Loss to Saints provides Warriors with boys rugby experience

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Fallbrook High School boys rugby club coach Sierra Arteaga attributed the Warriors’ 38-0 home loss Jan. 22 against St. Augustine to the Saints’ superior experience, so the 70 minutes of experience Fallbrook’s players gained in the game is expected to be of benefit to the Warriors.

“Our boys, they played tough the entire game,” Arteaga said. “It’s a really good experience to have a game like that.”

St. Augustine scored 19 points in each half. “It was a tough defeat,” Arteaga said.

“I think experience played the biggest role,” Arteaga said. “They have a little bit more experience on their end. We have a lot of seniors and juniors.”

The Warriors had 24 players for the varsity game, but some of the Fallbrook ruggers had experience handicaps for their specific roles against St. Augustine. “Some of them had to play new positions,” Arteaga said.

The Saints’ experience also allowed them to control the pace of the game. “When you play a very experienced team, they play their games a lot faster,” Arteaga said.

Fallbrook had 14 junior varsity players, so the junior varsity game was 14 on 14 and the Warriors had no substitutes. St. Augustine won the junior varsity contest by a 27-24 margin, but the Fallbrook boys were able to play a 70-minute game. “It was a really good experience for them,” Arteaga said. “The kids had a really good time.”

The varsity loss taught the Fallbrook players what they must do to be competitive. “We’re going to have to try harder in practice and prepare for the next game,” Arteaga said.