I know how it feels. It’s a rough life being a student at Saint Louis University. Work hard all week and celebrate your efforts with some good times on Friday nights. I also know how it feels that Saturday morning. The pounding head, the worry of figuring out where you left your credit card, the cotton mouth and the need for some fresh air have all become a standard college experience each and every Saturday morning.

But today I offer you a cure. Well, I can’t fix your headache or that nasty taste in your mouth, nor can I find your credit card, unless…well never mind that. What I can do is give you a reason to take a trip to the park, let the refreshing fall breeze grace your body and tickle your face. Yes, the ultimate cure for that hangover is to go catch a Saint Louis University rugby game at the Jewel Box in Forest Park.

Played only two miles away from campus, this action-packed sport offers so much more than a day on the couch pouting about the fact that SLU does not have a football team (but if they did, I’m sure they’d be really good). It’s not just a boring club sport with no real competition. This is real collegiate action, with true rivalries and enough grit to fill Cook Hall.

This Saturday the rugby boys host the DePaul Blue Demons from Chicago. The match is sure to be a great one, as these two Catholic school nemeses battle it out in their first meeting. And afterwards? No post-game interviews, no smack-talking, just a good old-fashion party with both teams and of course any fan willing to “bite the dog that bit you” the night before, so to speak.

This year’s team is coming off an impressive 8-3 record last season and returns all but three starters. Last week, the squad handed a whooping to the St. Louis Ramblers, a men’s club from the area. This week, the guys are geared to open their collegiate schedule with a quality team like DePaul.

The match will begin at 1 p.m. Admission is free and the hard-hitting, fast-paced action is exhilarating, even to the mild sports fan. For those of you who are not familiar with this growing sport, rugby flows like a soccer game; a constant struggle for possession with a touch of finesse, but played like football; a game of power and the quest for field position.

Once you make it to the field you will see for yourself the excitement of SLU Rugby.

The team is led by Eric Munninghoff, who leads the forwards up front, and senior Nick Schaefer, captain of the backfield.

The SLU Rugby Club is blessed to have such a strong fan base, but they are always looking to expand on the people that come out to support them.

Saturday’s game is sure to be a great contest. It will be a fun one to watch; definitely more fun than a day stuck in your room nursing the wounds received at Fat Freddie’s the night before.

So come support the team, enjoy a beautiful fall afternoon and watch an exciting match. Then celebrate it all with a good group of guys and a loyal pack of fans after the game.