Comments about ‘Dick Harmon: Utah's love of rugby runs deep’

I am interested why this relatively obscure sport (in the USA) has become so entrenched in the state of Utah? We are a semi-desert backwater and yet we seem to have such an incredible tie-in to this sport from the HS ranks on up?

Why is that? Why not New Jersey . . . Florida . . or Maine?

Wonder???

Among the reasons fo rugby in Utah was the early stimulus of John Seggar, a BYU professor of Sociology, who grew up in New Zealand, where he was outstanding in the sport. After John came to BYU he was the coach of rugby there for many years.

It would be epic to have an all Utah final (BYU vs Utah). But first someone has to overthrow the Cal Kingdom. Good luck to BYU Saturday. Maybe this will be the first stage of that process. Two teams who have not lost this year! I will be watching from Little Rock, Arkansas.

Go Cougs.

I would think Utah as epicenter stems from at least two things: a number of American missionaries serve in nations where rugby is big. They come home and bring it with them. Many of them are native Utahn, many more congregate at BYU. And of the many people who migrate to America, many polynesians wind up in Utah.

I developed a tolerance for soccer in South Africa, but I loved rugby.

Rugby is growing in popularity in the US and will continue to grow especially with Rugby 7s returning to the Olympics in 2016.
The youth programs here in Utah are growing in number and in quality of play.
Get there early to get a good seat and enjoy the U19 Championship which may have 2 Utah clubs playing, the reigning champs United and 19 times champ Highland at 4:30pm before the BYU-Cal game.

I guess I better show up at Rio Tinto so that I can cheer Cal on to victory over the BYU cougs.

What an amazing sport. I can't wait for the game on Saturday night! Go Cougs