Life University’s men’s team kicks off its 2021 rugby season and of course there are all kinds of questions to answer.

The team that won the D1A National Championship in 2018 and 2019 is rebuilding a little bit.

“We’ve had a bit of a changing of the guard,” said Head Coach Colton Cariaga. “We have some new faces, but we also have some good leadership.”

George Phelan will step in as captain and experienced players such as Chase Schor Haskin and brothers Nike and Jamie Roberts provide some key leadership. but there is also some young talent coming in.

“It will be an interesting year,” added Cariaga.

This weekend Life will take on an Arkansas State team that lost 31-8 to Lindenwood last week. Cariaga said the Red Wolves showed better than the score might indicate.

“I thought for a team that has been without a head coach and been mostly handling things themselves, they looked pretty damned good,” said Cariaga. “They’re able to move the ball and they’ve got some really good forwards. They are a very good team and it’s going to be tough.”

That may be exactly what Life needs.