Rugby set to tackle Auburn

The football team won't be the only Tech team making a trip to play Auburn this weekend. The club rugby team opens their season at 1 p.m. tomorrow against Auburn.

Last spring these two teams faced each other, and Tech won the game 22-15.

The fall season for rugby is like a pre-season because only the spring games count toward playoff berths. The club plays in the USA Rugby South Division and made it to the playoffs last year for the first time since 1999.

Georgia Southern, Auburn and South Carolina all compete with Tech in the South Division.

The Tech Rugby Football Club has been scrumming on campus for more than 30 years and is one of Tech's newest traditions. They are renowned for being the main resident of the Burger Bowl, and their field reflects an overall down-and-dirty spirit of the team.

From talking to the players over the years, one gains a sense of the deep pride the team has both of their sport and of their team. They are quick to point out the consistency with which they beat Georgia's team, and they also mention the fact that rugby is a social sport, meaning that the same two teams who play against each other in the game will also hang out afterwards at parties.

Team coaches Dan MacDougald and Jason Parrish encourage everyone interested to come out for the practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m., if only for the physical conditioning.

The vast majority of the players on the team have never played the sport before coming to college.