Original Article: http://dartreview.com/archives/2005/05/09/rugby_conquers_canada.php
Monday, May 9, 2005
The rain hammered Sachem field last Thursday afternoon as the Dartmouth Rugby Football Club's B-side team kicked off against the University of New Brunswick's B-side. This early game resulted in a disappointing 0-31 Dartmouth loss—however as the clouds parted, the sun and rugby gods alike seemed to smile upon the men in green.
In the A-side match, the DRFC opened with a relentless and dynamic attack that gave them a quick 17-0 lead. An early penalty kick by fullback Andrew Caspary '06 began the day for the Dartmouth offensive machine that would score 39 points on the afternoon. Following the New Brunswick kickoff, Jarred Hyatt '06 picked up a spectacular poach that was quickly spun out to flyhalf Jesse Blom '06 and fed to crashing center Scott Penner '06 for the try and conversion by Caspary. The next Dartmouth score came as UNB was pinned down on their own five meter line. Prop Brad 'Cheese' Fierstein '06 shot up from the Dartmouth defensive line like a portly lighting bolt to pick off the pass from the UNB flyhalf to their center. Fierstein sprightly waddled into the tryzone with the grin typical of a five-year-old fat kid in a candy store. As the Dartmouth ruggers' legs began to weigh heavily, their defense began to lag. A quick ball taken by the UNB scrumhalf to a crashing UNB captain/flanker resulted in the first try by the strong Canadian side, making the score 17-7. Dartmouth scrumhalf Tom Manzo '07 scored a quick try in the corner off of a powerful Dartmouth scrum on the UNB 5 meter. UNB scored a second try in the final minutes of the half off of a quick tap penalty making the half time score 22-12.
After the half, the DRFC came out exhausted and failed to play defense with the brutal tackles that have typified the team's play this season. UNB quickly scored two unconverted tries to tie the score at 22. The men in green answered with a quick penalty tap as captain Jesse Blom cheekily snuck his way into the tryzone through a fractured UNB defense. Shortly after the ensuing UNB kickoff, fullback Caspary launched a spectacular kick towards the UNB defense. He chased it down with support from Jesse Blom who made the tackle and Caspary poached the ball as wing Will T. Price '06 spun the ball to cashing center Scooter 'Canuck' Penner '06 for the try. The DRFC exchanged tries with UNB making the final 39-27.
Afterwards, the team had a tremendous night billeting and 'hanging out' with the UNB players. It was a spectacular win for the team and a great indication of the level of rugby the team is prepared to play in the fall. According to DRFC icon Graham Rasmussen '05 "the DRFC looked like a well oiled machine—just like the US armed forces in Iraq." Indeed the team played spectacularly, providing a great indication of things to come.
On Saturday the DRFC faced division rival Amherst College, treating the Purple Jefferies to a 41-5 smackdown. The match saw the return to the pitch of rugby Paul 'Recount' Heintz '06. While Paul has been busy losing the Student Assembly election and penning the Pulitzer Prize-worthy cartoon 'Guy and Fellow,' he still found time to be the impact player on the pitch this Saturday. According to the Daily Dartmouth, Heintz scored three tries on the day including one particularly spectacular score where he caught his own kick in the tryzone. He truly made a strong bid for Athlete of the Week, perhaps Athlete of the Century. The team faces UMass-Dartmouth this Saturday at home to prove that they are the most Dartmouth, perhaps even "as Dartmouth" as Daily Dartmouth columnist Stephanie Herbert.