BYU rugby blew out Southern Utah University 98–3 on a snowy Saturday afternoon in Provo.
The rugby team woke up to a surprise on Saturday morning as snow fell quickly, piling up the rugby field. However, an enthusiastic team hurried onto the field to remove all the snow that was preventing them from playing. Mother Nature didn’t let up its snowfall and after some delay the game was underway.
BYU and SUU started slow as the slippery conditions added a new factor to the game. BYU scored its first and second trys in the first 11 minutes, but SUU fought back with its sole score in the 15th minute. However, BYU scored another seven trys before the mid-way mark ending the half with a 53–3 advantage.
“We started out really slow,” senior prop Braden Bair said. “Especially with the snow, which caused a lot of knock-ons and loose balls. We need to take this game as a learning experience. When the weather is like this we need to keep the ball in hand and play smart rugby.”
Despite the snowy weather, BYU rugby fans still came to root the team on as it flirted with 100 points in the second half.
“It is nice to see a loyal bunch of fans that come and support us even in such terrible weather,” sophomore fullback Ryan Blaser said.
The weather was not only a factor for the fans, but a serious issue the players dealt with throughout the game. The game was filled with loose balls, knock-ons and poor kicks. Despite many mistakes, BYU still racked up another six trys in the second half and tallied up 98 points during the game. This is the most points the Cougars have scored in a single game all season.
“When they put their mind to it, they can achieve a lot,” BYU coach David Smyth said. “But we were inconsistent in many aspects of the game today.”
BYU will play at home next week against Utah Valley University on Saturday, March 30 at South Field.
