With the fall season now fast approaching, Mississippi State’s men’s rugby team is awaiting the launch of a new season. Rugby, not a well-appreciated sport in the United States, much less the South, is of club sport status at MSU. The team doesn’t get funding from the school, so the players come up with their own money for things such as uniforms, equipment and tournament entry fees.
The Mad Dawgs, as they are called, primarily play club teams from other universities. This fall, Auburn and Jacksonville State make the schedule.
As always, the club team is looking for more members to grace the rugby field.
“We’re always looking for new players, and the success of the team depends on whether or not we succeed in getting them,” team president Brad Cole said.
Cole, a junior playing wing forward for the team, started rugby back up as a club sport when he was a freshman.
One of the athletes that joined the team when Cole started it is senior Steve Smith, known to his teammates as “Stu-pot.”
“Back in high school, I played football, and I never really heard many people talk about rugby,” Smith said.
Smith, who plays lock and flanker for the Mad Dawgs, insists that one doesn’t need to be familiar with the game in order to join the team.
“You don’t have to have experience,” Smith said. “I had never even heard of rugby until I came to Mississippi State. I just happened to see a flier up at the Sanderson.”
The Mad Dawgs’ home opener will be against Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 21, two days after the Mississippi State-Auburn football game.
After going 7-6 last year, the general focus for this year’s squad is improvement.
Cole said that the team’s chances of improving depend greatly upon the turnout of new players.
“Every year, it’s up in the air, and it depends on what kind of talent we can recruit,” Cole said.
Cole emphasized that a lack of experience was expected for rookies.
“One of the main goals of the club is to teach the game to new players,” Cole said.
He did, however, mention a few necessary components of a rugby player.
“To play, you need to be tough, dedicated and willing to learn,” Cole said. “Anybody who’s interested in an athletically demanding game should come out. People with any athletic background–soccer, football, wrestling, track or anything else–should consider playing.”
For more information on club rugby, visit the Web site www.msurugby.org, or call Brad Cole at 323-8792.