PRP Hits Crucial Weekend As National Playoffs Loom

PRP Hits Crucial Weekend As National Playoffs Loom

A look at the PRP final weekend, and more in Men's D1 rugby.

Apr 27, 2018 by Alex Goff
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USA Rugby’s Men’s Club D1 championship playoff picture is clearing up a little, and some more clarity comes with this weekend's crucial games in the Pacific Rugby Premiership.

Touted as the best amateur club league in the nation, the PRP has delivered this season by not only showcasing high-level rugby but also a thrilling title chase at the top of the standings. Heading into the last week of the regular season, we still don’t know who will be in the final.

Watch PRP Finals Day LIVE on FloRugby

When: Saturday, May 5 | Where: The LIttle Q, San Diego, CA

OMBAC started the season 7-0 but has lost two in a row and now sits in a virtual three-way tie with Belmont Shore and SFGG at 34 points each. How close are those two clubs? Belmont Shore beat SFGG 30-29 on the final play of the game in Week 1. That has turned out to be a result with huge implications because the two teams tied later in the season. So by virtue of one point, Belmont Shore holds a head-to-head lead over SFGG.

Should all three teams end up with the same number of points after Saturday, SFGG will be third. OMBAC will take first with the best record, and Belmont Shore would beat out SFGG on head-to-head. However, if Belmont Shore or OMBAC fails to match SFGG in performance (for example, SFGG wins with a four-try bonus point and OMBAC wins with no bonus point), then SFGG is in the top two.

See All PRP Standings, Scores, and Scorers

The PRP winner on May 5 goes straight to the national semifinal in the Western bracket and will play the Red River champion on May 19 in Fort Worth, Texas.

OMBAC has enjoyed a massive season from player-coach and lock Tai Tuisamoa. However, Charlie Purdon at scrumhalf is the one who keeps the tempo going, while prop Jed Gillespie has been an inspiration.

Belmont Shore's fortunes have improved now that the team gets the ball more to Viliame Iongi. The fullback is leading the league in tries with 14, almost all of which he has scored in the last four games. 

SFGG's king of all things, Brendan Daly, has been massive in the regular things locks do but also in the open field. The club still has a shot with Aquila Uaiselele opening up his game at No. 8 and Lemoto Filikitonga showing leadership in the backs.

Red River

The Red River is pretty competitive, too, with the Austin Blacks and Dallas Reds ending up tied at 9-1 with 44 points in the standings. The Blacks take first place on head-to-head points difference (the teams split their season series).

That matters because the conference final four May 5 in Round Rock, Texas, will include the always dangerous Glendale Merlins (5-4-1) and the Dallas Harlequins, who are only 2-7-1. 

So that No. 1 seed gets to play the Harlequins, which seems on paper to be the easier game. The champion is decided May 6.

Austin has enjoyed unleashing a pretty useful backline that features Spencer Jones at flyhalf, try-scoring wing Matt Radzavich, and fullback Vincent Dutton, while FloRugby's own Adam Armstrong has been prominent on the scoreboard. Up front, Tyler Terrazone at lock and Matt Schick at loose forward help set the platform.

For Dallas, Dale Russ is part of a solid back-row unit that includes Chad Joseph and Colin Yerian. Blake Boulton works well at flyhalf and Kelly Kolberg continues to challenge defenses at wing or center.

Eastern Bracket

Most of the Eastern bracket is already set. The New York Athletic Club won the Atlantic Rugby Premiership, although Glendale and Life University played in it as non-qualifying teams and were better than the AC or anyone else, for that matter. Still, the AC is a strong program and should be one of the favored teams.

Mystic River is in this playoff despite being 0-6 in league play. 

NYAC plays the Chicago Lions, which actually finished the Midwest season in second place, at 9-5, while Metropolis dominated at 13-1 (losing only a one-point game to Columbus). Still, it’s the Lions who will go into the four-game playoff. 

Meanwhile, Mystic River takes on the winner of the Mid-Atlantic. That will be decided May 5. This weekend, No. 1 Norfolk Blues takes on No. 4 Potomac Exiles, and No. 2 Rocky Gorge plays No. 3 Pittsburgh Harlequins.

The winners play off next week.

The Eastern Final 8, then, play May 19-20 in Obetz, Ohio. The winner will take on the PRP/Red River winner June 2 at Infinity Park in Glendale, CO.