We've got a lot going on this week in college rugby.
D1AA
The new kid on the block is St. Thomas, which come off a victory of 80-0 over North Florida. Head Coach Gavin McLeavy spent a long time heavily involved in the Okapi youth and HS program, and several of those players have ended up at St. Thomas, so they know each other pretty well. Along with some additional players from places such as Trinidad & Tobago and Bermuda thanks to McLeavy's work as an announcer for the Rugby Americas North competitions. Those players knew McLeavy and signed on at St. Thomas as a result.
So it's a different-looking, and young team stepping up from D2 into the D1AA Florida league. They face a hard-hitting Central Florida team.
San Jose State's solid start gets a major test with hosting Chico State. Dallas provides a stern test for Rice, while an imposing Western Washington team has to travel 350 miles to Corvallis, Ore. to take on Oregon State.
D1A
BYU at Cal is a massive game and earlier this year we spoke to BYU Head Coach Steve St. Pierre about how many of the top D1A teams play each other.
"We've evolved over time," he said. "We know we need good games so we all try to play each other."
St. Pierre has a bunch of forwards who have been waiting for their chance and ... well ... this is really their chance. They take on a Cal side with outstanding defense—they have, in six games, given up three tries. Two of those were against UCLA last week.
Lindenwood plays a neutral-site game with Mary Washington. UMW has been working its way through the Rugby East and did pretty well, beating Mount St. Mary's, Penn State, and Southern Virginia, while losing competitively to St. Bonaventure, Life, and Queens. But Lindenwood is another thing entirely and they are embarking on a hot series of games that includes Life, Arkansas State, and Central Washington.
Oh yes, of course, Central Washington visits Arizona.
College Game of the Week Highlights The Rugby Network Weekend
Keep an eye on Grand Canyon at UCLA and the ongoing battles in the California Conference.
