The ISU football team won’t be the only team playing an in-state rivalry game this weekend. The ISU men’s rugby team will be in a competition of its own.

Starting in the 1960s, the rugby team has been recognized as an official club team, but the group of around 40 players competes in the Midwest Rugby Union against other college teams. With different levels of play, the rugby team finds itself against top-level competition, competing in the Division I league.

The sport, which continues to expand in popularity, has many components.

“It’s probably the hardest sport I’ve ever played,” said Kurt Willms, senior in mechanical engineering. “You’ve got to be able to run, tackle, pass and kick. There’s all sorts of things you’ve got to do.”

Coach Malcolm Robertson, now in his seventh season at the helm of the rugby team, said that 90 percent of the players on the team have no prior experience, learning to play the game when they arrive at Iowa State. That’s what Robertson enjoys most.

“The interaction with the guys — the students — is a big thing,” Robertson said. “I like seeing people come in and develop a confidence for a sport that they had no idea about.”

Each year Robertson has the opportunity to see new players arrive and learn the game of rugby as he molds them into the style of players that best fits the team. He said it takes a lot of dedication and commitment from players, including as many as 30 hours during travel weeks.

This season, the ISU men’s rugby team currently has seven scheduled games, including two home games at the Maple-Willow-Larch intramural fields. The team plays other Division I universities such as Minnesota and Nebraska throughout the fall.

The first game will come against Iowa on Friday night.

“It’s always nice to play against Iowa; there’s a lot of rivalry there just like with football. These guys know the rivalry before they even get to Iowa State, so they come here already chomping at the bit,” Robertson said. “The guys get pumped up about it, and home-field advantage is great.”

The game against Iowa will be a big first game for the rugby club, but the players insisted it is just a start to their season. Their primary goal is simple.

“To make the playoffs,” Willms said. “It’s not something we’ve been able to accomplish the last couple of seasons. We’ve been rebuilding, and I think this season is a season we can turn it around and make a push to make the playoffs.”

The rugby club plays two different seasons each year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Their first season and a push for postseason play will get underway with a matchup that alternates each year.

“It usually goes back and forth,” said Brandon Murphy, team captain and senior in mechanical engineering. “One year [Iowa] win it and the next year we win.”

This year, they hope to get the win in front of the home crowd.

“We usually have a pretty big crowd,” Willms said. “The Iowa-Iowa State game always gives us the biggest crowd of the season and when we’ve got guys on a breakaway and the crowd is cheering it up — it gives you goose bumps, it’s pretty cool.”

The matchup against Iowa will kickoff at 5 p.m. Friday at the intramural fields next to Maple-Willow-Larch.