“Bulawayo!” is the pre-game encouragement yell for the University’s nationally ranked men’s rugby team. Some may recognize it as an African city, but it translates to English as “the place of slaughter.”
Slaughtering is often what the LSU rugby team does on the pitch — known to the rest of the sports world as a field.
Like its American cousin — football — tackling is a big part of rugby, and the coaches harangue players to hit hard.
“The toughest team always wins,” said rookie player Michael Fitzpatrick, a senior from New Orleans.
Head coach Scott McLean preaches that fitness is the way to beat a tough team. LSU rugby is a club sport, and the coaches are volunteers. Most of them played rugby in college.
“We want to help these guys on and off the field,” McLean said. “A lot of our guys go on to be very successful.”
He noted that Hillar Moore, East Baton Rouge’s District Attorney, played rugby at LSU.
Zach Stratton, the team’s vice president, coordinates travel arrangements and expenses. It is a strictly student-run club sport.
“We are players and administrators,” Stratton said of those involved. The senior from California has been passionate about rugby for eight years.
Stratton said LSU’s team was a deciding factor when he was selecting colleges four years ago. He said he knew the team was competitive. Meeting the rugby team and having lunch with the coaches was a part of Stratton’s first visit to campus.
LSU rugby currently ranks 21st in the nation. It plays in the Red River Conference of the USA Rugby Football Union.
Being No. 13 last year, the team hopes to improve this season’s standing. So far, it is undefeated, with a conference record of 3-0.
The Red River Conference includes Arkansas, Baylor, University of Houston, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and TCU.
The rugby season is year-round. Team members practice twice a week for two hours, with speed and agility training on Mondays.
McLean said there probably will be more weekly practice sessions in the spring when the schedule picks up.
Stratton said each player pays $200 in dues each semester to be on the team, which mainly cover travel expenses and team jerseys.
The number on the jersey corresponds with the position being played. One player can be 21 one game and another number the next, should he be switched to a new position.
But if the player proves he is good enough to claim a permanent position, Stratton said it is his jersey to keep.
With a substantial number of turnouts and no tryouts, there is an A-team and a B-team. The current roster numbers 56.
Stratton said each player competes for a spot on the A-team for every game, which are played on weekends.