BYU Rugby Team

'''Brigham Young University Rugby Team'''

'''==History==
'''

The Brigham Young University Rugby Team was first started by John Seggar, a former Rugby player for New Zealand and the United Kingdom. After graduating from BYU, Seggar came back to be the Head Coach and continued to bring his own experience to the new program.
The BYU rugby team grew and the skill of the team’s roster continued to improve with the additions of David Smyth, Mark, and Dean Ormsby. This made up part of the team in the 1980’s that competed for national championships honors. The National Collegiate Tournament then changed the schedule of playing Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday, which contradicts the religious beliefs of Brigham Young University and their honor code. This took away from any opportunities the team had to compete as it had for so many years for a national championship.
After years of work and devotion, and a sudden sense of loss because of the change in the championship format, John Seggar made the decision to retire as the Head Coach of BYU Rugby. Over the next few years, BYU was left to continue on its own. With the loss of the strong leadership that Seggar gave to the team, the team struggled on and off the field. The style that had left with Seggar was reclaimed by the former players David Smyth and the Ormsby brothers. They began to rebuild the team and 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 and continued his 12 year career as the BYU rugby Head Coach. Throughout his career he 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. He was key instrument in bringing the BYU Rugby team to the national collegiate playoffs. Several of his players have received All-American awards and National Team selection honors.

=='''Brigham Young University 2007/2008 Roster'''==
{| class="wikitable"
!Name !!Position !!Height !!Weight !!Hometown !!Year
|-
|Anderson, Mark ||Prop/Lock ||6’2’’ ||225 lbs ||Royal City, WA ||Senior
|-
|Barnes, Grant ||Center/Wing ||6’ ||195 lbs ||Sacramento, CA||Senior
|-
|Burton, Robert ||Flanker ||5’11’’ ||185 lbs ||Oakton, VA ||Sophomore
|-
|Clark, Brett ||Lock ||6’5’’ ||225 lbs ||Noblesville, IN ||Freshman
|-
|Davies, Shaun ||Scrumhalf ||5’9’’ ||165 lbs ||Durban, South Africa ||Freshman
|-
|Fale, William ||Prop/Flanker ||6’1’’ ||247 lbs ||Orem, UT ||Junior
|-
|Fishback, Bradford ||Lock ||6’5’’ ||229 lbs ||California ||Junior
|-
|Goo, LeGrand ||Wing ||5’9’’ ||189 lbs ||Laie, HI ||Senior
|-
|Hafoka, Moana ||Wing ||5’10’’ ||210 lbs ||Salt Lake City, UT ||Sophomore
|-
|Harding, Harrison ||Wing ||5’10’’ ||180 lbs ||Saugus, CA ||Junior
|-
|Harrison, Andrew ||Fly-half ||5’10 ||178 lbs ||Vienna, VA ||Sophomore
|-
|Howard, Sean ||Outside Center ||5’11’’ ||185 lbs ||Sandy, UT ||Freshman
|-
|Isaacson, Blake ||Prop ||6’ ||212 lbs ||Highlands Ranch, CO ||Sophomore
|-
|Lawrence, Kai ||Flanker ||5’11’’ ||215 lbs ||St. George, UT ||Senior
|-
|Lawrence, Ra ||Flanker ||6’1’’ ||233 lbs ||Auckland, New Zealand ||Sophomore
|-
|Lontine, Jordan ||Wing ||5’9’’ ||175 lbs ||Denver, CO ||Sophomore
|-
|Lubbe, Dylan ||Fly-half/Center ||5’9’’ ||175 lbs ||Durban, South Africa ||Freshman
|-
|Malani, Apenisa ||Outside Center ||5’10’’ ||202 lbs ||Suva, Fiji ||Sophomore
|-
|Maughan, Nate ||Wing/Fullback ||5’1’’ ||179 lbs ||Fairfax, VA ||Junior
|-
|McClain, Tim ||Flanker ||5’10’’ ||190 lbs ||Altus, Oklahoma ||Freshman
|-
|McKenzie, Ken ||Scrumhalf/Center ||6’ ||200 lbs ||Surrey, CAN ||Freshman
|-
|Murri, Ryan ||Prop ||6’1’’ ||210 lbs ||Richland, WA ||Sophomore
|-
|Nqakuru, Duran ||Hooker ||6’ ||241 lbs ||Kaikohe, New Zealand ||Senior
|-
|Paul, Dan ||Fly-Half/Center ||5’10’’ ||190 lbs ||Doha, Quatar ||Sophomore
|-
|Qaqa, Vito ||Wing ||6’ ||182 lbs ||Suva, Fiji ||Senior
|-
|Ratelle, Mike ||Lock ||6’6’’ ||270 lbs ||Boise, ID ||Junior
|-
|Rodermund, Travis ||Wing ||6’2’’ ||200 lbs ||Allen, TX ||Senior
|-
|Smith, Derek ||Prop ||5’11’’ ||260 lbs ||Salt Lake City, UT ||Senior
|-
|Smith, Michael ||Scrum Half ||5’6’’ ||176 lbs ||Salt Lake City, UT ||Sophomore
|-
|Sohn, Jacob ||Lock/Flanker ||6’1’’ ||208 lbs ||Salem, OR ||Senior
|-
|St. Pierre, Steve ||Flanker ||6’1’’ ||202 lbs ||Highlands Ranch, CO ||Junior
|-
|Steflik, Tim ||Scrum-Half/Wing ||5’9’’ ||170 lbs ||Elko, NV ||Junior
|-
|Su’a, Manti ||Winger ||5’9’’ ||175 lbs ||West Jordan, UT ||Junior
|-
|Su’a, Mike ||Prop ||5’10’’ ||268 lbs ||West Jordan, UT ||Freshman
|-
|Taylor, Ethan ||Wing/Fullback ||5’11’ ||175 lbs ||Provo, UT ||Senior
|-
|Tengberg, Brett ||Flanker ||6’1’’ ||205 lbs ||Provo, UT ||Junior
|-
|Thorley, Sam ||Fullback ||6’2’’ ||190 lbs ||Galveston, TX ||Junior
|-
|Vela, Jake ||Prop/Hooker ||5’11’ ||222 lbs ||Sammamish, WA ||Sophomore
|-
|Vernon, Parley ||Hooker ||5’11’’ ||225 lbs ||Alpine, UT ||Sophomore
|-
|Vimahi, Viliami ||No8 ||6’3’’ ||264 lbs ||Ha’apai, Tonga ||Sophomore
|-
|Wolthius, Sam ||Wing ||6’1’’ ||175 lbs ||Castle Rock, CO ||Freshman
|-
|Yamamoto, Matthew ||Fullback ||5’10’’ ||185 lbs ||Manoa, HI ||Senior
|-

== '''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,'07
Taylor Kjar-2006,'07
Derek Smith-2006,'07
Ikani Taumoepeau-2006
Jeff Hullinger-2006
Alipate Tuilevuka-2006
Salesi Sika-2003,'04,'05,'06
Michael Poelman-2005
John Blaser-2004
Ned Stearns-2002
Kimball Kjar-2001,'02,'03
Taylor Nadauld-2001

'''Pacific Coast All-Stars'''
2005-Michael Poelman


'''Wasatch Cup Champion'''
2007-Brigham Young University
2006-Brigham Young University
2004-Brigham Young University

== 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


== References: ==


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

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


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

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