GREEN DEFEATS BROWN
Providence, Rhode Island
October 17, 2009
Trailing Dartmouth by 12-5 in the first half, Brown was unable to upset the undefeated Dartmouth First XV in the final weekend of the Ivy League season, dropping the First XV match by a score of 36-15. Brown, as they have repeatedly done during the season, lost their way early in the second half, giving up four early second half tries to put the match out of reach. Brown, to its credit never gave up and its three tries in the match exceeded the scoring of any other Ivy opponent against Dartmouth this season.
The Second XV was also defeated by Dartmouth 36-10, but on Parent’s Weekend at Brown, every healthy squad member was given some field and all gave it their best effort.
The regular season is now over and, Brown has finished in sole possession of third place and will travel to Harvard next Saturday for a one match playoff. Here’s the format: number one Dartmouth will host number four Yale and number two Harvard will host number three Brown. The two winners will move on to the Northeast Territorial playoffs in November. For the losers, the season will be over next Saturday. Here’s how the Ivy teams finished the season: Dartmouth 7-0, Harvard 6-1, Brown 5-2, Yale 4-3, Princeton 3-4, Columbia, Penn and Cornell, all at 1-6. The bottom four teams will have a bye week on the 24th and will play one more match on October 31 to determine the final fifth through eighth standings.
Time and location of the Harvard match on the 24th will be emailed to all and will be posted on the Brown Rugby website.
First XV
Brown’s organization and pattern seemed to catch Dartmouth by surprise and Brown spent a good deal of time in the Dartmouth end but couldn’t finish off their moves either through sloppy handling or poor decisions. Dartmouth, however capitalized on a couple of Brown mistakes in coverage and missed tackles and scored one unconverted and one converted try in the first 20 minutes of the first half. Brown’s defensive determination and pressure caused some uncharacteristic Dartmouth turnovers and the match settled into a defensive battle for the rest of the half.
At the end of the first half, Brown, in control, won a series of rucks, and spun the ball wide to left wing Dow Travers’11 who drew his defender and passed inside to fullback Sam Rabb who scored a try to end the half 12-5.
Brown needed to come out in the second half and take control but failed as Dartmouth scored a converted try within the first five minutes to up its lead to 19-5. Brown fought back deep into the Dartmouth end and from a lineout put scrum half Taylor Peak’11 over the line to lower the margin to 19-10 only 8 minutes into the half.
At this point Brown’s scrummaging, lineouts, rucks and tackling were all less effective than the first half. As well Brown gave Dartmouth too many counter attack opportunities by not finding touch with its kicks. Dartmouth, however, did not run away with the match at all, but Brown conceded three tries (one converted) over the ensuing 28 minutes to provide Dartmouth with an insurmountable 36-10 lead. With five minutes left in the match, an errant clearing kick by Dartmouth was taken by Rabb at fullback and passed to outside center James McGinn’12. McGinn broke through and ran to the five meter line where left wing Travers stripped the ball from McGinn and went over the line for Brown’s final 5 points.
The match was refereed by Phil Griffiths.
First XV Squad
1. Bob Forrester ’10, replaced by Mohammed Abdallah’11 at 70 minutes
2. Jay Smith’10, replaced by Dan Levine-Spound’12 at 65 minutes of the match
3. Andrew Alvarez’11
4. Ben Mossbarger’10
5. Rall Walsh’10, replaced by Forrester at 70 minutes
6. Gabe Heiderich’10, replaced by Zach Long’13 at 65 minutes
7. David Dean’10, preplaced by Walsh at 70 minutes
8. Chaney Harrison’11
9. Taylor Peak’12
10. Brad Arlington’10
11. Dow Travers’11
12. Hao Li’10
13. James McGinn’12
14. Ben Baker’10
15. Sam Rabb’10
Second XV
Brown matched the Dartmouth Seconds for the first half of the match but was swept away in the second half, losing 36-10. The visitors broke the ice with an unconverted try at 8 minutes. Brown countered as the ball was sent to the backs, reaching right wing Zach Bleckner’12 who sprinted to the line, then generously passed to supporting center Cole Erickson’10 for the unconverted try and a 5-5 score. Minutes later, Hooker Dan Levine-Spound’12 broke from a maul, breaking three tackles and running 50 meters. A dangerous tackle at the 5 meter line caused the referee to award a penalty try to Dan for a Brown 10-5 lead. Dartmouth scored and converted just as the half ended to retake the lead 12-10, but the match at this juncture was even and exciting.
Brown put a number of rookies into the match for the second half to give everyone some rugby and Brown was unable to keep up with Dartmouth, conceding 24 second half points. The new players needed match time and parents and supporters enjoyed the enthusiasm and skill development of these rookie Brown ruggers.
Second XV Squad
1. Mohammed Abdalah’11
2. Dan Levine-Spound’12
3. Troy Shapiro’10
4. Martin Bell’11, replaced by Nate Bishop’13 in the second half
5. Alex Hansen’10, replaced by Mike Donnell’12 in the second half.
6. Adam Leonard’10
7. Brian Kelly’13, replaced in the second half by James Baffoni’12
8. Zach Long’13
9. Ben Lux’09
10. Ted Orf’12
11. Jeff Weinreb’12, replaced in the second half by Ari Nakos’13
12. John Goddard’13, replaced by Blair Cameron’13
13. Cole Erickson’10
14. Zach Bleckner’12, replaced by Nick Donais’13
15. Han Yung Lee’12, replaced by Simon Swig’13