Football isn’t the only sport that requires speed, physicality and determination.Such attributes have propelled the LSU rugby club to a No. 4 ranking in the American Rugby News Top 25 collegiate rankings. The club has a chance to build on its poll position, as well its 8-1 record, when it hosts conference rival Texas on Saturday.Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the UREC Sport and Adventure Complex.A win against Texas guarantees LSU one of the top two spots in the final standings of its division, the Texas Rugby Union. LSU will also clinch a spot in the Western Conference playoffs, which LSU will host March 27-28, with a victory.If momentum is an indicator of confidence, LSU should have plenty of both as it prepares for Saturday’s contest. The squad has won its last two division games by an average victory margin of 72 points. Its five-game winning streak includes last Saturday’s 88-3 victory against Sam Houston State, as well as a 65-5 win against Texas when the squads met for the first time Feb. 6 in Austin, Texas.Club president and senior forward Cody Cadella said the team has remained focused on getting better to prevent a possible letdown despite LSU’s convincing victory in its first matchup against Texas.”We have been playing well as of late, but we don’t look at our recent wins as perfect victories,” Cadella said. “We focus on where we need to improve and what we need to fix for when we face a better team.”Junior forward Cullen Glennon, said LSU’s ability to control the pace and tempo against Texas will determine the Tigers’ success in the game. He also said while LSU might be somewhat undersized in comparison to other teams around the country, he views LSU’s lack of stature as an advantage because it allows the team to utilize its speed and conditioning.”We always look to impose our own personality during a game,” Glennon said. “We want to keep the field wide open and use our athleticism to our advantage.”Cadella said the up-tempo approach was paramount to the success LSU experienced this season.”Our forwards are faster than those of most teams,” he said. “There have been games where as we are walking off the field, the opposing team will come to us and say, ‘It’s really hard to catch you guys.'”He also credits the club’s performance with the tenacity of players like Glennon, as well as the offensive contributions from backs such as Robert Johns and American Rugby News All-American Adam Ducoing, whom Cadella describes as “essential” to the squad’s success.”Cullen is our leading tackler and a vital part of our team,” Cadella said. “Our backs are some of the best in the country. Everyone of them is always a threat to score.”—-Contact Cory Boudreaux at [email protected].