank A&M for coming out. It was great fun playing. We hope to see you next year or at the USA Rugby National Guard College Playoffs Round of 16.