While the '07-'08 Gator 'A' side largely underachieved, it's 'B' side was excellent. Florida 'B' rolled to a 5-1 record in 2nd Division play, losing only a nail-biter in an opener against the eventual 2nd Division champion, the University of Tennessee. Unfortunately (then) for Florida, this came only while the 'A' side took its lumps. The club not only lost to both Division 1 newcomers (Arkansas State and South Carolina), it was beaten by Clemson, Tennessee, and North Carolina as well, only scraping past last-place Georgia. These defeats did not go to waste, however. Upbeat and well-coached, the young Florida side emerged battle-ready for the '08-'09 season. Riding a wave of veterans from '07-'08, the '08-'09 Gators stormed its Florida Rugby Union competitors in the Fall of 2008. Playing against several men's senior sides (FRU plays out a LAU competition in the fall), the Gators compiled a 6-1 record before shocking USC in the opening round of the SEC Tournament (after all, the Gamecocks had easily defeated their foes just a semester before), eventually beating them again in the tournament's third place final (nationally-ranked LSU and Tennessee finished 1st and 2nd, respectively). Bolstered by new-found depth (thanks to their '07-'08 'B' side), Florida carried this momentum into the spring, where it continued to surprise its South opponents, as it only narrowly fell (20-19) to eventual runner-up Tennessee in Knoxville. Moving from 6th to 3rd in the course of one year, the Gators sadly fell only one point shy of making the National Tournament for the first time since 1997. For their efforts, UF was ranked for most of the year by the leading rugby news service, American Rugby News, in their weekly collegiate rankings, ultimately finishing 23rd overall (again, just one spot behind #22 Tennessee). 

Now, Carolina Rugby isn't in to making any bold assertions based on the Chinese Zodiac, but it is here to tell you one thing: look out for the Gamecocks in '09-'10. While '08-'09 wasn't the club's ideal season, USC featured a younger, less-experienced side than most of its competition. More importantly, it never let its head down. USC 'A' finished 5th (of 7) in 1st Division competition, but it did so without key players from campaigns past (notably, two-time SEC All-Star Brad Kieber) and a loss of senior leadership. That won't be a problem for Carolina next year, as the roster is packed with seniors who have developed within the program these past four years - players such as Max Minnillo, Corey Benov, Mike Dillard, Justin Schlachterman, and captain/president Anthony Hughes anchor an impressive group of forwards that is arguably the South's finest. They'll be joined by third-year player Calvin Storey, a 2008 SEC All-Star, as well as a host of young depth under Head Coach Geoff Mason. South Carolina has always been known for its forwards, but this year's bunch may well yet be the best group Mason has produced.

USC's backs will still be young, but they will certainly won't lack experience. The '08-'09 season saw USC start three freshmen and two sophomores amongst its backs, and it is safe to say many improved 'B' and 'C' side players, in addition to freshmen/U19 additions, will battle it out in the backline. Spring 2009's 'Most Improved' Gamecock, senior outside center Mike Weidman, also returns.

While this may not add up to much to some, the youth of this side isn't without success already. South Carolina's 'B' side finished 3rd of 7 this spring, losing only to top sides Arkansas State and Tennessee. The side was bolstered by '09-'10 seniors Shane Brenner and Cameron Hobbs, both 4th-year players, as well as many other raw, talented underclassmen. Additionally, USC was the only team in the South to field a 'C' side in matrix competition, providing invaluable experience to the team's youngest and newest players in the treacherous Division III Palmetto Conference. The Palmetto Conference has produced 4 of the last 6 Division III National Champions (including 2009's Coastal Carolina University), but the 'C' side's spirits remained high as it finished 5th out of 6.

South Carolina also added championship-caliber coaching in 2008/2009 that should carry their increasingly veteran club into the fall. Spring Valley (HS) Head Coach Mark Morris was added to the staff in the fall, while Chapin (HS) coaches Neil Richards and Ken McCarthy were added to the staff in the spring. In Mason's previous 4.5 seasons with the club (2003-2008) he had only sporadic assistance (notably, COB members Rich Sorensen and Jeff Smolka, as well as 'Coach Nick' from New Zealand), and the stability to the coaching staff should continue to produce favorable results. The club will also be undoubtedly aided by incoming players from the South Carolina High School Rugby League, which completed its third year this past spring. The Tennessee high school league has been a considerable contribution to the Volunteers rise to prominence this decade, and USC expects to continue reaping the fruit of its own soil in the near future.

Now, technically, the Chinese 'Year of the Rooster' runs from January 2009 to February 2010 ('09-'10). The American academic calendar doesn't run perfectly parallel to this (August-May), but we're thinking maybe... just maybe, there's plenty of reason to fear the Rooster in '09-'10. If the Chinese Zodiac is any indication, look out South.