Ruggers Battle Cornell in Semis Today, Hope to Move on to UMass Revenge

The Harvard Rugby Club is expected to roll over Cornell in today's Northeastern semifinal game in Albany, but the Crimson won't rest until the Lord's Day, when they've had a chance to avenge themselves against the University of Massachusetts.

The past two Octobers, the Amherst ruggers vanquished Harvard in the New England College Championship finals. Tomorrow the two will likely pair up again (assuming Crimson success, and a UMass win over Navy).

"We want them," said co-Captain John Beilensen '84 yesterday. Kevin Lenin '84 chimed in. "This weekend should be ours, then we'll take things one step at a time."

Should the weekend end as planned, the ruggers will end up in the Eastern finals in Philadelphia. The spot would not be new to the team. Of the four official collegiate rugby championships which have taken place in the Eastern United States, the Crimson has qualified for three. Their most successful season was in 1981 when the ruggers continued to the NCAA finals where they lost in a gruelling 6-3 overtime battle to the University of California at Berkeley.

Meanwhile the Crimson will travel next week to Boston to defend their three-time title as Ivy League rugby champions.