The Dauphin Mavericks rugby team traveled south to Brandon for a tilt with the Barbarians, Saturday.

After a strong start in which the Mavericks built a 26-17 lead at halftime, Brandon took advantage of the Mavericks’ inexperience in the second half to walk away with a 53-26 win.

Ronin Mouck had two tries for Dauphin, with Riley Keith and Sam Plante adding singles. Daniel Evans added three converts.

Mavericks player-coach Shawn Sarkonak said the Mavericks came out flat in the first two minutes.

“But we basically started trading tries back and forth. We pulled ahead. We were playing really well,” he said, adding they ran into penalty trouble in the second half.

Dauphin’s lack of experience, Sarkonak said, also played a factor.

“We had a good, young squad there, just a little inexperienced. And compared to the size of their pack, as we made changes, we got lighter and lighter, so they were able to push us around pretty good later on in the second half,” he said.

Despite the second half collapse, the experience gained by the young Mavericks will benefit them in the future.

“They see what it takes to play at that level and the more you play the better you get. But I was very pleased with how the squad really played,” Sarkonak said.

The Mavericks have two games remaining, a home-and-home with the Winnipeg Wasps.

The next game in Dauphin is tentatively set for Aug. 30, with the game in Winnipeg slated for Sept. 6. Both games have yet to be confirmed.