University of Virginia Library

Lose A Kicking Game

The lead, unfortunately, was
short-lived. The Cavaliers' relative
inexperience cost them a couple of
tries when the Watsonians took
advantage of some unnecessary
errors that an American side would
probably have failed to capitalize
on. Tiring in the second half, the
Virginians forsook their successful
running attack for a kicking game
that played into the hands of the
Scots, allowing them to build an
insurmountable lead. A last minute
Cavalier bid to win was stopped
inches short of the try line.

The Cavaliers, blistered by their
walking tours of historic Edinburgh
and an abortive attempt on Tuesday
night to recapture the city's
13th century castle from a regiment
of Scottish Greys, played their
worst game of the tour on Wednesday
afternoon losing 34-8. The
opposition was provided by the
Scottish Wayfarers, a group selected
from members of other clubs which
plays in Edinburgh on Wednesday
afternoons.

As John Frame, a Scottish
international player who came out
to see the Yanks play, observed,
"Your chaps are a bit slow getting
to the ruck today." And so they
were - the highlight of the match
was the hot shower provided by the
Wayfarers afterwards.

Frame, for all of his bravado,
was beaten to the bar by the entire
Virginia scrum at the party following
the game.

The B side, however, fared much
better, clobbering a group of
players from Edinburgh University
22-0 in a game arranged in a pub
the previous night. So the team left
Scotland buoyed by the knowledge
that some Americans could definitely
beat some Scots.

So, with fond farewells, to the
Hotel Ritz and its staff, the Princes
Street Gardens and Edinburgh
Castle, and the touring Irish
Women's Field Hockey team, the
club set off for London and the
English half of the tour. Edinburgh
and its ruggers had provided an
enjoyable and hospitable week, but
the A team was still hungry for that
first victory.