Brigham Young University Rugby Team

The Brigham Young University Rugby team is part of the USA Rugby Union in the Mountain West Conference and competes on the collegiate level Mens Division I.

History

The Brigham Young University Rugby Team was founded by John Seggar, a former Rugby player for New Zealand and the United Kingdom. After graduating from BYU, Seggar became Head Coach of the newly formed program.

In the 1980’s, new players David Smyth, Mark Ormsby, and Dean Ormsby built up the BYU Rugby Team to compete for national championship honors.

The National Collegiate Tournament changed the schedule of playing from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday. This change in schedule and the team's affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kept them from competing for a national championship because they would not compete on Sundays.

After the change in the championship format, John Seggar retired as the Head Coach. Over the next few years, BYU Rugby continued on its own. After much struggling, David Smyth, Mark Ormsby, and Dean Ormsby rebuilt the team. They passed it on to Vernon Heperi who later became BYU’s head coach. After a temporary stay in the United Kingdom, Smyth returned to Utah in 1991 and continued his career as the BYU rugby Head Coach. Smyth coached several USA National Rugby Team Members, Collegiate All-Americans, and Pacific Coast All-Stars . Smyth later left in 2002, and Jared Akenhead, the assistant coach for Smyth, succeeded him as the new Head Coach. Under Akenhead’s instruction, the BYU Rugby team made it to the national collegiate playoffs. Several of his players received All-American awards and National Team selection honors.

PRESENT:

In 2005, Akenhead left the BYU Rugby program. Smyth took over as coach again with Kimball Kjar, Wayne Tarawhiti, Brian Westenskow, Justen Nadauld, and Jeff Hullinger as assistant coaches.

Brigham Young University 2007-2008 Roster

Championships

USA Rugby Collegiate Championships

* 2007-USA Rugby Collegiate Championships Runners-Up
* 2006-USA Rugby Collegiate Championships Runners-Up
* 2005-USA Rugby Collegiate Championships Semi-Finalist-3rd/4th Place
* 2004-USA Rugby Collegiate Championships Quarter -Finalist
* 1999-USA Rugby Collegiate Championships Quarter -Finalist

Awards

Collegiate All-Americans

* David Smyth- AA Head Coach- 2006 -Pres.
* Steve St. Pierre- 2007
* Duran Ngakuru- 2007
* Morris Havea- 2007
* Craig Clark- 2006, 2007
* Taylor Kjar- 2006, 2007
* Derek Smith- 2006, 2007
* Ikani Taumoepeau- 2006
* Jeff Hullinger- 2006
* Alipate Tuilevuka- 2006
* Salesi Sika- 2003,2004, 2005, 2006
* Michael Poelman- 2005
* John Blaser- 2004
* Ned Stearns- 2002
* Kimball Kjar- 2001, 2002, 2003
* Taylor Nadauld- 2001

Pacific Coast All-Stars

* Michael Poelman- 2005

Wasatch Cup Champion

* Brigham Young University 2007, 2006, 2004

BYU Rugby Officials

David Smyth — Head Coach

Wayne Tarawhiti — Assistant Coach

Brian Westenskow — Assistant Coach

Kimball Kjar — Assistant Coach

Justen Nadauld — Assistant. Coach

Jeff Hullinger — Assistant Coach, video analysis

Gabriel Almeida — Team Manager

Paul Meyers — Academic Coordinator

Steve Tingey — Recruiting Coordinator

James Eager — Sports Medicine Trainer

See also

* [http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e419fb40e21cef00VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD/ "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Website"]
* [http://www.usarugby.org/default.asp/ "USA Rugby Union Website"]
* [http://themwc.cstv.com/ "Mountain West Conference Official Website"]

References

"1. http://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/default.asp?u=BYURUGBY&t=c&s=htosports&p=coaches"

"2. http://newnewsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/67811"

"3. http://www.meridianmagazine.com/sports/080317rugby.html"

"4. http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695260153,00.html"