Rugby Team Beats Tufts, Lions With Strong Offense

The Crimson rugby team defeated Columbia, 18-3, Saturday for its second straight win.

Playing against a bigger and stronger team, the ruggers used teamwork and finesse to pull out a physically tiring game.

Sparking the offense was the play of Paul Buddenhagen and captain-coach Sione Tupouniua. Buddenhagen set up the first try, tapping the ball on a line out to Parker Weiss who scored easily.

Coach Scores

Tupouniua scored the second try on a tremendous individual effort. He picked up the ball at midfield and bulled his way through several Columbia players for a score try.

Standouts for the Crimson on defense included backs Pat Cashma and Kevin Rafferty, and forwards Toby Campion and Ralph Harder.

This was the second impressive showing in a row for the ruggers. A week earlier they had defeated a strong Tufts team 23-3 in their first outing.

A large turnout, 75 people in all, and great enthusiasm have accounted for the success of the team thus far. Tupouniua has been impressed by the great coordination between his backs and forwards, surprising for this early in the season.

Outpass Opposition

The team's ability to outpass their opponents has been the difference thus far, and improvement continues to exceed all expectations.

Prospects for the rest of the season seem bright. Princeton and Dartmouth will provide the main competition for the Ivy League title.

Tupouniua, however, is confident that the possibility of an undefeated season looms for the Crimson.