University of Virginia Library

Virginia Bombs On Broadway

Ruggers Fall To Old Blue

By Bill Nachman
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Trekking north to Manhattan,
the Virginia Rugby A and
B sides fell to two well -
conditioned Old Blue squads.
The A team, was downed, 17-0,
while the Turques succumbed,
11-6.

Virginia A, hindered by
Old Blue ability to control the
flow of play had trouble
mounting its offensive fireworks
the entire afternoon.
Fielding a team which has
played together for the last
three years, Old Blue's steady
attack was too polished for the
Virginia ruggers at this stage of
the season.

"By no means was this match a
rout," said Cavalier captain Jay
Waldron. "The New Yorkers offered
us a challenge which we could
not quite cope with. Though the
match was played on a wet field, it
was not the playing conditions, but
the play, which determined the outcome
of the match."

Hindered by an injury to scrum
half Wick Williams, the A side was
forced to change its standard lineup.
Tom Furniss, the usual fly,
moved in to cover for Williams.
Turque Marty Millichap then filled
in at fly half for Furniss.

Two battles were seen on the
pitch Saturday. Virginia divided
these with the 'Yankees'. A backline
fight was witnessed between
outside counter Tom Hagerty (Old
Blue) and Virginia's inside threat
Courtney Hoopes. Hoopes, who
was hurt in action against Old Blue
last May, won the individual kudos
this time.

Another interesting matchup
was at scrum half. Tom Furniss,
though giving it his all, was simply
outclassed by Old Blue's Dick Donelli.
Donelli, an All-East quarterback
at Columbia several years ago,
returned to the pitch after open
heart surgery last season. At 6', 200
Donelli is not that large, but he was
given a tryout several years ago
with the New York Giants. His 25
yard shuffle passes out from the
scrum gave Virginia headaches; he is
so strong that he whips the pass all
the way down the backline to the
outside, whereas most scrum halfs
can only toss about half the distance.

Art Sprinkle anchored an
experienced scrum for the Old
Blues. Sprinkle, onetime captain of
Columbia's basketball team, is a
sprite, fleet, balding locker whose
agility and uncanny balance seemingly
bolstered the already talented
scrum.

Virginia's B side also saw little
mercy from their hosts. Rallying in
the second period, the Turques fell

by an 11-6 margin. Mark Storm's
penalty midway through the second
half was the first points scored
against the Old Blue B's in some 11
matches.

Star performer for the Turques
was wing Joe Jennings. Jennings,
who was knocked unconscious in
the first five minutes of the match,
recovered sufficiently to score a try
and dazzle the home-standing New
York crowd with three runs of at
least fifty yards each. Jennings insists
that he doesn't even remember
playing in the match (much less
trying).

Before the squads headed back
Sunday night to the University, the
A side tangled with the 'Over Thirty'
Club from New York City. The
'Over Thirties' sent the Virginians
back to C'ville with a disheartening
15-12 setback; brought about with
a last minute try and conversion.

Hampden-Sydney's A unit was
too strong for the fourth Virginia
side, as three New Zealanders paved
the way to an 8-5 win.

Sunday finds the A and B
squads down in Raleigh visiting
N.C.State.