BYU, Arizona State mix it up on Snow Canyon rugby pitch

Written by Andy Griffin
January 10, 2015
Arizona State University vs. Brigham Young University Mens Rugby at Snow Canyon High School, St. George, Utah, Jan. 10, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

 

ST. GEORGE — It’s not too often that a national championship team opens its season in St. George, but that’s exactly what happened Saturday as defending champ BYU battled Arizona State in men’s rugby at the Snow Canyon High School rugby pitch Saturday afternoon.

The battle was fierce for the two teams, with no holds barred in the season-opener of the “club” sport.

Arizona State University vs. Brigham Young University Mens Rugby at Snow Canyon High School, St. George, Utah, Jan. 10, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Arizona State University vs. Brigham Young University Mens Rugby at Snow Canyon High School, St. George, Utah, Jan. 10, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

The BYU Rugby program boasts four national championships (2009, 2012, 2013, 2014) and a winning rate of 94 percent over the last 25 years. Forty-one players have reached All-American status and 10 have represented the United States.

The BYU rugby website explains the mission statement of BYU Rugby.

“BYU Rugby serves to represent the tradition of the sport along with promoting the core values of Brigham Young University.”

BYU plays a 13-game schedule and then will compete for a fourth straight national title in the Varsity Cup playoffs. The postseason tournament culminates with the national championship game, which will be at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy on May 2.

A highlight of the Cougars’ 2015 season will be the celebration of the program’s 50th Anniversary on April 17-18.

That weekend, BYU Rugby Alumni, former coaches, family, friends and fans will be able to celebrate BYU’s winningest sports program by participating in a variety of social gatherings, culminating with a formal dinner.

“We’re looking forward to a great season that we can share with all the generations of BYU Rugby players who have helped build this program into what it is today,” said BYU head coach David Smyth, himself a former player (1983-87). “This season will be uniquely special for our current players as they cap off the first half-century of rugby at this great university and begin the chapter on the next half century.”

Editor’s note: BYU won the lopsided match 72-8.

St. George News staff photographer Robert Hoppie was at Saturday’s BYU-ASU match and captured this photo gallery:

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery. 

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @oldschoolag

[Copyright]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy Griffin has been in sports media since 1989 and has covered BYU, Utah State and the Utah Jazz as well as all sports in southern Utah. A journalism graduate of USU, Andy has carried on a dual career as both a sports writer and a sports broadcaster and has been heard around the country. He has also been published in USA Today, Sport magazine, The Sporting News, Fairways magazine, the Los Angeles Times and locally in the Deseret News, the Salt Lake Tribune and the Spectrum. Andy was “The Voice of Region 9 sports,” for many years. He also hosted a daily sports talk show for three years called AG in the a.m. Andy has been married to his college sweetheart Shelly for 28 years and has five children ages 13 to 25.

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16 Comments

  • me January 11, 2015 at 12:04 am

    Great photos and thanks for the coverage!

  • oldprostg January 11, 2015 at 7:50 am

    And the scores where??????????????

    • Avatar photo Andy Griffin January 11, 2015 at 10:14 pm

      BYU won the lopsided match 72-8. (Included, oldprostg, at the end of the report.)

    • Evil Twins Mommy January 13, 2015 at 6:12 am

      Duhhhhh

      • My Evil Twin January 13, 2015 at 9:36 am

        Now THAT is absolutely the most brilliant thing you have ever said there, Zonker! Keep up with the heavy thinking.

        • Evil Twins Mommy January 14, 2015 at 5:51 am

          Hey little snuggy wuggys come sit on mommies lap and tell allllllll about sweetie pie

        • Evil Twins Mommy January 14, 2015 at 5:56 am

          I keep things simple for you my little snug ems

    • Koolaid January 13, 2015 at 10:04 am

      The score was those guys grabbing other guys buttocks as shown in the picture.

  • mark January 12, 2015 at 6:29 pm

    Nice pictures, but I also like to know who won and the stats.

    • Avatar photo Joyce Kuzmanic January 13, 2015 at 3:58 pm

      The score is included at the bottom of the report, mark: BYU won the lopsided match 72-8.
      ST. GEORGE NEWS | STGnews.com
      Joyce Kuzmanic
      Editor in Chief

  • SHAWN January 12, 2015 at 10:47 pm

    Brilliant reporting, everything you could possibly want, Who (BYU-ASU), Where, (St George), When (Saturday, Jan 10), Why (to play rugby), What (was the @#$%^& score?)

    • Avatar photo Joyce Kuzmanic January 13, 2015 at 3:58 pm

      The score is included at the bottom of the report, Shawn: BYU won the lopsided match 72-8.
      ST. GEORGE NEWS | STGnews.com
      Joyce Kuzmanic
      Editor in Chief

      • SHAWN January 15, 2015 at 5:16 pm

        Wow, you mean the editor’s note added in later. Quite the operation down there, perhaps you guys should consider starting a journalism school together.

  • schmed January 13, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    WHAT IN THE &^%$#@!*() WAS THE SCORE YOU BONEHEADS !!!

    • Avatar photo Joyce Kuzmanic January 13, 2015 at 3:57 pm

      The score is included at the bottom of the report, schmed: BYU won the lopsided match 72-8.
      As an aside, for some reason in my household “bonehead” is a bit of a term of endearment – that’s how you meant it, I’m sure. 🙂
      ST. GEORGE NEWS | STGnews.com
      Joyce Kuzmanic
      Editor in Chief

      • Evil Twins Mommy January 14, 2015 at 5:55 am

        LOL…. Good one J K

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