San Diego got back on the winning track in a wild back-and-forth contest in San Francisco that saw the home team claw back from a 14-point deficit before eventually succumbing by a score of 46-33. Each team tallied five tries, but 21 points from the boot of Kurt Morath proved the difference for the visitors.

Morath got things started with an early penalty, his first of five, before Tom Bliss followed up his own grubber kick to notch the first try. His counterpart Michael Reid responded, however, darting over from a quick tap with the conversion from Volney Rouse erasing the San Diego seven-pointer.

Two more penalties for Morath took them out to a nine point lead but a yellow card to Tai Tuisamoa handed San Francisco an opportunity that big no8 David Tameilau capitalised on from a cheeky lineout move. Despite being down a man San Diego got one right back as a Ryan Matyas break led to a score for Mike Te’o, with the fullback’s efforts extended via Morath’s successful conversion.

Cecil Garber made the gap two converted tries shortly after the break. Phil Mackenzie turned the ball over at midfield and moved past a couple would-be tacklers to free his flanker for the score, but San Francisco refused to wave the white flag just yet. A half-break from Codi Jones found Rouse on his shoulder and the flyhalf converted his own to make it just one score between the two.

Tameilau, evidently inspired by his new contract with Newcastle Falcons, grabbed his second soon after. Pila Iongi set the ball rolling on a long break down the wing and the big no8 finished it off. Rouse converted to make it level and it was anyone’s ballgame.

San Diego took the hint to turn up the pace, and soon Morath was rewarded with another penalty chance which he duly obliged. The ball had barely sailed through the uprights when replacement lock Nikola Bursic piled over from a lineout, and again the visitors were two scores clear, but again San Francisco failed to get the memo. Iongi himself did the honours this time after quick hands from the big men put the flying winger in space, and with the score 36-33 it looked a race to the finish.

The San Francisco steam finally ran out when Hubert Buydens crossed for San Diego’s fifth try, coming at the end of multiple phases. Morath added the extras, then one more penalty for good measure and the day went to the visitors. San Diego now host Ohio at Torero Stadium in a week’s time, while San Francisco have a week off to regroup and prepare for their road trip to Denver on May 20.

SAN FRANCISCO 33

Tries – M. Reid, D. Tameilau 2, V. Rouse, P. Iongi

Cons – V. Rouse 4

SAN DIEGO 46

Tries – T. Bliss, M. Te’o, C. Garber, N. Bursic, H. Buydens

Cons – K. Morath 3

Pens – K. Morath 5

Yellow cards – T. Tuisamoa

SAN FRANCISCO

1 Niko Lolohea 2 Jacob Finau 3 Patrick Latu (capt.) 4 Alex Bowman 5 Rich Knight 6 Siupeli Sakalia 7 Sam Finau 8 David Tameilau 9 Michael Reid 10 Volney Rouse 11 Jake Anderson 12 Orene Ai’i 13 Nick Blevins 14 Pila Iongi 15 Martini Talapusi

16 Codi Jones 17 Maka Tameilau 18 Fancy Namulau’ulu 19 Holo Mo’ungaloa 20 Naibuka Tawake 21 Junior Helu 22 Charles Mateo 23 Jack O’Hara

SAN DIEGO

1 Hubert Buydens 2 Tim Barford 3 Kakalia Pule 4 David Dolinar 5 Tai Tuisamoa 6 Chris Turori 7 Cecil Garber 8 Sione Tu’ihalamaka 9 Tom Bliss 10 Kurt Morath 11 Phil Mackenzie (capt.) 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Ryan Matyas 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya 15 Mike Te’o

16 Joseph Taufete’e 17 Mason Pedersen 18 Epeli Kalemani 19 Nikola Bursic 20 Arnold Meredith 21 Charlie Purdon 22 Kalei Konrad 23 Tim Stanfill

Referee: Kurt Weaver

Assistants: Derek Summers & George O’Neil