They hadn’t won a game in two years. Their opponents had more players, bigger players, more experience and more backing both financially and with fans. It was their first game of the year on the road and they had only two substitutes. Every piece of logic said that they would lose, but one thing was left out: crazy beats big. With this as their rallying cry, the Macalester men’s rugby team defeated the Carleton Knights 10-5 last Saturday. It is just the beginning of what could be a breakthrough year for the team.

“We’re like the Bad News Bears, only cooler,” captain Rick Lechowick ’04 said.

This is a totally unexpected turnaround for a sport that has struggled to even field a team the last few years. There are many new faces on the team who have brought a new energy; combined with some veteran leadership, it could be a great season. They have had some breaks, like having first-years with rugby experience. But they have been held back by a lack of administrative support that has forced them to buy their own jerseys. Carleton came fully decked in their warm-ups and uniforms, while only half of the Macalester team had jerseys. The difference was this year’s new work ethic. That ethic will continue through the winter as they prepare for the longer spring season.

Rugby is a foreign sport to many of The Mac Weekly’s readers, but its international popularity has helped Macalester land stars like Getiria “Slow Dude” Onsongo ’04 who scored one of the team’s tries that helped it storm back in the second period. But these studs are few and far between, and while many schools come with at least 30 players, the Scots brought only 17, leaving them with only two substitutes.

Macalester’s upset is even more amazing when you consider that their only returning member of the “pack” (the bigger stronger players who do most of the blocking) was captain Rick Lechowick ’04, who is determined to lead the team into a new “Renaissance.” It is this lack of size that inspired their cry, “crazy beats big.” Crazy doesn’t mean that they are out of control but rather, as they proved against Carleton, that they will run hard, tackle hard and not be intimidated by the superior size of their opponents.

“We taught them [Carleton] to be humble in the shadow of the giants that we are,” Lechowick said.

With only a possible game against St. Mary’s or St. Olaf remaining, the team’s focus turns to the spring schedule, which will hopefully be highlighted by a home game at the stadium (rather than the 15-minute drive to their other home field). This winter will be a time to build up their endurance and their numbers through a new recruitment campaign aimed at the larger members of campus to fill out their line of crashers (players who break through the other team’s defense). With a combination of new faces, mental intensity and their ever-popular theme song, “Scotland the Brave,” they are sure to turn some heads around campus.

“Besides Disneyland, the rugby team is pretty much the happiest place on earth. I think it’s pretty much the most fun sport you can play,” Lechowick said.