In the first match of its pre-season, the San Diego Armada Rugby Football Club traveled to San Francisco’s Treasure Island and fell to the San Francisco Fog 44-10 on Oct. 14.

Both teams are members of the International Gay Rugby Association and Board (IGRAB), the governing international gay rugby union.

The Armada received the kick-off, but only managed to run the ball about 15 meters before the Fog stopped them. The Armada showed a lot of heart and determination, keeping them near the middle of the pitch until the Fog managed to pass the ball out to their wing, running in the first score of the game about 10 minutes into the first quarter. Capitalizing on their recent score, the Fog redoubled their focus and managed to score a second time, just five minutes later after a quick break on a penalty, which caught the Armada off guard.

The Armada stepped up their defense and reset their defensive line, but the Fog managed to break through it. They scored a third time with a quick switch back to the weak side wing, who ran in a short run for the score. The Fog seemed poised for another score, but the Armada stopped them within 2 meters of the try line.

A short run and a well-timed pass allowed the Fog to score a fourth time early in the second quarter, placing the ball directly under the uprights for an easy conversion. The Armada began their steady push toward the goal, but only managed to get within 10 meters.

The Fog regained possession of the ball, but were quickly tackled and the referee called another penalty against them for failing to release the ball after the tackle. The Armada set up and the forwards crashed through their line, allowing Jeff Melton to score the Armada’s first try of the match. The Fog’s lead was cut to 22-5 at halftime.

After the half, both teams seemed re-energized and ready to play. Tempers flared as several incidents of late hits or high tackles were called by the referee, with the majority of penalties called against the Fog. The number and the frequency of these calls made it apparent the Fog was much more intent on winning than the team had initially let on.

Throughout the first quarter of the second half, the ball traveled back and forth quite a bit, with neither team breaking through the defense easily. The Fog managed to run around the outside, but weren’t able to score until they reversed direction and ran up the middle.

The Fog capitalized on their momentum and scored once more about 15 minutes into the quarter. After the kick and another penalty called against the Fog, the Armada refocused and was able to score once more with a strong drive up the touch line by Gary Burrow, who deftly broke through two tackles and dove the ball across the try line despite the Fog’s defense.

During the remaining third and fourth quarters, the Fog scored twice more to account for the final score.

Armada head coach Gus Ventura has high hopes for the upcoming season, which begins this winter.

“The Armada is focusing on building individual and team skills to become more competitive on the pitch,” he said. “Recruiting needs to focus on individuals that are willing to come out and attend practices to better learn the sport and to build team chemistry. We encourage everyone to come out and see what the game is about. We have found some excellent ruggers that have just learned the sport.”

The Armada’s regular season begins in January and runs through April. There are two other pre-season matches already planned for the fall, and the team is considering adding additional games.

The Armada is currently San Diego’s only men’s Division III rugby team and is open to all players regardless of prior experience and skill level.

The Southern California Rugby Football Union, of which the Armada is a member, has 23 senior men’s teams across three divisions.

For more information about the team, visit their Web site, www.sdarmada.org.