Fallbrook girls win World Youth Rugby Festival featured match with Rhinos

Though they started slow, the Fallbrook Union High School girls' varsity rugby team came back from a 12-5 halftime deficit to run away from a Rhinos Academy team 24-12 in the featured girls U18 match at the World Youth Rugby Festival in Irvine Friday, Jan. 3.

"We started off like deer in the headlights and let the Rhinos play," Coach Craig Pinnell said. "We woke up in the second half and showed confidence in imposing our quick playing style on them. (It was) a good showing with a new group blooding some of our very young players."

Elaine Jiminez, Tiahna Padilla, Jordan Duncan and Neveah Rivera...