Provo • California is back on top of the college rugby world after dethroning four-time defending champion BYU on Saturday at South Field in the Penn Mutual Varsity Cup title game.
The Bears scored 21 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes to defeat the Cougars 40-29 and win their 26th national title.
Cal's Niklas Boyer scored on a try and conversion to give the Bears a 33-29 lead with seven minutes remaining, and the Cougars failed to answer. That came three minutes after Anthony Salaber had pulled the Bears to within 29-26 with about 10 minutes left.