Those rugby cleats are still digging up the grass at Ocean View Park, the same place where the [X]press last met up with the SF State Rugby team last fall.

However, there is one big difference this time: they are finally affiliated with the University.

"It is nice to finally be able to say that we represent San Francisco State," club President Chris MacDougall said. "They basically told us that if we wanted to become a club sports team recognized by the school, we would need to cooperate better with the University."

MacDougall, a senior, has been on the team for three years and has spent his time trying to get rugby backed by the university.

"The whole experience of re-submitting all of the forms and paper work has made our club more unified towards the same goal," MacDougall said.

The SF State rugby team, which consists of roughly 20 men and 10 women, competes in the Division II of the Northern California Rugby Football Union, NCRFU.

"We are really gearing up for next season when we will be admitted into the Northern California Rugby Football Union," MacDougall said.

Without school affiliation the team functioned as a "private" club, Vice President Andrew Ritter said last semester.

Now, with school backing, the team is able to play more games and recruit more players.

"We were able to table," MacDougall said, "which has brought out about 30 new players."

This is the first season that rugby has had a "legit women's team," said sophomore Julie Mills last semester.

Last fall MacDougall said the team did, "a good job for the lack of funds."

Before funding the club, the school asked the rugby players to pay an extra $150 insurance fee.

Funding and affiliation has also made the team run in a more organized manner.

"Before we played fast and loose with the rules and it bit us in the ass," MacDougall said. "Because of our past issues we are taking things a lot more seriously."

Rugby suffered the same fate last semester as other recreational sports, which were cut following the departure of the head of the club sports program. The team was in contact with the new club sports organizer, Ryan Fetzer, over winter break, MacDougall said.

The league consists of local universities such as San Jose State, UC Santa Cruz, Santa Clara University and Cal Maritime.

The Rugby club plays its next official game against University of the Pacific on Saturday, Feb. 28 in Stockton, Calif.

For more information on the team, visit gatorsrugby.com