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Written by Alex Goff and Jackie Finlan
Saturday, 04 June 2011 14:27 |
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Dartmouth Wins CRC Thriller |
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Sevens -
Collegiate Sevens
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 Coming off a 17-12 defeat of Utah, Dartmouth had to feel confident facing the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame at the USA 7s Collegiate Rugby Championships in Philadelphia.
But they aren’t called the Fighting Irish for nothing, as Notre Dame made Dartmouth work for everything in an exciting 24-19 Big Green win.
For two minutes early on, Dartmouth worked the ball down to Notre Dame's end and looked so very patient before Chris Downer finished off the effort with a dive-over try in the corner. Dartmouth led 5-0.
Then it was 10-0 as Nick Downer helped set up the next try from midfield, eating up ground he is absolutely slammed in the tackle but still manages to put some distance on his pass to Tanner Scott. The wing outraces everyone 40 meters to the corner.
Scott did much the same moments later, this time the try gets converted by Downer.
But Notre Dame started to build some good movements. Nick Severyn got the first try, finishing of a nice series of offloading. The try started when Dartmouth blew over a ruck inside their 22-meter-line, but no one claimed the ball and it lay there, exposed, for Notre Dame to steal.
17-5 at halftime.
“As we all know, an end-of-half, end-of-game try can make a huge difference,” said Dartmouth Head Coach Alex Magleby.
And that it did. Kevin Ritt scored for Notre Dame and with Andy O'Connor’s conversion it was 17-12. Then, with Ritt in the blood bin after a nasty hit, O’Connor sliced through for the tying try. His conversion put Notre Dame ahead, much to the delight of the vociferous Irish supporters.
But the final say was Dartmouth’s. Notre Dame’s Muhammed Abdul-Shakoor was hauled down after a long run, and Dartmouth countered, finally getting the ball into the hands of TJ Cameron for the try.
Dartmouth had escaped. Just.
“We knew it was going to be touch and go,” said Dartmouth Head Coach Alex Magleby, as he prepared to take his team out of the sun and back to their hotel for a break. “At the end of the half there we gave up a bit of possession and made a couple of mistakes.”
Magleby said the situation was the opposite against Utah, where all his team needed was some possession to score some tries.
Against Notre Dame, it was the Irish that dominated ball control.
“They kept the ball real nicely for a long stretch of time and scored on us,” said Magleby. “We had some new guys in there in the 2nd half and they made some uncharacteristic decisions. In the end we escaped against a good Notre Dame team.”
Magleby said Dartmouth looked good in moments, but the players – some new to rugby – are still learning.
“It was a learning experience for us and in no way was it a comprehensive game for us.”
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Written by Will Dietrich-Egensteiner
Saturday, 04 June 2011 14:14 |
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CWU Comeback to Beat Navy |
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Sevens -
Collegiate Sevens
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Central Washington needed to bounce back after their narrow loss to Army in the first match and they did just that against Navy, winning 14-7. 
| A Central Washington player strides down the touchline during the match against Navy. (Photo Marvin Dangerfield)
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Navy spoiled their chances with a few knock ons after good runs but they finally found the try zone when Seamus Siefring found a gap and broke a tackle to score under the posts. After Carid Scovill converted the try the score was 7-0.
Central Washington made it to the Navy 22-meter line but the solid Navy defense forced them into touch. After the lineout, Central Washington regained possession and pushed closer to the line. Sustained pressure paid off when Patrick Blair picked the ball off a ruck and dove over. With a successful conversion by Aaron Lee the match was tied at 7 at halftime.
In the second half, Navy intercepted a loose pass but again knocked the ball forward. Central Washington gathered it and Penisoni Rokocoko caught the pass and cut back past a Navy defender to dot down under the posts. Lee converted for the last score of the game, Central Washington taking the victory 14-7.
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Saturday, 04 June 2011 10:19 |
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Changes Afoot in 7s Program? |
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RUGBYmag Premier -
Exclusive News
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USA 7s team coach Al Caravelli appears to be looking to make some changes in his lineup and his approach going into the next season.
All players will need to re-earn their places on the squad after a somewhat disappointing two tournaments in London and Edinburgh, and players will likely have to make sure they play in the National All-Star Championships (unless they are on the USA 15s team) to be considered.
Indications are also that Caravelli may be returning to his old coaching style, where it was less player-centric and more coach-knows-best.
Whatever the particulars, it does seem clear from sources and from conversations with Caravelli that the coach wants to see some changes in personnel, attitude, and approach to the game.
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Written by Pat Clifton
Saturday, 04 June 2011 13:07 |
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Eagles Embarrassed by Saxons |
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National Teams -
USA Men
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A young, inexperienced Eagles side was dominated in absolutely every facet of the game in their 87-8 loss to the England Saxons Saturday in Northampton, England in the first round of the Churchill Cup. The Eagles opened scoring with a Tai Enosa penalty in the very early going, but that would be one of few highlights on the day, as the Saxons ran off 12 tries and 87-consecutive points before Scott LaValla touched down the Eagles' only try in the 78th minute. The Saxons' talent, skill and experience gap was most obvious was at the scrum, where they drove the Americans at will, drawing upwards half a dozen penalties for collapsing the scrum. The Saxons' fifth try was a penalty try, awarded after the Eagles' were called for a second scrum penalty in less than a minute. Starters Phil Thiel and Eric Fry were subbed off early in the second half for Shawn Pittman and Chris Biller, but the changes didn't improve the American scrum. Pittman, in all fairness, was playing out of position at loosehead. He plays tighthead regularly for the London Welsh. The Eagles also struggled in the lineout, but fared much better in that setpiece than in the scrum. The throws did gain more consistency when Biller took over at hooker for Thiel. The Eagles managed to put together a threat when trailing 26-3 late in the first half. Enosa caught an out pass off a ruck, stepped through the England defense, offloaded to openside flanker Danny LaPrevotte, who then dished to John van der Giessen to inch the Americans near deep inside England's 22. This bit of ball movement was the USA's most impressive on the day, but possession was turned over in the ruck following van der Giessen being brought down. The Eagles quickly turned England over and marched straight back to the Saxons' line, but Fry knocked on before touching the ball down. That would be USA's last sniff at points until LaValla scored in the dying minutes. The Eagles take on Tonga Wednesday at Moseley Road. That game will be webcast live on Universalsports.com at 12:30 ET and aired in tape delay on Universal Sports at 8pm ET. The Saxons game will premier on Universal Sports ay 6pm today.
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Written by Will Dietrich-Egensteiner
Saturday, 04 June 2011 11:55 |
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Dartmouth Upset Utah |
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Sevens -
Collegiate Sevens
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Defending CRC champions Utah took on Dartmouth in the fourth match of the day. Utah looked to be favorites but Dartmouth dug deep and pulled off an upset in their first contest.
| Dartmouth's TJ Cameron runs to score the winning try against Utah. (Photo by Marvin Dangerfield)
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Utah scored a quick first-half try and further increased their lead when Tonata Lauti scored the team’s second try, but Blake Miller missed the conversion, making the score 12-0.
Dartmouth began a comeback when Nick Downer made a break before passing to Tanner Scott, who dropped it. Dartmouth regained possession but Utah pushed them back with strong tackling. Scott made up for his earlier error by getting the ball and scoring in the left corner. Nick Downer’s conversion was no good, but Dartmouth had cut into Utah’s lead, 12-5, at halftime.
After halftime, Dartmouth was awarded a penalty in the Utah half after a Utah player entered the ruck in the side and the quick tap was taken by Scott. He made a big run down the right touchline and offloaded just before going into touch. Chris Downer was there to collect the pass and score. Nick Downer missed the conversion and the score stood at 12-10.
Utah’s Vernon Ale made a break but a penalty was awarded to Dartmouth. Dartmouth won the lineout and TJ Cameron caught a pop pass and raced 40 meters to score, with Nick Downer adding the conversion to seal the upset at 17-12.
Dartmouth’s Nick Downer said his team was happy with the win but couldn’t dwell on it if they wanted to keep winning. “We just have to play our brand of rugby and forget about this win and focus on the next game,” he said. “We won’t do well if we keep playing that way.”
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Page 1289 of 1449 |
