The Back Bay Sharks of southern California have opened their 2002 fall season with a 26-20 victory over the Las Vegas Blackjacks in Week 6 of the Major League Rugby Tri-Series championship.

Under the tutelage of new head coach, former OMBAC and USA Eagles starter Scott Bracken, Back Bay, playing its first game since making the Final Four of the USA Rugby national clubs championship last June, ran in four tries on the day.

Back Bay got on the board early when center Nelo Tukino raced around from the blindside to connect with Eagle Dave Fee who drew a man and spun the ball to Dean Riddick who scored. Fee converted for a 7-0 Sharks' lead. The only other scoring in the first half came via a drop goal and penalty goal kicked by Blackjacks fullback Jason Kelly, giving Back Bay a 7-6 halftime lead.

Las Vegas' Australian outside center Mick Anderson broke his leg and dislocated an ankle in the first quarter of the game and will be out for the rest of the season.

Back Bay scored a try within two minutes of the resumption of play in the second period. Scrumhalf Rainer Ball dotting down to extend the Sharks' lead. Veteran eightman Cameron Frater and winger Mike Ferris then crossed for two more tries to put Back Bay further ahead. Fee converted two of the three tries to round out the Sharks' 26 points.

Down 26-6, Vegas rallied and for the first time camped in the Back Bay 22 until Joe Indrieri touched down beside the posts. That was followed by a pushover try to Gene Munro. Both scores were converted by Las Vegas skipper and flyhalf Dallas Orchard.

With a 26-20 scoreline and just minutes to go, Fee missed a long range penalty attempt which saw Orchard drop out to Munro and a nine-man passing effort launched the Vegas team 80 meters downfield and in sight of the tryline, but an inopportune knock-on ended the raid and the match.

"Back Bay dominated most of the play early, but we defended well," said Orchard. "In the second half, they scored two tries in the space of five minutes to pull away, then Steve Richards came on as a reserve for us and inspired our forwards. We made it interesting in the end, Back Bay could've put us away, but they missed a few chances."

Back Bay was scheduled to travel to Seattle this coming weekend for a Tri-Series Group Eight matchup with top placed team Seattle, but the game has been canceled.

Elsewhere, the Dallas Reds downed the El Paso Scorpions 25-19, Woodlands (Texas) were 39-13 winners over the Cincinnati Wolfhounds and the Grand Rapids Gazelles scored a 26-22 come from behind victory over the Chicago Griffins.