2019 Pacific Rugby Premiership

PRP Latest: Finals Day Matchups Finalized

PRP Latest: Finals Day Matchups Finalized

A look at the final week of regular-season play in the Pacific Rugby Premiership.

Apr 28, 2019 by Alex Goff
PRP Latest: Finals Day Matchups Finalized

The Pacific Rugby Premiership finished off its regular season with 242 points in three games.

Life West had already clinched its place in the final on May 4, but wanted to finish strong and did so despite resting several starters. The Gladiators slammed the Santa Monica Dolphins 79-31.

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"I am very pleased," said Life West head coach Adriaan Ferris. "We have been working on our depth, but a lot of the points we've given up have come when we've subbed in some players, so to see how the guys responded when we rested a bunch of starters was very pleasing."

Life West has had a much more fortunate season this year compared to 2018 when it comes to injuries, and with Ferris working building depth he's been able to unleash an athletic, adventurous team that his very hard.

"We had a good, tough, couple of preseason games against MLR teams and that really prepared us," said Ferris.

Life West finished the regular season 8-2 with 41 standings points.

Hoping to join the Gladiators in the final was Belmont Shore, and they really only needed one bonus point to do it. In the end, Shore beat SFGG 38-20, behind a solid forward effort that saw props Mafi Seanoa and Edward Tandy score, and also saw lock Wesley Te'o get a try.

Te'o's score broke a 17-17 tie and Tandy's sealed the victory with about 13 minutes to go.


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That result made sure that the late-season surge by the Glendale Merlins would not put them in the final. Still and all, the Merlins will be well-pleased that after starting 0-3, they finished 5-1-1 to take 3rd. 

This week, Glendale got 13 points from the boot of Alex Walsh and tries from prop Fehoko Faniaka, hooker Ami Lavakeiaho, center Clint Cook, wing Ryan Chavkin, flanker Jason Damm, and flanker Justin Olesin a 43-31 defeat of OMBAC.

OMBAC did enough, though, to ensure a rematch next week. The San Diego Club got a bonus point, as did Santa Monica. Both ended up tied on 20 standings points, but OMBAC took the tiebreak (better won-loss record) to finish 4th.

So the Finals Day matchups are:

Championship Match: Life West vs Belmont Shore

3rd/4th Match: Glendale Merlins vs OMBAC

5th/6th Match: Santa Monica vs SFGG

See all scores, standings, highlights, and past games here >>