In the summer of 1971, the University of California rugby team made its mark as one of the best in program history when it beat Queensland University in Ballymore Stadium and Australia Capital Territories in Canberra, returning with a 5-4 record on its tour of Australia and New Zealand.
By comparison, the 1965 team, another squad coached by the legendary Miles "Doc" Hudson that is often mentioned as one of the best in Cal history, also won five matches on a similar tour.
The 1971 Golden Bears touring team consisted of 22 men, many of whom starred both as student-athletes at Cal and elsewhere after they graduated from the University.
It included players like Eric Swanson, who later played on the first U.S. National Team; Blane Warhurst, also a U.S. National Team player; Don Guest, another U.S. National Team player who still holds the Cal record for his 108-yard punt return for TD; Loren Toews, who also starred in football, winning four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers and its "Steel Curtain" defense; and Ned Anderson, the 1971 captain of the Rugby Bears who will be inducted this November 11 into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame.
In celebration of that tour's 40th anniversary, CalBears.com is proud to offer a set of videos that recount the historic trip, narrated by Anderson and two of his former teammates, George Eckard and Bud Lyons.
1971 Cal Rugby Tour of Australia and New Zealand
5 Wins, 4 Losses
July 4: Won, 38-9, at Townsville
July 7: Won, 23-3, at Rockhampton
July 11: Won, 11-9, vs. Queensland University at Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane
July 14: Won, 24-13, vs. Darling Downs in Dalby
July 18: Lost, 26-3, vs. Queensland at Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane
July 21: Lost, 17-8, at Sydney University
July 25: Won, 20-17, vs. Australia Capital Territories in Canberra
July 28: Lost, 22-11, vs. Teachers College in Auckland, New Zealand
August 1: Lost, 12-6, vs. Auckland University at Eden Park
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