BYU flanker Hynie S. Leaaetoa (’12) scrambles for a try during the grueling College Premier Division (CPD) Championship in Utah’s Rio Tinto Stadium on May 21. More than 11,000 rugby fans packed the stands to watch 80 minutes of rucks, mauls, and scrums as the Cougars challenged the California Golden Bears for the sixth year in a row. It was a rough-and-tumble, man-on-man match without any breaks or substitutions except a 10-minute halftime. In the end, the Bears stole a crucial Cougar line-out to win 21–14, snatching their 26th national championship.
The Cougars had a 15–1 season, shutting out five of their major opponents. Eleven players were named 2011 All-Americans, including captain Ryan S. Roundy (’13) who was also selected as the 2011 CPD Western Conference Player of the Year. Next year looks promising: Cal will lose 11 of its 15-player starting line while BYU graduates just three. | Photography: Ryan Faulkner/BYU
