Life West came back from a 24-5 deficit to defeat Belmont Shore and win the Pacific Rugby Premiership, ultimately winning 36-27 in Finals Weekend at Treasure Island in San Francisco.

The Gladiators put paid to any reputation that they weren’t fit enough to win championship rugby, exploding for three ties in the final 21 minutes to take the PRP title.

Life West started strong—hooker Jacob Finau setting up wing Fatai Vailala in the first few minutes. But Belmont Shore replied, running through the phases before Vili Iongi took a hit as he launched a wide pass to wing Adam Channel, who did the rest.

Moments later, No. 8 Matthew Masoe ripped the ball from some Life West arms, curled around, and raced 65 meters for a try. And then, after a ling kick to touch, Belmont Shore got the ball back after Life West’s throw was not straight. From there they attacked and a nice short ball from Max Paronelli to James Muse exposed some poor Life West tackling and it was 19-5 Shore.

Iongi set up Greg Daniel for another to make it 24-5 and the rout seemed on after 29 minutes.

But Belmont Shore would score only once more the rest of the game. 

Life West opted for a scrum on a penalty and a lovely chip ahead from flyhalf Martini Talapusi was gathered by Josefa Vuatalevu for a try in the corner. Right after that, a huge break from prop Alex Lopeti set up a try from Finau, and Life West was back in it at 24-15.

Neither team could break through much in the second half—only a Daniel Thomas penalty for Belmont Shore—but in the 18th minute Life West attacked off a scrum and Naibuka Tawake picked up and crashed over. Talapuse was good on the conversion and Shore’s lead was down to 27-22.

Four minutes later the Gladiators had the lead. They started to win the point of contact when on attack, and then a quick tap off a penalty set up one more try.

Talapusi converted for a 29-27 lead.

It stayed that way, on a knife edge for the rest of the game. Life West did well to disrupt some of Belmont Shore’s first-phase ball and came up hard on defense. Finally, after weathering several attacks, Life West salted it away with a nice break from Mose Fulaau, and after the forwards bashed it up again, Tawake was there to take the pass for his second. Talapuse put the final stamp on it, and Life West were champions.

The Gladiators will play the Austin Blacks, after the Blacks finished off an interrupted final league game with the Dallas Reds, winning that game 56-22. The game was originally played on April 13, but was halted by the City of Dallas Parks Department due to heavy rain. After much wrangling about whether the result (22-0 to Austin at halftime) should stand, the game be replayed, and if replayed, when.

In the end, the weekend of the Red River club playoffs was selected as the resume date, with rosters locked (meaning whoever was in the gameday 23 on Aril 13 would be the only ones eligible to play on May 4).

Austin, despite having a couple of players from the 13th unable to be there, extended its lead and will be in the West Semifinal May 18, LIVE on FloRubgy.

It was a pretty impressive weekend for the Blacks, as the club achieved a USA Rugby first—the first club to send teams to national Round of eight or better in three divisions in the same year. The Blacks’ D2 and D3 teams also qualified for the national playoffs.

With this weekend’s wins the Austin Blacks become the first club in history to send sides in divisions 1, 2 and 3 to the USA Rugby Elite 8! pic.twitter.com/uMIX3W4KeT

— Austin Blacks Rugby (@AustinBlacks) May 5, 2019

Life University made short work of Rocky Gorge in the East crossovers. With big games from John Carr and Maciu Koroi, Life ran out 69-26 winners over Gorge.

It wasn’t a complete chiropractic sweep, and the Chicago Lions won the Midwest Premiership 30-13 over Palmer College to set up a Lions vs Life East Semifinal, That game will be LIVE on FloRugby as part of our club playoffs coverage.

Good day at the office. Midwest champs 2019. #upthelions pic.twitter.com/5Lku8y04n9

— Dave Clancy (@daveclancy11) May 4, 2019

Watch The Club Playoffs LIVE on FloRugby May 18-19

East Brackets

West Brackets