Rough and ready footballers

The Harvard Rugby Football Club is just that — a club. But not, clearly, just any club. It endures only because of the labors of its dedicated cast of muddied and bloodied players (after all, what other clubs incorporate mud and the prospects of bodily harm in the name of fun?). Kicking off its 2007 campaign at home on Sept. 16, the team overcame a 10-3 deficit to ultimately tie up longtime rival Boston College, 10-10. Considering that Harvard had only two weeks of practice under their belt at match time (compared to the Eagles’ four), senior co-captain Colin Kelly projects good things for his squad’s remaining six contests. “We believe we will be able to sharpen our skills quickly to get to the level we want to be at,” Kelly said. Last year, that included a trip to California for the national tournament.

— Andrew Brooks