Florida State University hosts the first of two South Independent Rugby Conference 7s tournaments Saturday and Sunday.

Nine teams from the conference, plus one from outside, will compete in Tallahassee. The nine SIRC teams will compete for points in the SIRC Series, with the team that garners the most points in the two tournaments becoming conference champions.

The winner will also get a spot in USA Rugby’s College 7s National Championships. 

With Florida Atlantic dropping out, DII team Lindenwood-Belleville, which made the final of the Moosemen 7s last week, has stepped in to round out the field. The Lynx will not be eligible to win the SIRC bid to nationals, but they will certainly be a contender in the tournament.

Lindenwood-Belleville will be shooting for a place in the CRC Invitational by winning the LVI in a week, so this will be an ideal test for them.

However, it won’t be easy. Central Florida has been a tough nut to crack in the past, and plays a physical brand of rugby. The Knights can also move the ball, but this has been a rebuilding year for them. Heading up the field of teams has to be Florida International, which won the SIRC 15s series, and did so with a snappy attacking style. FIU also played well in 7s tournaments against men’s teams during the summer, and finished 2nd in the South.

Saturday games