#6 Cats to Face #3 St Mary’s on the Road

Our Arizona Wildcats have cleared the first hurdle and advanced to the second round of the USA Rugby Collegiate D1A National Championships! 

The Cats head to Moraga for stiff D1A quarterfinal rematch with the third-ranked Saint Mary’s Gaels, two programs that have faced each other with increasing regularity, with each match proving the hard-hitting nature of top collegiate rugby. 

In the 2025 regular season, the sides played a blistering match in Tucson: a tight, defensive grind that the Gaels ultimately edged late. Arizona’s line speed and tackle completion held the reigning national champions scoreless for nearly 70 minutes and building a 10–0 lead through a Berenger penalty and a maul try. Saint Mary’s clawed back with a try just before halftime to make it 10–5, then leaned on territory and phase pressure to force Arizona into penalties and exit mistakes. The Gaels finally broke through with a late go‑ahead score, escaping Sitton Field with a narrow win that signaled Arizona was closing the gap even as the series results stayed tilted toward Moraga.

Arizona has grown since an early‑spring 2026 matchup between the foes, tightening its defense and stringing together results that kept it lodged in the national top ten. Saint Mary’s, meanwhile, remains one of the country’s most ruthless attacking sides, blending width, tempo and offloading flair. 

This year, the cost of airline travel has significantly increased over planned club budgets. So, alumni "Old Cats,” player families and fans are asked to step-up and help the Cats realize the ambition of toppling St Mary’s – for a national Final Four and Championship appearance. 

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