Warriors add Paul Lasike just in time as Utah gets set to face a physical Houston team

HERRIMAN — Following just his second practice session with the Utah Warriors, Paul Lasike could easily feel the urgency with coaches and with players, and for good reason.

The Warriors are coming off an extremely frustrating loss at home to the Toronto Arrows, pushing them back down the competitive Western Conference standings with a 2-4 record. Next up for Utah is a match versus a very physical Houston Sabercats team (3-3), which will undoubtedly pose a big challenge come Saturday.

“There’s some small changes we’ve been sorting out to fix some errors that we’re making out there,” Lasike said following just his second practice session with the Warriors on Tuesday.. “I think there’s just a few more things to get us clicking again and we’ll be firing. But yeah, there’s certainly a sense of urgency right now.”

He's Back.

Make sure to get your tickets for this Saturday's match and don't miss Paul Lasike's return to Zions Bank Stadium!#ForTheNation

— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) March 23, 2022

Yes, Lasike will be on the pitch come Saturday, and hopes to make an immediate impact with the team’s overall physicality, a role which he’s well-suited for, given his 270-pound frame on the back line.

But the newest player on the Warriors roster is much more than just a big body, as is readily noted by assistant coach Shaun Davies.

“A lot of teams have big men in the back line, but the advantage with Paul is that he has a good skill set, too,” Davies said. “He can see the space and manipulate it where a lot of big guys are one-dimensional, but he’s not.”

Davies is very familiar with Lasike’s play after the two played together at BYU, and while always impressed with his former teammates’ skill set, he’s already noted some differences after two days. Lasike has spent the last few seasons playing for the Harlequins organization in the English Premiership, which has provided a lot of benefits.

Win or lose, the atmosphere at Zions Bank Stadium is always electric ⚡️ #ForTheNation pic.twitter.com/oL4wDXISO7

— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) March 23, 2022

“His skill set has definitely developed quite a bit,” Davies said. “He’s looking for the pass first and the contact second, which I love. He’s going to try and give the guys some space on the outside, which is awesome.”

Lasike is currently working to make his addition to the team as seamless as possible, which can be a challenge when joining a team midseason, although he’s confident he’ll get there soon.

“It’s not like coming to an American football team where you have to learn a whole playbook, you know?”, Lasike, who played four years in the NFL, said. “All the shapes are sort of the same as where you played, it’s just different terms and calls you have to learn, but I’ll get it.”

“Most systems in rugby are fairly similar,” Davies added. “So as long as he gets the calls down, he’ll be fine, and he’s a very professional player with his approach.”

As for taking on the Sabercats specifically, one could assess a weaker opponent on the docket would be preferable — a notion which Davies and most of the team would strongly disagree with.

“We’ll see how we respond this weekend. We’ve had some tough conversations and Houston is a very physical team,” Davies said. “But there’s no other team I’d rather go up against after a tough loss because I want to see how we react against a very physical team.”

UTAH WARRIORS VS. HOUSTON SABERCATS

Date: Saturday, March 26
Time: 5:00 PM MDT
Where: Zions Bank Stadium, Herriman
Broadcast: FS1
Radio: ESPN 700 and ESPN 960

Brandon Gurney is the Utah Warriors Team Reporter. With nearly two decades of experience covering BYU Football in print and on radio, Gurney brings a wealth of experience to the Utah Warriors beat. You can read all of Gurney’s stories on the Utah Warriors throughout the 2022 Season at WarriorsRugby.com