BYU rugby showed top form with a 101-13 victory over the Glendale Raptors club team on March 1 to kick off the season at BYU's South Field, improving the record to 8-1.
“We came out strong and were able to do a lot of the things we’ve been working on in practice,” said BYU rugby head coach David Smyth.
Senior center Seki Kofe shakes a Glendale defender at home on March 1.
(Photo by Maddi Dayton)
BYU kicked off to start the match, scoring easily within six minutes of play with a try from Will Taylor, a senior lock from Clarksville, Tenn., off of a pass from Kyle Sumsion, a junior lock from American Fork. BYU dominated on both ends of the ball, only allowing the Glendale Raptors to score on two penalty kicks in the first half.
Three minutes into the second half, fans saw junior flanker Dan Hubert on the ground following a collision in a ruck. Trainers rushed the field, checking his knees. Hubert was able to walk off the field with assistance but did not return to the game.
'They're a little more physical than college teams because they're a men's team,' sophomore scrum half Luke Mocke said of the Raptors' rough play and club status.
Jonny 'Lingo' Linehan, responsible for last year's championship game-winning drop kick, played the entire match and sealed the fate of the Raptors with a conversion, putting the Cougars up 101-13 following a try by Josh Anderson.
BYU rugby will seek redemption against Saint Mary's March 8 at 1 p.m., at home. Saint Mary's handed the only loss of the Cougars in a previous season match-up. The game will be available on YouTube with live updates on Twitter.