FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - They've been on the Arkansas campus the longest.
"1971," Arkansas rugby president Cameron Probst said. "It's the oldest club on campus. We've been here for over, 45 years, the 45th reunion is going to be next year."
But despite that, this is the first time Arkansas rugby is searching for a national title.
"It's the pinnacle. It's what we came here to do. It's what we play rugby for," Probst said.
The 15's team will be playing in the USA Rugby DI-AA quarterfinals for the first time in Davis, Calif. There they'll face California State University Long Beach.
"Competition has been stiff in our conference, but we're going to play at the next level, and we're ready," Probst said.
This season, Arkansas rugby has gone 5-0-1. They've gotten this far all due to the hard work and determination of this team and it's coaches.
"This is an opportunity for us to put Arkansas rugby on the map. Right now we get, honestly, little to no support from the university. We appreciate everything that U-Rec does for us. Club sports, what they contribute to us to help us be successful. But outside of that, out money, it's pretty much these guys here who put in the money and the time to make this club successful," Probst said.
The coaches are unpaid. There are no scholarships. They all do it for the love of the game. These national competitions are the first step to putting Hog rugby on the map.
"If we can make it through this qualifier, make it to the national final weekend in Atlanta two weeks after this weekend, that's what our goal is. To kind of put ourselves on the scene," Probst said.