Back To Back Shutouts Wins for Newport Beach’s Rugby Team

Newport Beach, CA, February 28, 2009

The Back Bay Rugby Football Club of Newport Beach was host to Kern County Rugby Football Club last Saturday at Peninsula Park/Balboa Pier Athletic Field.

The Back Bay Sharks returned to their prized home turf Saturday looking to extend their winning streak to five in a row. Back Bay has proven formidable in league play by any measure; the Sharks have won every league game this season, fielding two teams each week, and each week and claiming back to back wins in eight matches over four weekends. Kern County was hoping to put to end of the Sharks winning ways.

The Shark’s waterfront home “pitch-rugby speak for the playing field-is arguably the best rugby venue in the country, and Saturday was a perfect sunny day with little wind. The Back Bay Boys again apparently came to play with decisive breakaway scores early in the game, capturing momentum that the sharks never conceded The result was a rout of Kern County, 75-0.

At match’s end, nine different Sharks players scored tries (a goal similar to a touchdown worth five points). Two players, Jon Luc Del Fante and Matthew Cooper scored two tries each.

The Sharks’ defense held Kern County to zero points with several notable and devastatingly aggressive tackles from flanker Pete Dannahy. Shark, Jon Luc Del Fante, was conferred the honor of man of the match after scoring to two tries and making 10 conversions.

This was the fifth straight win for the Shark’s first team, continuing an undefeated league record, and sealing the contention that Newport Beach’s own Rugby team is indeed a force to be reckoned with.

No less the victor, the Back Bay second team followed with a win which to onlookers had the aura of a victory lap for the club, with a repeat shutout win, 31-0. Matt Tracy seized the first score for the Sharks in a breakaway try, and followed with three additional scores. The man of the match for the second side was rookie forward Kevin Hynes with a performance punctuated by taking solid possession of line outs and hard tight forward style running.

Sure to be targeted as the team to beat, the Sharks will be defending both their record and the pride of Newport at home at the beach at Peninsula Park by the Balboa Pier this Saturday, March 7. This match promises to be a must see, facing off against the notably physical Old Aztecs from San Diego. The Old Aztecs are the second place team in the league, and arch rivals of the Sharks. Kick off will be at 2 p.m., all are invited for what will surely be a hard fought spectacle that is anything but a day at the beach.