University of Virginia Library

Colloquium

Eight Sides To Compete For Commonwealth Cup

By BILL NACHMAN

Standing there in short
pants and being hounded by 30
sweaty, bloody athletes is a
challenge dear to the heart of
the referee. It takes that special
breed of man to brave the
taunts and jeers of the crowd; a
lesser man would cringe at the
choruses of "The Ref beats his
wife...." that emanate from
one side of the field to the
other.

In rugby, if—the referee
didn't see it, it didn't happen.
But this weekend the officials
will have their eyes open as
they will be in Charlottesville
to referee the eleventh annual
Commonwealth Cup, the
oldest and most prestigious
rugby tourney in the United
States today.

The eight sides represented
this weekend encompass some
of the finest sides in the East
and Midwest (including one
team from Canada). Each side
brings to the tournament a
distinct brand of play. It is the
referee, the acting judge and
jury, who will turn these
seemingly squalid piles of
fighting men into a highly
ordered framework where skill,
courage, endurance and luck
each play out their role to an
end that can never be
predicted.

Until the final whistle
sounds Sunday afternoon,
signalling the end of the
tourney, the big question will
remain unanswered: "Who will
be named 1972 champion of
the Eastern Rugby Union?"
Three teams have a definite
shot at this honor going into
the weekend matches.

Manhattan Ruggers

The Manhattan Rugby
Football Club, the defending
titlists, is my choice as the top
seed. This New York
City-based contingent is highly
regarded throughout the East
and is perennially a member of
the ten top teams as selected
by Rugby U.S.A., the
semi-official organ of the sport
in this country. I have watched
them play before; it was a rare
treat: top-notch scrum play,
quick passing along the
backline. Flyhalf Rhodri
Thomas, formerly of the Welsh
National team, was tabbed for
the first Eastern Rugby Union
all-star side. Watch them if you
want to know what rugby is all
about.

Not too far behind in
finesse is the Washington
Rugby Club, my second seed.
Last spring it was the top
side in the East. Prop Harry
Kent, center Mike Conroy, and
wing Robbie Boardley all were
picked for the Eastern Rugby
Union All-Stars. If you're after
a powerful well-balanced
attack then Washington is the
answer.

Another Seed

Also making a run at top
ranking in the East is the
Philadelphia Rugby Club. The
scrum features former VPI
linebacker Clarence Culpeper
(first side Eastern Rugby
Union) and prop Smedley
Sharp, whose name perfectly
describes the forward play of
this side. They might be more
accustomed to Fairmount
Park, but the Pennsylvanians
could win it all on Nameless
Field.

No Others Ranked

These three are the only
teams that I'm brave enough
to seed. The other sides offer
largely diverse styles, but any
one of them would love
nothing better than to pull an
upset.

Birmingham Park (Alabama)
is a literal family affair. The
four Krebs brothers (two
wings, two centers) comprise
half the backline. Another
back is Tom Sommerville, an
All-American gridder at
Alabama.

Bolstered by some Irish and
Australian graduate students
and a few footballers, Ohio
State University is possibly the
most experienced side next to
Manhattan. The team is
undefeated against college
competition this season, as it
has been the past two years.

Using an alias of the Balmy
Beach Rugby Club, the former
Toronto (Canada) Old Boys are
a first division Canadian side.
One scrummer and a back were
picked on the All-Canada
squad.

Sponsored by the Budweiser
Beer Works, the St. Louis
Bombers are absolutely
enormous. The average
member of the forwards tilts
the scales at 225.

Cavalier Stars

Host Virginia banks its
hopes on a very fast backfield
and a well-regimented scrum.
Key personnel include
scrumhalf Mike Frakes, flyhalf
Tom Furniss, second row Jay
Waldron, and wing forward
Byron Shanman.

Continuous action all day
Saturday with concurrent
matches running on Nameless
and Carr's Hill Fields at 10,
11:30, 2 and 4. Consolations
Sunday at 10 and 11:30 a.m.,
with the finals being held at 2
p.m.

The referees should keep
their eyes open. It is probably
the best Cup field in along time,
with the Eastern Rugby Union
championship at stake.