University of Virginia Library

Old Blue Wins Second
Commonwealth Contest

By Tovi Kratovil

Photo by Mike Glidewell

Butch Dietler, Aggressive Cavalier Back, Smacks Opposing Player From Toronto

In Commonwealth Cup Play This Weekend, Old Blue Topped Virginia In Finals

In its fourth finals berth in seven
years, the Virginia Rugby Football
Club failed to carry off its
first Commonwealth Cup despite
one of the finest performances
ever given by the University XV.
Before an emotional, vocal crowd
estimated at over 2,000, Old Blue
of New York defeated Virginia
6 to 3, on a handsome Sunday
afternoon.

Virginia's nifty fly, Alistair
Duckworth, drew first blood with
a dropped goal, drop-kicking

through the bamboo uprights from
thirty-five yards out after taking
the ball from a ruck, stunning
the crowd and opposition.

Injuries To Old Blue

Then in rapid succession two
more disasters befell the defending
champions from New York, as
outside Hersch and scrummer
Shonstrom dropped their heads
while running with the ball and
tackling respectively, and met with
injury at the hands of their determined
opposition. As no substitution
for any reason is allowed
in Rugby once the match is begun,
Old Blue was down two
players for several minutes until
Shonstrom returned to play, and
without one for the remainder of
the game.

But with the experience teamwork,
and grit for which the New
York club is known wherever it
plays, Old Blue rallied to contain
the powerful Cavalier backline,
and scored two unconverted
corner tries, to retain possession
of the Cup.

MVP Of Tourney

Inside Derek Bush, voted the
Tournament's MVP by a selection
committee headed by Eastern
Rugby Union President Ed Lee,
scored one try by selling a lovely
dummy pass to Virginia's waiting
front row, and slithering in for a
score. His careful pop-kicking bottled
up Virginia backline movements
by restricting play to Virginia's
end of the pitch during
much of the second half, and
helped set up Old Blue's other
score.

The game ended just as Virginia,
pressing with every ounce
of strength left after a three game
schedule in two days, had made
another in a series of deep penetrations
into Old Blue ground
late in the last half, as the strength
and superior numbers of the host
club began to outweigh the experience
and desire of Old Blue.

Captain's Comment

As New York Captain Hagerty
graciously admitted after the game
in accepting the trophy (a beer
can, in lieu of the Cup which had
been left behind by the victors
in New York), "I was very happy
to hear the whistle blow;" but
there was no doubt that the visitors,
winning though down by a
man for most of the match, richly
deserved the award.

After champion Old Blue and
runner-up Virginia, Brown and
Richmond tied for third place
with identical 2-1 records after
first round losses. Toronto and
Wisconsin tied for fifth with 1-2
records, and the Consolation
game Baltimore defeated Williams
to place seventh, with the Massachusetts
side eighth.

First Round:

Wisconsin 26—Richmond 6

Old Blue 26—Williams 0

Virginia 18—Brown 11

Toronto 11—Baltimore 6

Second Round Winners:

Virginia 11—Toronto 5

Old Blue 31—Wisconsin 3