Lindenwood came back to bet BYU 21-14 in what was a battle of a game in St. Charles, Mo. Friday.
Both teams played very solid rugby, executed well, and were up for it. In the end, Lindenwood’s powerful scrum produced two key scoring chances late in the game to win it.
The teams opened the game working on testing each other with kicks and trying to gain ascendency in set piece. It took 20 minutes for anyone to score.
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LIndenwood got a penalty and took a lineout about 10 meters inside their own half. However, the Lions couldn’t get the handle on the throw and the Cougars recovered the ball and ran their big forwards to push the gainline. Multiple phases after that saw BYU unable to gain any more territory; unable, that is, until wing TIelu Sagala was sent through the middle and raced into the Lindenwood 22 before passing to flyhalf Wyatt Parry. He was tackled, but high, and while advantage was played the ball was eventually brought back to the point of that penalty.
BYU tapped and ran, after a few bashes at the line flanker Lilo Clark twisted his way out of clutches and stretched over. Fullback Tayson Hammer slotted the conversion and it was 7-0.
Neither side could add to that scoreline through the first half as both defenses hit hard.
