The spectacle of 30 rugged men training in two tiny racquetball courts at the University Student Recreation Complex was an unusual sight. A pair of female students even mistook the team for an aerobic fitness class. 

The recent inclement weather has done little to dampen the spirits of the LSU rugby team members as they set their eyes on a successful spring campaign.

The torrential rain of the past several days forced the team to move practices into the racquetball courts at the UREC this week.

As they prepare to take on Loyola and University of Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday at the Sports and Adventure Complex fields, the Tigers were thankful to be out of the elements for a change.

“No one wants to be outside right now,” said junior flanker Alex Creede.

And as bad as the weather has been, the team has played under much worse conditions than this before.

“One time, we had a practice when it was below 20 [degrees], two years ago,” said senior fullback Allen Alongi. “And we had a sheet of ice form over our backs. I felt accomplished because I think pushing those limits in that type of weather makes us a better team altogether.”

After posting a 7-2 record in the fall, the Tigers are looking to make a run at the Southeastern College Rugby Conference championship.

In the SCRC’s inaugural season in 2011-12, Florida took home the title after defeating the Tigers in the semi-final 25-17, but LSU has moved past that and is optimistic about the outlook for the spring.

“Compared to the other schools [in the SCRC], we have a great program,” said senior center Paul Rogers. “And compared to the rest of the country, we have a great program.”

They will face stiff competition, most notably from Texas A&M, who won the biggest tournament of the fall, the SCRC Olympic Sevens.

The Tigers will travel to College Station, Texas to play an exhibition against the Aggies on Jan. 26 in a matchup that may be an early-season litmus test for both clubs.