The shock loss by the Austin Blacks in Texas hasn't actually done much to muddle the Texas DI club league, as the Blacks have a large cushion and did get two bonus points out of the match.

Perhaps of greater interest was that Dallas got a massive bonus-point win over The Woodlands and are now in 2nd place (albeit with the 3rd-place Dallas Harlequins possessing two games in hand). And the Austin Huns edged HARC in a high-scoring affair 45-38 that put the Huns over the Houston club in the precious fourth spot.

Unofficial standings here:

Also in the West, Provo proved once again they are for real, beating a very solid Kansas City Blues team 20-16 in Utah.

Provo still hasn't overhauled Glendale for 1st, but they are in excellent position, now, to win the West-North league, with Boulder and the Denver Highlanders left to play.

Unofficial standings here:

Southern California was quiet, with only the Old Aztecs playing Back Bay in a makeup of a postponed match. The Old Aztecs won easily 73-7 and that sets up a nice battle for the 3rd and 4th playoff spots.

In Northern California, it's pretty clear SFGG is the top team, but OPSB's 61-0 defeat of Sacramento put everyone on notice. The EPA Bulldogs won a big one over Olympic Club to settle SFGG, OPSB, Sacramento and the Bulldogs as the likely top four.

In the SFGG win over Bay Barbarians, regular scrumhalf Mose Timoteo moved to fullback for the first time in a while, and, to nobody's surprise, had no difficulty.

With Volney Rouse at flyhalf, the new-look backline did not miss a beat and ran to a 43-0 halftime score with two tries each from Heine MacFarland, winger Jeff Colata, No. 8 Tevita Koloamatangi, and one by the formidable tighthead Paula Fukafuka.

Rouse, kicking into a swirling wind, converted four of seven.

The forwards punished the Bay Barbarians at the breakdown - arriving early and hard - resulting in quick ball to keep the home team on their back foot. The defense continued relentless and solid.

Changes at halftime had little difference in the flow of play.  The second half opened with a Barbarian try in the corner - a result of their determined pursuit and confusion of coverage by SFGG.

But SFGG rebounded with six tries (Sam Pone, Neil Barrett, Ricci Renolds, a third each by Tevita Koloamatangi and Jeff Colata, and a grand finale under the posts by Tom Rooke).  

Rouse converted five of these, ending the day with 18 points from his boot.

That preliminary game was won by SFGG's B side by a score of 51 to 0 - and saw another nine tries run in by six different players.

The inability of some of the teams in Northern California to fulfill their B-side fixtures is hurting them.

Unofficial standings: