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The Rice Thresher
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by Paul Aronson thresher staff The men's club rugby team kicked off its quest for the Texas Rugby Union (TRU) championship Saturday by coasting to a 38-0 triumph over Southwest Texas State University. The Owls will try to use the victory as a stepping stone when they face the University of Texas, a more talented opponent, tomorrow in Austin. Rice had to work through the usual rust a team runs into in the first game of the season Saturday. The team got off to a slow start in the physical game, but a kick by senior captain Jacob Robson followed by a try from sophomore eight-man Cary Kottler broke the ice and gave the squad an 8-0 lead with 20 minutes left in the first half. Rice never looked back. "It was nice to get back out on the field and start our season," senior Mike Clifford said. "All of our new guys played well, and it was a solid overall team effort. At the beginning we made a few mistakes, but as the game wore on everyone did their jobs and we took control of the game for an easy victory." The lopsided score was the result of a well-executed offense coupled with a stifling defense that held the Bobcats completely at bay. "They rarely had the ball," Robson said. "Even when they did, they never came close to scoring." Much more difficult obstacles stand in the Owls' path to the TRU title. Five teams have a legitimate shot at finishing first in the league. Texas A&M University and Louisiana State University both finished ahead of the Owls in last year's final standings, and the University of Texas and Sam Houston State University are both capable of mounting a challenge. The Owls will be looking for a little payback after falling short in a friendly match against Texas last semester. "Texas has a solid side," Clifford said. "They beat us last semester in a friendly match when we had a lot of young players on the field. On Saturday we will be looking to exact some revenge."
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