Rugby Squad Gets Loose For Spring

The sing-song, beer-drinking reputation belonging to the Harvard rugby team is slowly going up in suds.

In the last few years, the rugby team has made strides to make the sport respectable. The team's latest drive for success involved an unsuccessful attempt to gain varsity status.

And now, with some sports still hibernating for the winter, the club is conducting pre-season practice in preparation--as well as anticipation--of the spring season.

"We're expecting a good season," Co-Captain Scott Tierney said. "We know if we don't practice now, we'll be out of shape once the season starts."

Tierney, along with Co-Captain Mike Newhouse, has been running practices since February 7 in the absence of volunteer Coach Martyn Kingston--a sixth-year sociology student working on his dissertation in South Africa.

The club hopes to be in prime shape for its tour of New Orleans during Spring Break at the beginning of April.