Rugby team rolling towards playoffs with win streak

Arizona defeated Sacramento State 57-8 Sunday. Senior center John Shumway and freshman center Joe Schmitt each scored two tries for the Wildcats. Mike Fair, Dan Duncan, Jim Schuster and David Wood also scored.

The Wildcats are on a seven game winning streak in which they have averaged over 43 points per game. While the Wildcat offense has been busy scoring, the defense has held the opposition to only five points per contest.

"Our defense has been so key," senior Fair said. "The coaches teach us that defense is a mental attitude."

Fair said the players take what the coaches say to heart and in turn the coaches trust the players to perform.

Arizona is headed to Colorado Springs in three weeks for the National Championships. Fair said the break will not hurt the team at all.

"If anything it will help some of our guys get healthy," he said. "The time off will revitalize our team."

Early in the season the team suffered a conference loss to UC-Santa Barbara. Ever since then the Wildcats have been unstoppable. Head coach Dave Sitton said since that loss his team has bought into the system the coaches have installed.

"They get it, and everyone understands that in order to be successful we have to improve (with) each game we play," Sitton said. "It is their respect for each other and for the team."

Sitton said senior Al Lakomskis has done a phenomenal job filling in for injured fly-half Zach Harrison. Fair also commented on Lakomskis' play at the fly-half position.

"Al is a great center, but he has done so well at fly-half," Fair said.

It is this type of depth that will make Arizona a tough team to beat at the national tournament.

The only negative note to the Wildcat's season is the loss of fullback Chris Kron. Against Arizona State, Kron was making a long run when he was blindsided and hit the turf, tearing his rotator cuff. Kron will be out four to five months. Kron was scheduled to play in Hong Kong, Japan, Paris and Scotland with the U.S. National Team.

Fair said the team will miss Kron's play, but is deep enough to still have a good chance at being national champions this year.