6
FEATURE
Continued from page 5
artifacts that include neckties exchanged after matches abroad, old newspaper clippings and a large globe with the locations of its tours through the years.
"To me this is what rugby's all about," he says. "You're in a foreign country, you're experiencing it - their culture It's not like you're a tourista, you're down with them. You've got your team, you've got your family and your friends and all age groups."
Before this year's tour of New Zealand when the team played four games against local talent, club rugby focused more on winning its merit table, or division.
Renfro would like to see the club fully return to its touring ways.
"Hell, the best teams that we had were during the mid 80s when we were touring all the time," he says."Everybody wanted to play with us because we were doing that."
On another cold, wet night they practice as scheduled at least the few who show. Sheets of mist fall to the field and the water returns to the air with each player's step or crash to the ground.
Sure, the weather proves a heavy deterrent for some, but keeping new players committed has also presented a challenge in itself.
Renfro again dropped by the complex he and others helped raise $120,000 to construct to observe and lend counsel when needed.
"If you get enough guys out there you can teach them
and make them learn," Renfro says. "It's always about people making the commitment to be there and practice. But if they don't ever have guys there at practice and they can't work on technique and do stuff, they just stay mediocre."
The ones who do stick around and recruit others to join play a sport that provided the origins of American football.
They play a sport that Dr. James Naismith excelled at before inventing basketball — which is fitting as Renfro likens the two sports that seem on the surface to be violently different.
"Everybody's a quarterback so I like the personal flare of rugby that yeah, you have practice, yeah, you have a coach and yeah, you have a few plays but basically you're just out there going," he says.
Later that night players from both the college and club sides converge in the clubhouse as usual. Budweiser longnecks bathe in a sink filled with ice as practice and past games are recalled.
Pizza is shared in concert with ample amounts of ribbing.
The weather outside hadn't improved much but
it didn't seem to matter. Actually, it never did.
"After games and after practices there's a feeling I'd miss a lot if I let go of it." Taft says.
Added Holland:"This is more than a sport. It's more than camaraderie. It's a brotherhood."
An April 1978 University Daily Kansan article deacts a scrum where Rick Renrof can be seen vying for the ball. The actual article is one of numerous framed artworks hanging in the clubhouse and are also being digitized.
SCHEDULES
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Senior linebacker Arist Wright gets a hand on Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts to help cause an incomplete pass. Wright had two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Kansas Jayhawks
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time/Score |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 9/5 | Northern Colorado | Lawrence | W, 49-3 |
| 9/12 | at UTEP | El Paso, Texas | W, 34-7 |
| 9/19 | Duke | Lawrence | W, 44-16 |
| 9/26 | Southern Miss | Lawrence | W, 35-28 |
| 10/10 | Iowa State | Lawrence | W, 41-36 |
| 10/17 | at Colorado | Boulder, Colo. | L, 34-30 |
| 10/24 | Oklahoma | Lawrence | L, 35-13 |
| 10/31 | at Texas Tech | Lubbock, Texas | L, 42-21 |
| 11/7 | at Kansas State | Manhattan | 11:30 a.m. |
| 11/14 | Nebraska | Lawrence | 2:30 p.m. |
| 11/21 | at Texas | Austin, Texas | TBA |
| 11/28 | Missouri | Kansas City, Mo. | TBA |
Kansas State Wildcats
Date Opponent Location Time/Score
09/05 Massachusetts Manhattan W, 21-17
09/12 at Louisiana Lafayette Lafayette, La. L, 17-15
09/19 at UCLA Pasadena, Calif. L, 23-9
09/26 Tennessesee Tech Manhattan W, 49-7
10/03 Iowa State Kansas City, Mo. W, 24-23
10/10 at Texas Tech Lubbock, Texas L, 66-14
10/17 Texas &M Manhattan W, 62-14
10/24 Colorado Manhattan W, 20-6
10/31 at Oklahoma Norman, Okla. L, 42-30
11/14 Kansas Manhattan 11:30 p.m.
11/21 Missouri Manhattan 11:30 p.m.
11/28 at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. TBA
THE WAVE NOVEMBER 6,2009
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN