Ruggers Look for Fun in the Scrum

On most Saturdays, a group of rambuctious guys without a responsible advisor gets together and has a lot of, well, rambuctious fun.

One of Harvard's infamous final clubs?

Not quite, but it is the Harvard men's rugby football club, which opened its spring season Saturday with a win over Holy Cross.

The ruggers are beginning the season without volunteer coach and graduate student Martyn Kingston, who is away in South Africa working on his thesis.

"We're really looking forward to Martyn's return," Co-Captain Scott Tierney said. "It's really tough playing and coaching at the same time."

Despite Kingston's absence, the Crimson still has plenty of leadership from Co-Captains Tierney and Mike Newhouse, former Co-Captains Scott Roberts and Lanny Thorndike, and several other veteran players.

"We have a solid core of experienced players," Roberts said. "Mike [Newhouse] and Scott [Tierney] understand the game, and have provided a lot of leadership."

The Crimson will make its annual spring break tour again, this year traveling to New Orleans. Harvard will meet LSU, Tulane, and the New Orleans men's club team.

April promises to be an action-packed month for the Crimson. Harvard will compete in the Ivy League Championships, the New England Invitationals, and the Beanpot, in which it will try to defend the championship it captured last spring by defeating Boston College, 10-6.

Eight All-New England players lead the long list of returnees. Mike Gibbs, who snared the honor while playing at scrum-half, has been switched to wing.

The elusive Gibbs will be paired with Thorndike on the wings in the hope of providing the squad with improved explosiveness on offense.

"There are two streaks of lightening out there," Gibbs said, "ready to stike at any time."

Gibbs has been replaced at scrum-half by Tierney, who moves from his outside center postion.

Two other All-New England backs returning are senior Nathan Koenig and fall-time football player Cory Thabit, who together will share the full-back postion. Chris North, Dave Beardsley, Chris Arbery, Annor Ackah, and Richard Butcher also add quickness and experience to the backs.

"We want to play more of an outside running game," Tierney said. "We have a lot of fast, powerful runners. We haven't had a lot of speed in the past."

In the forward pack, Roberts returns along with senior hooker Vaughn Buffalo, who has fully recovered from knee surgery. Junior John Greenbury and beefy Jon Diorio are two other All-New England players returning while Deon Strickland and Mark Sagarin also add size and experience to the front pack.

In addition to the core of experienced players, there are also several valuable new additions.

Football Captain Kevin Dulsky, linebacker Kris Thabit and former football player Todd Fairchild are three gridiron players who will be playing for the Crimson.

Thabit is injured now, but will make the New Orleans tour.

Also, sophomore Scott Helinski is a new addition to an already talented backfield.

"He has great speed, good running talent," Gibbs said. "Potentially, this is a really great backline."

While Harvard has already kicked off its spring season, the Radcliffe rugby club will begin its season after spring break.

The women ruggers had a strong fall season, and a new turnout of recruits has the squad looking for even better results this spring.

"We did really well in the fall," former Co-Captain Helen Wong said. "We should win the Ivies this year."

In addition to a slew of new players, the squad returns several key veterans which gives the squad such bright optimism.

Gillian Caldwell and Heather Flewelling, both starters since freshman year, return along with Co-Captains Eliza Schwarz and Cherie Silvera.

Radcliffe kicks off its season April 7 against MIT. The squad will then compete in the New England Championship tournament April 16-17, and then in the Ivy League tournament April 23 at Yale.

The Black and White look to avenge its close losses to Dartmouth in the finals of the Ivy Championship the last two years.