Rugby routs SW Texas St.

---

by Jessica Williams

---

Despite intense practices and chalk-talk discussion strategies after the loss to Tech, the team's president, junior Troy Thacker, said the men were still shaken by the upset the weekend before.

"We started off sluggish, but eventually got more confident," said Thacker.

SWT scored first and remained close at the heels of Rice, trailing only by a 10-7 score at the half.

"After half-time, we took control and turned in to the team of old again," Thacker said.

Rice dominated the rest of the game and won comfortably 27-7.

Senior Spencer Brown realized the earlier loss to Tech put immense pressure on the men.

"We knew that we had to beat Southwest Texas for us to have a chance to be first in the league," he said. "We had a greater desire to win after the loss, and it felt better."

The rugby team has one more game before the regular season ends and Texas Tournament begins.

This game is against Sam Houston State University, a tough club which Rice barely clipped 12-10 at the Stephen F. Austin Tournament last November.

This school competed against Rice in the championship game of the Texas Tournament last year.

The Rice men's strategy for this game is to "play tough, play hard."

Thacker, the inside center, knows his team has to stay focused and intense throughout the entire game.

"To beat SHSU, we have to play top level rugby by controlling the ball at all times," he said. "They are scrappy, dirty and tough so we have to play at the top of our game throughout."

Senior wing Tom Hong agreed with Thacker's plan for victory.

"To win decisively, we have to decrease our errors," said Hong. "We have no room to make mistakes."

If the Rice rugby team pulls through against SHSU, they will be the number-one seed out of the four competing teams for the Texas Tournament which will be hosted by Rice on March 26-27.

Brown has high hopes for the men's post-season play.

"After we beat SHSU, we hope to dominate in the Texas Tournament and move on to the Western Regional Tournament," he said.

The game against Sam Houston State will be tomorrow before Beer-Bike around 10 a.m.

This item appeared in the Sports section of the March 18, 1994 issue.

Copyright © 1996 The Rice Thresher. All Rights Reserved.
This document may be distributed electronically, provided that it is distributed in its entirety and includes this notice. However, it cannot be reprinted without the express written permission of:
The Rice Thresher, Rice University, 6100 Main, Houston, TX 77005-1892, USA.