This weekend Wyoming is at Colorado while Utah Valley is at Colorado State. Air Force has their annual Maj. Shea Trophy match against Navy. BYU is idle but will have two games a week later, playing Wyoming and the team that currently tops the table, CSU.
GRR checked in with the Rams assistant coach Joe Rusert-Cuddy, himself a former Ram. Working with Head Coach Jone Naqica, Rusert-Cuddy said the team is coming out of a testing season 2022-23.
"I've been really proud of this teams buy-in to Coach Jone's systems," Rusert-Cuddy told GRR. "Last year was an important learning year for this CSU program as they were tested at multiple points in the season by quality opposition, and did a yeoman's job of trusting that the pieces would fall into place under Coach Jone. So far this season I have been really impressed with our loose play attack. We have strung together some really impressive stretches of play from the teams mix of individual ingenuity and collective cohesion."
Still, they have to be aware that there are tough games to come. Or, as Rusert-Cuddy put it, it was teeth-sharpening time.
"Team leadership has really challenged the team since our win over Utah State to not rest on laurels of what we've done so far but to build momentum and focus heading into games with national implications, like our date with BYU and then a tough road test in Tucson not long after that," Rusert-Cuddy explained. "The boys are aware of the rankings and what lies ahead, but are taking each game as it comes and are a tenacious bunch of smart rugby players. I am excited to see what they can do."
The rankings do matter as even if you win a conference, the rankings dictate things like who hosts a playoff game.
Leading the way for CSU is the experienced Sam Masterson, who now lines up at inside center, serving as a kind of second flyhalf. Masterson's is an outstanding goalkicker and kicker from hand.
"Sam for years has been one of the top backs in the whole country in my opinion and he has showed his prowess yet again this season," said Rusert-Cuddy. "Sam leads by example, slots kicks from 55 meters out, and doles out 50/22's like he makes commission on them."
He is a definite USA development prospect. Working inside Masterson are scrumhalf Sean Bowen and Zach Van Haselen at flyhalf. They work well together and benefit from some hard work by back rowers Mason Keiter (also the captain) and Rami El-Nasser.
"These are all guys who have played together since they were freshman and have great chemistry with one another," said Rusert-Cuddy. Add to them are forwards Rylan Palmer, who brings the mongrel to the team, Julian Abdul Khalek, Aidan, and University of Exeter exchange student Adam Lawson.
The pieces are coming together for CSU, but with sterner tests to come they still have work to do.
