Rugby Opens Season With Win

By Douglas Heyman | Wednesday, October 15, 1997

The Dartmouth Rugby Football Club has been in Hanover since August 28th, three weeks before classes started. The team has worked hard to develop what we have today: a lean, mean, green rugging machine. The DRFC has become, over the last few weeks, a team literally brimming with potential and the season promises to be a treat.

The DRFC has opened its season with a 4-0 record in the New England Premier League and is 6-1-1 in all games.

Dartmouth opened the 1997 fall season with a series of international and non-conference tests. The DRFC sauteed the French of Paris' Sorbonne University 43-5 on Sept. 1, stomped on the Canadians of McGill 38-3 on Sept. 4, tied the Northern Canadians of Bishops University 19-19 on Sept. 6, crusaded against Holy Cross 61-0 on Sept.13, whipped their neighbors at UNH 54-0 on Sept. 20, flame-broiled the steaks of UConn 32-10 on Sept. 27, and lost to Army (disclaimer: Army was the Green's second game of the weekend, and the West Point side was fresh) 14-28.

On Saturday, Oct. 4, winger Dave 'Cheesepants' Miller '98 scored 20 points on a try, a penalty goal and six conversions to lead the Big Green to a 55-5 win over Harvard at Sachem Field. Seven different players scored tries in the crushing victory over the arrogant Crimson.

Midway through the first quarter, hooker Max Swedlow '98 won the ball at a Harvard scrum by thrusting his sausage-like leg out to cut off the ball. The ball went down the line and back to Swedlow, who plays more wing than any hooker in college rugby history, and put flanker Alex 'Chocolate Nights' Magleby '00 away for the score. Winger Miller kicked the conversion for a 7-0 lead, and his penalty kick, a few minutes later, made it 10-0.

Dartmouth dominated the game from the start when Miller scored and kicked the conversion for a 17-0 lead. Seconds afterwards, while returning to his side of the field to return Harvard's kick, Co-captain and flanker Adam 'I left my heart in Italy' Himoff '98 was overheard saying, 'We lead because I will it to be so...or because they are simply afraid of my wrath.'

Midway through the second period, prop Dan Thibeault '97 ran through the Harvard defense like the little stout, buttery, chug-a-chug-a-choo-choo that he is and set a ruck. Scrumhalf and Captain Doug Burnaford '98 ran weak, evading Harvard's back row as well as his own recoiling backfat, and passed to lock Doug Heyman '98. Heyman passed on to a sprinting Magleby who drew a defender on the sideline and passed to winger Tom Miller '98, who, utilizing his uniquely incomprehensible running style and dashingly slippery technique, raced in for the score. Dave Miller's conversion made it 24-0.

Late in the half, the Dartmouth forwards, because of their sweetness, won several consecutive rucks, and eventually prop Thibeault ran in for the try. Miller's conversion made it 31-0 at the half.

Half time was kind of a treat: water, vas, chit chat.

Early in the third quarter, the Big Green forwards won a series of rucks and scrumhalf Burnaford ran to the weak side without thanking his forwards for their help, and he drew the defender and passed to Swedlow on the wing for the score. Miller's conversion missed.

At the sixty-four minute mark, from a Dartmouth scrum, #8 Kevin 'Charles Darwin is a crackpot' Whitcher '98 took the ball from the center, ran into space and set a ruck..Whitcher soon scored the try to make it 41-5.

Soon afterwards, scrumhalf Burnaford went over for another Dartmouth try after a series of rucks. Once again, he neglected to show any appreciation for the forwards supreme effort, failing to dispense even a high five or a little spanking. Miller's conversion made it 48-5. This time Miller smiled, but later I discovered that was because his underwear was bunching up.

At the seventy-two minute mark, Fullback Scott 'Lily' Whiting '99 counterattacked from a poor Harvard kick. After dishing the ball off, T. Miller ran down the sideline and passed back inside to Whiting for the impressive try. Miller's conversion made the final score 55-5.

Dartmouth travels to Brown next week in a Premier League match. The Big
Green are seeking their fourth consecutive New England championship.

Rugby Opens Season With Win

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