The No. 8 LSU rugby team took a giant step forward in its pursuit of a conference championship this weekend.The Tigers (2-0) defeated previously unbeaten Sam Houston State (2-1), 68-13, Saturday at the University Recreation Sport and Adventure Complex on River Road. LSU has now beaten both Sam Houston State and Texas A&M, the two preseason front runners in the Texas Rugby Union. Junior inside center Bobby Johns said the win was great for the team, but there’s still work left to do.”[The win] definitely feels pretty nice,” Johns said. “But we’re trying for a bigger goal. So every time we do something well, there’s always something that can be done better.”The Tigers compete in the Texas Rugby Union and are attempting to secure a spot in the Western Conference playoffs. The TRU is composed of five teams from Texas (Rice, Sam Houston State, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech) and LSU.Since the TRU is only allotted one spot in the playoffs, winning the conference is a must for the Tigers’ goal of advancing to the Final Four and having an opportunity to win a national title. LSU senior prop Jimmy Rehkopf said winning the games against Texas A&M and Sam Houston State indicates the Tigers have a great shot at winning the conference.”Beside us, they are the powerhouses in the conference, so winning there is a pretty good indicator as to who is going to playoffs,” Rehkopf said.The LSU rugby club’s success started soon after its inception.The club was formed in 1970 by Rob Haswell and Hal Rose, and during the 1971 season — the team’s second — the Tigers won 17 consecutive matches. The club’s longest win streak was achieved during the 1997 season, when it won 22 straight. That season also marked the Tigers’ first TRU championship. Haswell, a South African native, also introduced the team to a saying that would become its battle cry. As LSU prepares for every match, the players gather in a huddle and chant the word “Bulawayo” in unison. “Bulawayo” is a Swahili word that translates to “field of slaughter.” The name comes from a village in Zimbabwe that was ambushed in 1896. “Bulawayo” was given to the village following the ambush because it was considered a field of slaughter.The team will next chant “Bulawayo” on Feb. 14 when it hosts Texas.Junior center Adam Ducoing said the team feels they should win the match, but it won’t be an easy task.”We’re expected to win the match,” Ducoing said. “They’re going to be a strong team that’s physical, but we bring that physicality to every match.”   —-Contact Rob Landry at [email protected]