Did you ever notice how when you have a friend on the opposing team, winning means everything?

Because without the win, you lose your right to gloat.

The Penn State men's rugby team will find in itself in a similar situation tomorrow, when it takes on the Barbarians at 12 p.m. on East Campus Fields.

The Barbarians are made up of Penn State graduate students — players that the men's rugby team knows all too well.

The two teams often practice together and some of the Ruggers coaches even play for the Barbarians. Brett Hoffman, who coaches the backs, and Don Ferrell, who coaches the forwards, will switch from coach to opponent in the game tomorrow.

"It's a game of pride of course," Hoffman said. "We try to do our best, but it's a fun game to play against guys you are around all year round. It's gives you bragging rights for that week, so you can kind of needle the guys if you win."

Ruggers head coach Terry Ryland said, "It's a very competitive game because we know each other so well. They have more experience and they are more wily about what they do and how they do it. They have many skilled players. The last couple of years, the game has been very close."

The Barbarians were the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union Div. III champions in the fall. They are preparing for the national Div. III playoffs. The Ruggers are preparing for the Sweet Sixteen.

Hoffman said that this game will help both teams in getting ready for their upcoming games.

"They are going to play a team that is bigger and heavier than usual," he said. "I think it creates some challenges for them. It prepares them for some of the bigger teams they will face. And speaking from a graduate student perspective, the Ruggers are probably quicker and more agile than teams we are used to. It gives us a good look for any quicker teams we might play in the future."

Ryland said that, although the two teams know each other's strategies quite well, they will not be changing up their game plan to throw them off.

"We play our normal game," he said. "It's always a good game because we know each other's likes and dislikes. The game comes down to execution, which is a very good thing to have at this point in time. It's only going to increase our decision making abilities."

Hoffman agreed that the Barbarians will stick to their game plan as well.

"We don't want to get away from regular game plans," he said. "We will play our game. I'm sure that we will be doing the same things we normally do. It's a friendly game. You get to brag for a week and then it's over."

But the Barbarians are hoping that they are the ones that get to brag.

"We don't want to lose to what we consider a bunch of young kids," Hoffman said. "It means that I am gonna make sure I do as much as I can possibly do when I am out on the field."