The men's rugby team will finish up its season with a friendly "black versus white" scrimmage this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The men will put aside all of the camaraderie that has built up over the season for 80 minutes of fratricide on the pitch.
"It's a friendly game," said Coach Rick Scala, "but we go full speed. Hard tackling, fast running, one hundred percent."
The game is one of the traditions which has stretched over the season,.Another tradition is the annual "Long Run" this Thursday, during which the team gauges its fitness for the spring season.
Bowdoin finished this season 2-4, racking up satisfying victories over opponents Bates and Wentworth and tough losses to Farmington, Colby, Lowell and Tufts. But the record, insists senior co-captain Cliff Webster, is deceiving.
"Although we finished 2-4, the season was by no means a failure. If a few bounces had gone our way we would've finished 4-2. But with such a young team we have to be satisfied with 2-4," said Webster.
And a young team it was, with 13 of the team's 35 players being first years.
"It was great working with these rookies," said Ryan Jewett '11. "They helped us to have a great season."
Webster agreed, and said "We are really excited to build on this team next season."
As opposed to teams which are more time intensive, the rugby team focuses on letting everyone have a good time. The relaxed club nature of the sport helped to make the season enjoyable and the team approachable for everyone.
"The roughness of it was intimidating at first," said rookie Lukas Sanchez '13, "I've come to learn that it's a thug's sport that's played by gentlemen."
Carlos Morla '12, one of the team's non-first-year rookies, describes the simple question which drew him to the game.
"Two thousand-pound masses of men collide with one another. Which side will end up victorious?" he asked, referring to rugby scrums.
"It's a club," said senior co-captain Ross Cowman. "Of course we want you here for practices and games, but it's a club. You're here to have fun."
And players of all shapes, sizes and levels of expertise are welcome.
"We really need to recruit to make up for the seniors we're losing," said Scala. "Guys just need to realize that this isn't football, everyone isn't huge. A lot of guys who would come out are just afraid to try it or don't understand it. We need to tell them to give it a few days. They'll like it."