USD Toreros Punch Ticket to D1AA Final Four
The University of San Diego Men’s Rugby Club continues to prove why it's one of the most respected and successful collegiate rugby programs in the nation, defeating Western Washington University with a disciplined and defensively dominant performance to book their return to the CRAA D1AA National Semifinals.
Saturday’s playoff victory came at the end of a tough road stretch that saw USD first dispatch California Conference North champions American River College, before traveling to Bellingham, Washington, to face WWU on their home turf at Harrington Field.
USD wasted no time making an impact. In true Torero fashion, center Paul Habeeb—a cornerstone of the program’s recent run of championships—snatched up a loose ball and streaked 50 meters for the opening score. Habeeb’s game-changing ability in key moments has become a hallmark of his USD career.
Moments later, USD capitalized again after a WWU miscue. A center-field scrum led to a clean attack down the sideline through Michael Lewis, with Cade Caufield finishing the movement to give the Toreros an early 12-0 lead.
The first half continued to highlight USD’s elite balance of patience and physicality. After holding firm against a WWU maul near their own line, USD flipped the field with a 75-meter movement sparked again by Habeeb and wing Jackson Short, eventually finishing with a bruising try from Torres Kapust, converted by Lucas Troughear to extend the lead to 22-0.
Western Washington mounted a spirited comeback attempt, capitalizing on a yellow card to put up their first try of the day and narrow the score to 22-10. But USD’s championship-tested defense locked in.
Faced with long phases and close-quarter pressure, the Toreros executed efficient double tackles, cleared strategically, and refused to give WWU the space or time needed to strike. On one key sequence, USD absorbed over 20 phases of pressure, eventually flipping momentum when Habeeb intercepted a wide pass and ran 80 meters for his second try of the day—a definitive turning point that all but sealed the result.
Chase Basson’s late try was the final blow, but it was the defense-first mentality and big-play poise that defined this USD victory.
“We always relish our contests with WWU,” said USD Director of Rugby Keavin Eaton. “They’re a first-class outfit with strong coaches and a great venue in Harrington Field. These matches show what high-level club rugby can be. While we were frustrated at times with our attack, our defense kept us ahead on the scoreboard. Now we look ahead to the toughest test yet.”
That next test? A semifinal clash with Iowa State, the same team USD defeated in last year’s national title match. With four national championships in the past four years, a roster full of All-American talent, and a commitment to academic and athletic excellence, USD continues to lead by example in the D1AA landscape.