The Penn State men's rugby team has the best deal coming the next week.

The Ruggers will travel to the Bahamas tomorrow and will be staying for a week. Not only will they be in the Bahamas, but will also gain some valuable outdoor playing time, something that's been limited in Pennsylvania.

During the week stretch they will play the Bahamian National Team and Virginia Tech. Their goal is to stay sharp and hone their skills so when they return for the playoffs they will be in good shape.

"We have to continually get better, we have been limited to being outside," Penn State men's rugby coach Terry Ryland said. "Being outside on a regulation field is a big thing."

Against Kutztown University a few weeks ago, Penn State used the game to decide what personnel would be best. The Ruggers feel comfortable with the lineup they have now. Several of the younger players will also take this time to learn the game and get better. In addition to playing games, the team will also hold training sessions with the various coaches.

The Bahamas national team will provide a tough a test, as they are older than the college students on the Penn State team and their skills a little better seeing as how they concentrate on rugby and have the outdoor facilities to practice.

Virginia Tech and the Ruggers are very familiar with one another, as they are in the same union. Virginia Tech, is generally a good rugby team, however this year, they are a little down.

"We're going to take our lessons from the first game and apply it to Virginia Tech and later," Ryland said. "There is no substitute for playing games."

--by Dan Graybill