University of San Diego plays San Diego State Saturday in the first annual Founders Cup meeting between the two.

The game is played to honor the founders and alumni of both programs. With San Diego State Rugby founded in 1958 and USD Rugby founded in 1980 they have plenty of those alumni. This is a nice challenge trophy to kick-start the season for the teams.

"The Founders Cup Trophy is an important symbol recognizing the close ties, mutual support, and respect that has existed between the SDSU and USD Rugby Programs for the past four decades," said USD Rugby co-founder Tim Kleier.

Those ties go back to 1978 when Gary Howat, the Head Rugby Coach at SDSU, allowed two USD students to play for SDSU because USD did not have a rugby program. The planted the seed for the San Diego team to start two years later.

The programs have been close since then, with San Diego State and the Old Aztecs men's club providing encouragement and support to the USD team, and even taking USD players on tours.

"We are very excited to start this wonderful tradition this year," said SDSU Head Coach Jason Merril. "The Founders Cup is a beautiful way to commemorate and give thanks to those in both our programs that laid the foundations. Playing for the Founders cup every year helps us remember who started and who helped continue, the storied programs we are a part of. I think the creation of and continued play of the annual Founders Cup game, will bring greater excitement and engagement with the San Diego rugby community."

The game will be live-streamed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoZnsZT37UA . Kickoff is 1PM PT.