Send the weak at heart to the country: Rugby season is upon us.

The Saint Louis University men’s club rugby team is on the prowl and hungry for redemption from last spring’s disappointing loss to Mizzou in the Langenburg Cup. With the loss, SLU failed to qualify for Westerns, the regional tournament.

Experience will be the key to this year’s success. The veteran SLU squad returns 31 players, including 13 A-side contributors. Also, the class of 20 rookies is the largest in recent history.

This year’s team is led by tri-captains Peter Kowalski, Isaac Beal and Isaiah Klever. Nick Miofsky and Matt Brannan are impact players, while Greg Ruther, Eric Munninghoff and Doug Meyrose will also be counted on. Michael (pronounced Me-hal) Grace joins the Billikens from Limerick, Ireland, and brings invaluable experience.

However, experience won’t guarantee victories. Experience won’t score points and stifle opposing attacks. Cohesiveness and consistency are the elements that will determine SLU’s success. Therefore, while the spring is where the post-season looms, fall is necessary for developing younger players and practicing team strategy.

SLU is doing just that by playing in exhibition games and participating in tournaments this fall. The Bills’ motivation was evident by the preparation and hard work endured this summer. Their goal: win the Langenburg Cup, which is a tournament consisting of SLU, Wash. U., UM-Rolla and Mizzou. Placing in the top five of Westerns is an additional aspiration.

“This is the year to turn some heads at Westerns. The potential is there-everything is in place,” said Peter Kowalski.

This year, Westerns occurs in March at Rice University in Houston. Three of the 12 teams at Westerns go on to the national tournament.

Right now, SLU’s goal is to get there, which means a Langenburg Cup title is necessary and a rematch with Mizzou imminent.

Saturday, the ruggers started their quest for the Cup and Westerns by competing in the SMIRT Tournament at UM-Rolla. In the first game, SLU played Fort Leonard Wood Army Base. They proved no match, as SLU trounced Uncle Sam’s Army 22-12.

Leading the way for the Billikens was Doug Meyrose, who scored two trys, and Ben Cappocia, who added one more. Klever made two of three point-after attempts and added a 40-yard penalty kick. In rugby, five points are awarded for a try, three for a penalty kick and two for a point-after attempt.

In the championship, SLU faced none other than Mizzou. Again, the results showed that the Billiken ruggers need to improve in order to defeat their nemesis, as Mizzou walked away with a 12-10 hard-fought victory.

“This is the best Mizzou team I have seen in three years, but it could have gone either way,” Kowalski said.

Injuries got the best of the Bills in Saturday’s championship. Brent Papac was out with an injury, but rookie Quinn Guerin filled in well until he left with a knee injury late in the second half. Kowalski, playing fly-half, which is like the quarterback, left with a hip injury in the second half as well.

Eric Munninghoff played well in the eight-man position, as he anchored the scrum, which is the pile that controls which team receives the ball.

Ruther was all over the field in his flanker position. Flanker is most comparable to an outside linebacker; he’s the first one out of the scrum and covers the most ground defensively. Klever missed two extra-point attempts and a last-minute 40-yard penalty kick from a difficult angle.

SLU returns to action this Saturday as they take on UM-Rolla at the Jewel Box in Forest Park at 1p.m.

The following weekend, the ruggers head to Kansas City to compete in the Heart of America tournament. It is the biggest collegiate tournament in the Midwest, consisting of around 20 teams, including national powerhouses the University of Wyoming and Air Force Academy.