BYU Rugby Releases 2010 Schedule

(from BYU Rugby update)

Provo, UT— The BYU Rugby program announced it’s 2010 season today highlighted by two live nationally televised games by BYU-TV.

Coming off the program’s most successful season in its history the Cougars’ 2010 schedule is full of teams that will challenge the Cougars on a weekly basis.

BYU starts with an opening match against UC Santa Barbara in Las Vegas, NV on January 9th. The Gauchos are coming off a down season for them, with a 2-6 2009 conference record, but are looking to rebound in 2010 being led by All American Prop Ross Silverman.

The Cougars return to Las Vegas again on January 23rd for a match against the men’s club the Las Vegas Blackjacks. The Blackjacks finished the 2009 season as the Division I runners-up losing the final to the Gentlemen of Aspen 25-10.

With star center Seta Tuilevuka, brother of BYU Alum Alipate Tuilevuka, sparking the backline, the Blackjacks will prove a formidable challenge for the Cougars.

The annual Red Rocks Tournament in St. George, UT next pits BYU against the nationally ranked University of Delaware January 29th. The Blue Hens won the highly competitive Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Division with big wins against Penn State, Kutztown and Navy and were ranked #1 in the country by Rugby Magazine at the close of the Fall 2009 season.

BYU will host its first home match by bringing the Aggies of Utah State to Provo on February 6th. The Cougars hosted the Aggies last year in the first live nationally televised collegiate rugby match on BYU-TV coming out victorious.

The Cougars will visit Las Vegas for a third time as they participate in the Las Vegas Invitational, which is a showcase tournament pitting top collegiate teams against each other.

At the Las Vegas Invitational BYU will take on Texas A&M on February 12th. The Cougars played the Aggies of Texas A&M in 2009 and won 36-15. BYU will play a second day game against Western Washington University.

The Cougars take a much-deserved bye week on February 20th before they measure themselves against last year’s Rugby Super League semi-finalist the Denver Barbarians on February 27th in Grand Junction, CO.

The Cougars and Barbarians met last year with the former winning 32-20 in hotly contested match. The Barbarians followed up their performance with a strong RSL season only to lose their semifinal match in injury-time to eventual RSL champ San Francisco Golden Gate 16-12.

Following the Cougars’ showdown in Grand Junction the much anticipated 2010 Wasatch Cup match with the University of Utah kick-offs on South Field on March 6th at 1pm. The Cougars routed their rival 59-15 in Salt Lake City last year to claim the Wasatch Cup for the fourth straight year.

The 2010 Wasatch Cup match against Utah will also serve as BYU’s homecoming game for all Cougar alumni with activities and details to follow. BYU-TV will also broadcast this match live into its 48 million home national audience.

2008 semi-finalist the University of Colorado comes to South Field the next week on March 13th after rebuilding their team in 2009.

The Buffaloes finished their fall 2009 campaign with an 8-3 season and with All American Tommy Pasque at No. 8 they are looking spoil the Cougars’ perfect record at South Field. Kickoff against the Buffaloes is set for a 1pm kick off.

In back-to-back weeks the Cougars will have the Colorado match broadcast live via BYU-TV. Check your local cable and satellite provider for listing details.

The Cougars have left March 20th open for a fixture to be named later.

Another marquee match up on the schedule will see the Cougars square off in a “friendly” against their rival Utah on March 24th. The second match against the Utes will be held at the Real Salt Lake’s Rio Tinto Stadium and kick off is set for 7pm. Ticket details to follow.

A familiar foe in last year’s semifinal opposition San Diego State Aztecs will close out the regular season and home schedule for the Cougars on March 27th. The Cougars’ came from behind to beat the Aztecs 31-13 last year on their way to the program’s first national championship.

Kickoff for the match against the Aztecs is slated for 1pm and will serve as Senior Day for all graduating players.

Depending upon the outcome of the 2010 Wasatch Cup showdown with Utah earlier in March the Cougars will either get a bye past the Pacific Coast Regional Playoffs or be required to participate during the April 2nd-3rd playoff matches.

The top 16 teams of the regional playoffs nationwide will meet April 16-17th for the four pool opening rounds of the USA Rugby playoffs at either UC Santa Barbara or Life University.

Should BYU make it past the above rounds of playoffs the Cougars will look to defend their championship as one of the semifinalists on April 30th. The winners of the semifinals will then meet for the National Championship respectively to be held May 1st. All semifinal and championship matches are set for Stanford’s Steuber Rugby Stadium in Palo Alto, CA.

For more details go to www.byurugby.com

JAN 9 - 11:00 AM @ UC Santa Barbara (Las Vegas, NV, Sunset Park)
JAN 16 - BYE
JAN 23 - 1:00 PM @ Las Vegas Black Jacks
JAN 29 - TBD @ University of Delaware (Red Rocks Tournament)
FEB 6 - 1:00 PM @ UTAH STATE (RB Turf Field)
FEB 12 - TBD @ Texas A&M (Las Vegas Invitational)
FEB 13 - TBD @ Western Washington (Las Vegas Invitational)
FEB 20 - BYE
FEB 27 - 1:00 PM @ Denver Barbarians (Grand Junction, CO)
MARCH 6 - 1:00 PM @ UTAH (Wasatch Cup & Homecoming)(on BYU-TV)
MARCH 13 - 1:00 PM @ COLORADO (on BYU-TV)
MARCH 20 - 1:00PM @ TBA
MARCH 24 - 7:00 PM @ UTAH (Rio Tinto Stadium)
MARCH 27 - 1:00 PM @ SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY (Senior Day)
APRIL 2-3 - TBD @ PCRFU PLAYOFFS
APRIL 16-17 - TBD @ USA RUGBY PLAYOFFS: Rounds of 16 & 8
APRIL 30-MAY 1 - TBD @ USA RUGBY PLAYOFFS: Semifinals & Championship
*All home games at South Field unless otherwise noted.