Denver Barbarians jumped to an early lead and withstood a late comeback attempt by Brigham Young University to prevail at Grand Junction’s wind-blown Canyon View Park, 21-18. 

 

BYU was in mid-season form after blasting all collegiate competition in route to a 7-0 record.  The Barbarians, losers in 2009 and 2010 in the Rugby Super League Semi-Finals to the eventual RSL Champions, were testing their legs in their first match of the year.

This fixture between the Barbarians and BYU, the 2009 Collegiate National Champion has become an annual affair, providing stiff competition for BYU as it enters its collegiate playoff run, while giving the Barbarians a match against a quality and fit side in mid-season form prior to the Rugby Super League kickoff.

Early in the match Denver turned over BYU ball and counterattacked.  The Cougars  missed series of tackles giving Barbarian flyhalf Maximo De Acheval the platform for wide kick that was gathered for the opening try of the game by outside center Jake Humphrey.  De Acheval converted.  At 5 minutes, Barbarians 7, BYU 0.

BYU built a series of phases that led to a Denver penalty and scrum half Shaun Davies’ converted.  Barbarians 7, BYU 3, at 10 minutes.
Continued defensive pressure from the Barbarians at the break down led to two BYU turnovers that Denver would counterattack for two tries in the next 15 minutes of the match.  Barbarians touching down were wing Ben Haapapuro and by flyhalf Maximo De Acheval, both converted by De Acheval.  At 25 minutes, Barbarians 21, BYU 3.  

BYU tightened the match just before halftime (40 minutes) when backrower Hynie Leaaetoa  picked up from the base of BYU 5 meter scrum and bullied his way into the endzone.  A conversion from Davies edged the Cougars closer at halftime 21 to10.

BYU prop Mikey Su’a forced his way down for the score from a mauling lineout in the 48th minute. A missed conversion followed by a well slotted penalty goal from Davies pulled the Cougars within 3, Barbarians 21-BYU 18, at 48 minutes.

In the waning minutes of the match BYU scrum half Davies try attempt was overruled by the referee and Denver’s win was confirmed, 21-18.  For other photos of Saturday’s match, see:  http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/galleries/rugby-byu-vs.-denver/.

Denver coach Stephen Hazel commented, “The match was dominated by each team at different points.  We were in control for the first 30 minutes and working our game plan well.  Our match fitness certainly showed for the next 30 minutes and we were reacting to BYU, who have good outside speed and can hurt you with it.  The last 20 minutes was a back and forth affair in which both of the sides had good scoring opportunities that failed to culminate.  We needed a match and BYU were certainly up for it.  We did some good things but there is a lot to work on to get San Francisco.”

Denver is open this weekend in preparation for the Rugby Super League opener against 2010 RSL Champions San Francisco Golden Gate Rugby Club at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (stadium) at 1 pm, March 14.  That match will be followed by the Barbarians’ D1 side’s opening league match against long time Western Rugby Football Union rival Denver Highlanders.  The Barbarians fell in San Francisco to SFGG in last year’s RSL Semi-Final 19-16, when SFGG scored on a try on the last play of the match.  
 
General admission tickets and some specialty tickets for both matches on March 14 and all Barbarian matches at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park are available online at:  http://tickethorse.com/sports/rugby.   Information on all packages for all Barbarian matches at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (stadium), including VIP hosting at the Eagles Nest suite are available at the Barbarians website at:  http://www.denverbarbarians.com/schedules-a-results/events/547-2010-ticket-packages.

Denver Barbarians 2010 Rugby Super League Matches:

March 14    San Francisco Golden Gate Rugby Club @ Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (stadium), 1 pm kickoff
March 20    @ Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (San Diego), 2 pm (PT) kickoff
March 27     Dallas Harlequins RFC @ DSGP stadium, 4 pm kickoff.
April 3         OPEN
April 10       @ Chicago Lions, 1 pm (CT) kickoff
April 17      Chicago Griffins  -  @ Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (stadium), 4 pm kickoff
April 24    OPEN
May 1        Old Puget Sound RFC, TBD (PT) kickoff
May 8        OPEN
May 15        RSL Quarterfinals – time and location TBD
May 22        RSL Semifinals – time and location TBD
May 29        OPEN
June 5        RSL Final – Infinity Park, Glendale, CO*

*RSL Final move to May 29 is being considered by league.

DENVER BARBARIANS:  1 Chris Moreno, 2 Andrew Post (R. Moreno), 3 Josh. Masek (A. Ulrich), 4 B. Schnake (John Falkenberg), 5 Adam Drury (T. Hewitt), 6 Nick O’Connel, 7 Rob Moreno (A. Post), 8 Garrett Peterson ( D. O’Kane), 9 Matt Trenary (D. Legg), 10 Maximo De Achaval, 11 Ben Happapuro, 12 Mike Graham, 13 Jake Humphrey (T. Howden), 14 Jody Kramer, 15 Taylor Howden (Phil Bolton).  
Replacements:  Adam Ullrich, John Falkenberg, Phil Bolton, Drew Legge, Dan O’Kane, Tom Hewitt.

Head Coach:  Stephen Hazel

Scoring:  21
Tries:  Humphrey, Haapapuro, De Acheval
Conversions:  De Acheval 3

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY:  1 Mikey Su’a, 2 Ismael Tilialo , 3 Ray Forrester, 4 TJ Allred, 5 Mark Bonham, 6 Moana Hafoka, 7 Hynie Leaaetoa, 8 Dave Barnes, 9 Shaun Davies, 10 Dylan Lubbe, 11 Lelan Latu, 12 Inoke Funaki, 13 Viliami Vimahi, 14 Ryan Blaser, 15 Andrew Harrison.

Head Coach:  David Smythe

Scoring: 18
Tries:  Leaaetoa, Su’a
Conversion:  Davies
Penalties:  Davies 2