BYU Rugby in the Big Four

After a tough weekend in Atlanta, the BYU Rugby team has qualified for a 5th straight appearance in the Big Four of the USA Rugby National Guard College Playoffs. While Cal and BYU (in recent years) have become mainstays of the Big Four, this year's match-ups feature two teams that haven't been in the top four since 2003 (Army) and 1987 (San Diego State).

BYU will face off against San Diego State on Friday at 5 pm, and the winner thereof will play the following day at 7 pm against the winner of the Cal vs. Army match. For opinions on the long-awaited Big Four tests, as well as recaps of BYU's most recent, barn burner match against Arkansas State, check the following links:

"The Time Has Come: Collegiate Big 4 Preview"
"Big Four Preview"
"Cougars Move On to Big Four, Beat Strong ASU team"
"San Diego State going to Big Four"
"Army clinches spot in Big Four"
"Cal going back to Big Four"

As there is no word yet on whether or not streaming video coverage of the Big Four matches will be made available online, the only other option (however unsatisfactory and frustrating) is to check the USA Rugby website for the latest updates on the Mobile Scoreboard (viewed by scrolling down to the bottom of the main page).

And as for my two cents on the 2009 Collegiate Rugby Big Four, I really can't say too much. Suffice it to say that many of the results of the matches in the rounds of 16 & 8 were complete shockers, and so this time, I will not be so quick to make any bold assumptions.

Okay, I'll still make some assumptions here, but nothing too over the top. But first, a quick reminder that BYU has met San Diego State before; last year's round of 8 resulted in BYU beating San Diego State, 37-14, in a somewhat lackluster performance for both sides.

And so it is that BYU again faces San Diego State, similar to this year's Super 16 rematch with Dartmouth; only this time both teams meet in the Big Four!

Although BYU is a much improved team this year, the same holds true for San Diego State on all accounts. If anything, I think (if the first two rounds carry any implications) that we could be in for another highly competitive match with an unbelievably low score.

Of course, I also recall last year's Big Four match up against Colorado, in which BYU basically crippled what was supposed to be a fierce and capable competitor to the tune of a 42 to 13 difference. So, when all is said and done, my optimistic spirit and unbridled, BYU Rugby fan hood win out as I'm betting that BYU will come out on top with a final score not much different than that of last year's round of 8.

And as for Cal, what's there to say? Honestly, what should I even bother saying about the dynasty, the regime that boasts ownership of 24 of the last 29 National Titles? I suppose all I can say is that I hope this year is different.

I hope BYU has a 4th straight rematch against Cal. I hope our boys fight a lot harder and smarter than they did last year (which shouldn't be hard to do). I hope the BYU Rugby team digs deep to expose a new level of grit and determination, to reveal a true team with hearts united in a common, unwavering ambition to succeed.

Success is within reach; it's just a matter of expelling cheap justifications in the pursuit of something bigger than oneself.

Though I can't begin to guess how the final match will pan out, I can offer a few minimum expectations that I and many BYU Rugby fans hold deep inside. Simply put, we all have great expectations of the BYU Rugby team, whoever the opposition may be. And this year (to be blatantly honest) we expect the BYU Rugby team to make it back to the final game; anything less than that would be a great disappointment. Moreover, we expect a much more solid display of rugby, BYU rugby, to grace the stage of the national title match. Last year's final was tough to swallow, and so this year, as the bar has been raised for all, we expect more of our boys.

And so it is in that spirit that I say to them, "Work hard, stay focused, and don't compromise yourself nor the team! You're in the spotlight once again, and we are counting on you to dig deep and represent the great BYU Rugby legacy which so many have fought long to build. Make us proud, men, that BYU emerge victorious in the end!"

BYU Rugby Forever!