Ruggers Undefeated After McGill Bout

The undefeated Harvard rugby team won its sixth consecutive game on Saturday, shutting out McGill University from Montreal by a score of 16-0 to capture the Covo Cup.

The 106-year-old cup is the oldest inter-collegiate rivalry in North America; this year McGill was outmatched by the Harvard team. The Crimson forwards dominated the throw-ins and scrums as Keith Oberg, the hooker, won 85 per cent of the hooks and allowed the scrum to win the ball consistently.

The scrum's ball-control allowed the backs to score two tries. Peter Hilton, the fly half, scored a try and a conversion in the first half. He also booted two penalty kicks for six points in the second. David Miller also scored a try on a 15-yd. run in the first half.

The victory was the team's third shutout--Harvard beat Ithaca College 15-0 and Middlebury College 32-0 earlier in the season. The team also beat Army, 22-6 on Saturday, October 13, in one of their toughest games to date.

Spoilers

Last week the team faced Dartmouth and came from behind to win by a 9-4 score. The Dartmouth team was undefeated before facing Harvard.

Despite this impressive list of wins, the team is just as proud of its record off the field: in what other sport can you find three kegs of beer on the sidelines for the spectators? The team has a tradition of entertaining both spectators and opponents on and off the field. Following the game on Saturday, the team held a bar-becue and party at Kirkland House, followed by a "sing-song."

Bedding Down

This is typical of every rugby team on the circuit. At Ithaca, the opposing team provided beds and rented a bar for its competitors. They also roast a 60-pound lamb at Cape Cod on Columbus Day.

"That's what college sports are designed for; you should enjoy the sport and also get to know your opponents, not like some other sports in which they fly home right after the game," Chris Schember, one of the team's wingers, explained.

This attitude appeals to most of the team members. "It's very loose, but that makes it very enjoyable," Miller, a center said. The team practices on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, "if you can show up, "and between 50 and 70 players join the club during the season, Schember said. "We get a lot of ex-football players who prefer the attitude here. Anybody's welcome to come out, we get divinity students and all sorts of athletes."

There are "no serious injuries," Rod Walters, who plays second row, said. "We've had a dislocated shoulder and bone chips but injuries are few and far between," he continued.

The team hopes to make a spring tour this year to California of Jamaica. Last spring the team spent 11 days in England.

However, the students have to pay for everything for themselves. The club charges $20 to pay for the referees and union dues. The money also goes towards the cost of the beer.

The team has no coach but appoints captains to instruct team members. "Everybody gets in a game. We switch them in at the half and no coach can claim that," explained Schember.

Despite this friendly attitude the team is still very competitive Oberg explained. "The first part of the season was easier. We beat two tough teams but we have three important games left. If we play like we are capable of, we'll have a chance to finish the season undefeated."