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BYU punter Jonny Linehan to skip rugby, focus on football

BYU football punter and three-time national rugby champion Jonny Linehan announced that he's skipping rugby this season to focus on football.

"Rugby will always be my favorite sport," Linehan said in a Twitter post Friday. "It is part of who I am (and) part of my identity as a New Zealander. ... However, as I've been given the opportunity to play football here, I've (prayed) and pondered what decision to make regarding what I should do. With the help of my family, I have decided to focus on football this semester and not play rugby."

Linehan — commonly known as Jonny Rugby — is coming off his first year with the football team.