Ruggers Off to Australia

Martyn Kingston's spirits are quite high these days.

Unfortunately, Kingston's high comes with a price tag--a $61,000 price tag to be exact.

The $61,000 is the cost of sending a team of selected rugby players from New England colleges on a tour of Australia and New Zealand in June of 1988. The tour--the brainchild of Kingston--is sponsored by the New England Rugby Federation Union (N.E.R.F.U.) and has 30 representatives from 14 colleges in New England.

Four Harvard rugby players--Scott Roberts, Scott Tierney, John Greenberg, and Nick Sweeney--will be represented on the team.

Over 100 players from 55 New England college teams were invited to try out, but only 30 made the team. Kingston heads the coaching staff.

In order to compete in Australia, each player has to raise $1500-$1800, the cost of transportation, room, board and other minor expenses. Kingston is trying to lower the price tag for each player by encouraging donations and helping with fund-raisers.

The Crimson players hope to get financial support from other team members, alumni and the Athletic Department.

The four Harvard players made the team after trying out in November. A fifth Crimson rugger, Vaughn Buffalo, is a reserve on the squad. If another team member is unable to make the trip--players who do not raise the necessary money are dropped from the team--Buffalo will fill his spot.

Kingston has been in similar financial situations. In May of 1984, Harvard earned a berth in the national intercollegiate rugby championships in Monterey, Calif., yet the Crimson rugby club, not a varsity sport, didn't have the funds to make the trip.

Only after accepting a loan from the Athletic Department was the squad able to travel to the tournament. That year, the Crimson won the national collegiate title.

This trip, the first of its kind, illustrates the extent of rugby's expanded organization.