This is a massive weekend in collegiate rugby.
CRAA and D1A will finalize their playoff seedings next week and we've got a pretty good idea of who will be in there. Remember, there's the new Challenger Cup as well, and that tournament, which had been slated for eight teams, will have six. We expect to see Ohio State, GCU, and a Californian team in there, and we'll see a couple more from the middle of the nation.
As for the 16 teams in the D1A playoffs, we know we'll see Life, Navy, Cal, Saint Mary's ... but there are a lot more other teams we'll see. In the West, UCLA, Cal Poly, Central Washington, BYU, and Arizona all look good for it. There's one more spot and that's a big question. Colorado State? Don't forget how good they were in the fall. We like the Rams for this. In the East we've got Lindenwood, Arkansas State, Davenport, Mount St. Mary's ... and it looks like Penn State and Mary Washington.
That's a pretty good list. The games this coming weekend, then, will confirm those #8 or #7 seeds, and will also confirm the overall seedings. Arizona vs Central Washington could be massive in confirming who gets a home playoff game. Right now is it CWU or UCLA? What if Arizona beats CWU?
Lindenwood at BYU is a huge one for both. Lindenwood had really only played Mount St. Mary's before facing Life and losing 28-24. Lindenwood Head Coach Josh Macy said it was the best time for that game to be played, but not the best time for his team to play such an opponent. The Lions have the ability to play a wide open and pretty adventurous game, but they weren't in a position to unleash all of that against Life.
"We weren't ready to play," Macy told GRR. "We spent all winter beating the crap out of each other in the wrestling room. So we weren't in a position to play running rugby. Life trained in better weather and were more ready to play that way. So for us, we needed the players to understand that we didn't play that way not because we though they couldn't play that way, but we were being realistic about where we were. We're trying to be a more complete team and we know we're physically there and that we have a solid set piece. But, now, can we be more dangerous."
BYU does very well in controlling possession, so, added Macy, when they do finally give you the ball, you better use it.
Also on the slate, Mary Washington can put their stamp on a playoff seed with a good showing against Navy. Saint Mary's has been up and down and now face a Cal team that has been consistently good (aside, perhaps, from their loss to Navy). This game is likely for the #1 seed in the West.
But the game we'll watch closely in the West is Cal Poly at UCLA. Last night, Wednesday night, Cal Poly beat Army in dramatic fashion 39-31. It was a watermark result for Cal Poly, and if they beat UCLA could they leap up to a home playoff game?
"It will be an extremely tough turnaround," said Cal Poly Head Coach Chris O'Brien. "I am very proud of how the boys hung in there for 80 minutes."
We asked O'Brien about how the players were in terms of mindset before the game and at halftime. Because at halftime it was clear the game against Army was winnable.
"They understood that they needed to eliminate silly mistakes and put in a solid 40 minutes."
We seem to have taken credit for the kick that helped seal the game away from Coby Baker. No matter ... Baker knows he's been noticed. But we do talk about that game in the video below.
