The UA rugby team will conclude its season this weekend when it hosts the 2002 Memorial Invitational at Estevan Park.

Head coach Dave Sitton said the season finale will be a mixed bag of emotions for the team.

"Seniors will be playing their final game and, at the same time, underclassmen are getting ready for next year," Sitton said.

The ruggers (8-7, 5-3) will only play one match over the weekend, on Saturday at 1:15 pm against Idaho State.

The two other schools that were scheduled to be in the tournament, the University of San Diego and Colorado State, both withdrew due to injuries.

"We're not happy (that both teams withdrew)," said Sitton, but, at the same time, he said he understands where the teams are coming from.

This will be the eighth time the UA rugby program has hosted the Memorial Invitational. The Wildcats won the first six tournaments, but lost last year's in the championship game to Ohio State, 22-10.

The Memorial Invitational was first established to honor former UA rugby players that had passed away, but this year it will also honor the 20 rugby players that lost their lives on September 11.

The UA rugby program will hold a pre-game ceremony that will include the presentation of the colors, and the national anthem and "Amazing Grace" performed by bagpipes.

This will be the first meeting between the Wildcats and Bengals and one that Sitton hopes will become an annual event.

"We're delighted to begin a relationship with Idaho State," Sitton said. "When we travel to Salt Lake to play Utah, Idaho State will be a natural second stop for us."

Sitton also commented on the great deal of respect he has for the Bengals.

"They were given the option to not come down here (because the other two teams backed out), but as a team they voted to come and I respect that," Sitton said.

Idaho State is a member of the Great Basin Conference and is coached by Ram Edding.

The Bengals are led by two outstanding rugby players, prop Thomas Tomasi and halfback Jeremy Davis.

Tomasi is the Bengals' top forward and a very strong runner, while Davis leads the backfield with his passing.

The Wildcats enter the weekend coming off of a last-minute win over Air Force, 41-34, and a 59-14 drubbing of Arizona State last week.

UA is on a current five-game win streak and would like to end the season on high note.

"If we can end the season on a six-game winning streak, I will be very pleased," Sitton said.