BYU Rugby - True Blue video clip

Check out this new video clip from True Blue, BYU's sports show, featuring footage of the BYU Rugby team's recent match against Utah Valley University as well as brief interviews with Head Coach David Smyth, team captain Steve St. Pierre, and winger Manti Su'a.

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San Diego Invitational photos

The latest photos of the BYU Rugby team's victories at the San Diego Invitational are now available at the following links, courtesy of Paul Meyers:

BYU vs. Texas A&M

BYU vs. Central Washington

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BYU vs. Weber State photos

Check out the whole photoset by clicking the following link, courtesy of Paul Meyers:

BYU vs. Weber State

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Crosstown Rivalry 2009: BYU vs. UVU

Just yesterday, BYU humbled its closest neighbor and crosstown rival, Utah Valley University, by a score of 56-0. The match, although a shutout, was nevertheless hard-fought by the Wolverines who threatened to cross the goal line on multiple occasions but to no avail. Nearly fifteen minutes in, the match remained scoreless as both teams struggled to fully break through the opposition's defense.

In contrast to the first half hour of the game, however, BYU proceeded to methodically punch holes in the UVU line to touch down several times before the final whistle. I wasn't able to stay for the seconds' game, but I saw in the article posted on the BYU Rugby website that it was surely more of a blowout than the first match to the tune of 84 points to none.

I just want to offer my congratulations to the BYU men on a solid win... and my respects to the UVU side who nevertheless deserves recognition for fending off BYU's offensive, if only for the first fifteen minutes (which accomplishment, as mentioned in a previous post, actually distinguishes just how solid and strong a team is when facing off against BYU's seasoned squad).

Remember, my friends, that UVU finished last season with a National Runner-up status, equivalent to that of BYU, the only difference being that UVU still plays at the Division II level. I was actually a tad anxious to see how Utah's newest 'rugby powerhouse' would perform against BYU, especially given last season's unusually low-scoring and tough match (the final score of which was only 37-3; not exactly a pummeling by BYU's standards!).

But perhaps this shutout win for BYU thus reveals a better coordinated and unified offense as compared to last year. My extra credit goes to the backline for establishing more fluid passing plays by being in the right places at all the right times. And one try in particular truly blew my mind (I'll have to check the game film to verify, but I swear there was one phase in which nearly eight or nine Cougars touched the ball in a non-stop effort that went the entire length of the field)! Talk about a fine display of textbook rugby, man oh man!

(Looks like y'all will only be able to see what I mean by ordering a copy of the BYU Rugby Highlight Video 2009 currently in production!)

So, that's that, folks... I could go on, but the upcoming matches on the BYU Rugby schedule look to be more definitive 'tests' and as such will surely provide even more opportunity for commentary...

Good luck to our boys in the coming weeks as they prepare for their toughest bouts yet this season against the highly-touted Super League squad, the Denver Barbarians, and later, against BYU's most great and worthy opponent, the rival Utes of Utah!

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Back on top... BYU to #2!

A very Happy Valentine's Day to the BYU Rugby team who rose to #2 this past weekend after beating #14 Texas A&M, 36-15, and #8 Central Washington, 43-5 at the San Diego Invitational! I spoke briefly with team captain Steve St. Pierre about the close score (at least compared to other recent matches) of the Texas A&M game to which he replied that the match never felt in jeopardy at all.

Although I was away in Reno the better part of the week in a competition of my own, nevertheless I am pleased that BYU has returned to their rightful place at #2 in the nation as they have done over the past three years* (*when you're at the top, breaking even does not signify mediocrity).

And we'll worry about ascending to that #1 spot a little later...

Here are the current Top 25 standings according to AmericanRugbyNews.com:

1 (1) California (18-0)
2 (4) BYU (6-0)
3 (2) St Mary’s (11-0-1)
4 (6) Arkansas State (8-0)
5 (3) Utah (12-2-1)
6 (7) LSU (9-1)
7 (9) San Diego State (4-0)
8 (5) Kutztown (7-2)
9 (8) Central Washington (9-2)
10 (10) Penn State (9-3)
11 (12) Army (8-0)
12 (11) Cal Poly (6-3)
13 (13) Dartmouth (9-1)
14 (15) Bowling Green (13-0)
15 (14) Texas A&M (7-3)
16 (17) Virginia Tech (6-2)
17 (16) Wyoming (5-2)
18 (18) Navy (6-4-1)
19 (19) Oklahoma (9-1)
20 (20) Sacramento State (5-2)
21 (21) Florida (9-2)
22 (22) Syracuse (8-2)
23 (23) Minnesota (6-1)
24 (24) Stanford (6-4)
25 (unranked) Sam Houston State (8-3)
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BYU Rugby's first home game of the season!

Today, the BYU Rugby team faced off against Weber State University in what turned out to be yet another dominant display of BYU might, a shutout, 65-0 win.

I must admit I had been quite anxious to attend this first home game... no, I wasn't worried about a potential loss or fearing anything else; rather, I was just wondering what it would be like to see our boys in action for the first time this season (especially after 'talking them up' so much to everyone!). I hadn't even thought about the fact that BYU wouldn't start many of its standout players, and so I was somewhat subconsciously disappointed when I saw that only three or four starters were out on the field.

The match, in spite of its confined location on the football team's artificial practice field, was nevertheless well-attended. As often happens, I spent much of the game feebly attempting to explain the rules, positions, and other features of the game not found in any sport besides rugby. And, as similarly happens frequently, I would glance back to the action only to find that BYU had scored once again. It all seemed rather lacking in intensity as to not merit much involvement from the crowd... but of course, this match was essentially a scrimmage for BYU's seconds to gain some experience.

No snide offense intended toward Weber State, but I wouldn't really be surprised if they shared the same sentiments... that is, they knew they were going to be cannon fodder for one of the best teams in the nation (you know, kind of like everyone else when playing against Cal Berkeley!). At any rate, I don't mean to give the BYU secondary too much credit either as they looked less than stellar in terms of their execution; the abundance of knock-ons was enough to make a man swear! Bad passes and mispositioned hands are not a good combination, especially in rugby where the results can be devastating.

For this reason, as well as a number of injuries and penalties, the whole of the gameplay seemed rather sloppy and stop-start. I must remind myself and all of us, however, that I was once one of these inexperienced and overzealous players who would probably give anything to be able to knock the ball on once more or get penalized for a dangerous tackle once again!

Okay, okay... perhaps I overstep the bounds in revealing too much about my own, short-lived rugby career... nevertheless, my friends, the moral of the story is that this win over Weber State proves that all rugby players, especially those Americans new to the sport, lack control and composure to some degree when in the learning stages (again, I include myself on this one!). The win was solid by the numbers, yes... but in my opinion, the BYU seconds still have more to learn, and honestly, what more can we expect? All things considered, they did their job, gained valuable experience, and hopefully learned from their mistakes.

Hats off to our boys on a good win, and hopefully things only get better from here! (I am, after all, hoping for an oversupply of awesome sequences for our BYU Rugby HD highlight video now in filming!)

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BYU vs. Penn State photos

Many other great photos of BYU's impressive win, as well as the Seconds' win over Boise State, may be found at the following links (courtesy of Paul Meyers):

BYU vs. Penn State

BYU Second XV vs. Boise State

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BYU Men's Rugby Highlight Video 2009 Update!

My friends, the plans for the first ever, BYU Rugby highlight video in High Definition are well on their way to becoming a reality...

I recently met again with Ben Thompson and his business partner, Micah Brown, to discuss our needs and plans to make this video a reality. Basically, these guys know what they're doing, so the final product will surely be an amazing tribute to our team! Two cameras will be used to film all home games (and all tournament games if enough people contribute); one camera will capture a broader view of the gameplay from a fixed position whereas the other camera will run the sideline capturing the action up close and personal. Filming will start this Saturday at the first home game against Weber State University!

To get this project started, I have put my money where my mouth is... $350.00 of my personal funds have gone toward the procurement of the necessary materials for the first few games. Yes, this hefty sum means a lot to someone still in college, but I have faith that BYU Rugby fans everywhere would so contribute if they could.

And guess what??? ... You can contribute!

By donating only $20.00, you will not only aid the cause of promoting BYU's greatest sport, but you will also receive a DVD copy of your own!

Simply click the "Donate" button on the sidebar to submit your payment quickly and securely online to our "BYU Rugby Highlight Video 2009" account with PayPal. All donations will be given directly to the film crew for production costs.

(Anyone wishing to receive a Blu-ray copy may contact me by clicking the button beneath my profile picture for more details)

And so we shall create the saga of the BYU Rugby team in glorious HD fashion!

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BYU Rugby rises to #4!

A new listing of the Top 25 by AmericaRugbyNews.com came out today with BYU in the #4 spot...

Now then, I know I got all of our hopes up that BYU would be #2 in the nation after their brutal handling of Penn State last weekend, but... I forgot to take into account BYU's lack of preseason games and its impact on the point system for the rankings!

My apologies.

Nevertheless, we can still hold our heads high after having ascended only one spot instead of three... all is not lost (nor ever was).

The BYU Rugby team will still be #2 as predicted... but, as the saying goes, "all good things take time."

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BYU vs. Stanford photos

Be sure to check out the entire photo set provided by Paul Meyers by clicking the following links:

BYU vs. Stanford 1
BYU vs. Stanford 2

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A little bit of shock and awe and... well... SMITING!

Where do I begin? The BYU Rugby juggernaut just chewed up and spat out #2-ranked Penn State, 86-14! Wow!!! ... Wow!!! .............. And wow again!!!

And so comes the deluge of inevitable questions...

Was Penn State way overrated? Sure. Is BYU really that good? As sure as anything good. What about #1 Cal Berkeley's massive, 105-3 win on the day over Chico State? Doesn't that ridiculous drubbing carry some kind of implications with it for BYU's National Title hopes??? I'm sure it does... but right now, I surely don't care.

BYU just put the hurt on a Penn State squad that seems to only see an ever-rising point margin in its last five bouts with BYU over the course of five years: on 4/17/05, BYU won by 9 points (44-35); 2/17/06, BYU by 32 points (42-10); 5/5/06, BYU by 49 points (52-3); 5/14/07, BYU by 41 (53-12... okay, so that margin slightly stopped the trend, but humor me a little here); and finally on 1/31/09, BYU takes it away, winning by 72! Ouch! Sorry Lions, but things haven't really been getting much better for you over the years against your Cougar counterparts!

Now, all things considered, don't point the finger at me for mercilessly bragging and snubbing my nose at Penn State...

On the contrary, I maintain a great respect for PSU... truly, I do. They are persistent and competitive enough to be a top-ranked team every year, no questions asked. And besides, BYU has similarly felt the ill effects of increasing point differentials in three years of painful losses to the notorious (is "infamous" any less harsh?) Cal Berkeley Golden Bears... Ughhhh! Bad taste in my mouth just at the thought...

But let's end on a positive note, shall we?

A win is a win, so they say... and, an avalanche is... well... no one really ever survives to say what that's like! (Ok, sorry to all the PSU fans out there; I will cease and desist with my oh-so-not-subtle digs at your expense.)

Best of luck to the Lions throughout the rest of the season, and to our Mighty BYU Cougars, ... ad victoriam et vitam aeternam!

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