University of Virginia Library

Ruggers Fall To Old Blue Rally

Photo By Frank Blechman

Torrid Action In Midst Of Tackle Characterizes Competition In Eighth Annual Classic

Virginia Whipped Holy Cross, 6-0, Saturday Morning; Edged Toronto Old Boys, 6-5, In Semis

Old Blue blasted an 8-0
Virginia lead, scored an
additional try and hung on to
retain the coveted
Commonwealth Cup, 11-8.

Bob Klingensmith scored
both tries for Old Blue with Ed
Malstrom splitting the crossbar
for a conversion and a 25-yard
penalty kick. But it was
Virginian Byron Shankman
who stole the show. Awarded
Most Valuable Player for his
efforts yesterday, Shankman is
described in the program blurb
as a, "Freight train ... seldom
stopped except by telephone
poles."

Virginia built up an early
lead in the first half, taking
advantage of a good scrum
pursuit, but could not hold on in
the second half. Old Blue's
well-conditioned scrummers set up
quickly and managed to pass the
ball down the line and out to the
wings to keep the Virginians at bay.

Some several thousand Rugby
enthusiasts amassed around
Nameless Field for the hard-hitting
action. Not to be dazed by the
warm weather, the Cup fans
expectedly enjoyed the freely
floating beverages of varying sorts
and delicacies, as evidenced by the
tonnage of debris left on the
perimeter of the field.

Virginia drew first blood on a
well-executed pursuit and follow
try. Courtenay Hoopes and J.B.
Trew exchanged the ball as they
barrelled down the field, with
Hoopes setting the ball down for
the try. Tom Furness successfully
converted to give the Virginians a
quick 5-0 lead. Virginia advanced
their advantage on a 30-yard
penalty kick, via an Old Blue
halfback being called for off-side,
to tally an 8-0 lead.

But Old Blue was not long in
rebuffing the Virginia effort. Bob
Klingensmith bolt
line for a try, and Ed Malstrom
recorded the two conversion points
successfully. Down 8-5, Old Blue
continued to press as the first half
drew to a close;a 25-yard penalty
kick from the foot of Ed Malstrom
tied the game, 8-8, going in to
intermission.

Old Blue stormed back in the
second half, set up a well-organized
serum, and managed to take charge
11-8, as Bob Klingensmith
journeyed down the right sideline
for the try.

Virginia was never out of the
game, and the ruggers threatened
on numerous occasions in the
second half. Byron Shankman raced
down the sideline for some 60
yards before being tacked by a
host of black-clad Old Blue players;
and the Virginia scrum stabilized
the action, although the backs were
never able to break away as they
did in the first half.

By virtue of the 11-8 victory,
Captain Bob Baden and his Old
Blues will accompany the
Commonwealth Cup back to New
York for yet another year. The
Virginia ruggers played in their fifth
championship, but for the second
year in a row, have lost a
heart breaker to Old Blue by just
three points.

Thousands of Virginia rugby
fans circled Nameless Field to see
their team vie for the Cup, and this
might testify that those thousands
will be back again next May to see
the Virginians reap vengeance on
the Old Blues and challenges for the
Cup.

Virginia advanced into the finals
with a 6-5 win over the Toronto
Old Boys Saturday afternoon. The
score was knotted at 0-0 when the
first half ended. Both sides had
several scoring opportunities, but
the defenses were stalwart in this
first half. Byron Shankman and
Allie Duckworth paced the early
Cavalier attack, while the scrums
were being controlled by Toronto.

With two minutes gone in the
second game, Allie Duckworth got
Virginia's first points. His pop goal
was good for three points.

In the closing minutes of the
game Toronto unleashed a merciless
assault on the Wahoos. With about
one minute remaining, Tim Brown
brought Toronto back into
contention with a try. Bryan

Bennett's' conversion left Virginia
clinging onto a precarious one point
lead as the game ended.

The other semi-final match
found Old Blue meeting Amherst.
All the scoring in this match came
in the first half. Old Blue's points
came on two tries, a conversion,
and a penalty kick. Amherst scored
a try and a conversion. The second
half was a standoff.

Virginia's first match of the
tournament was against Holy Cross
Saturday morning. In this contest
there was no score until the final
eight minutes of play. Byron
Shankman followed Alan
McAllister's kick for a try. The
conversion attempt by Tom Furniss
was no good. Several minutes later
Furniss connected on a drop kick
to bring the final score to 6-0.