Men's rugby wins big, again

Author: Peter Baumann

When you have not lost a regular season game in ten years, like the Middlebury men's rugby team, you know you are going to get every opponent's best shot. When the opponent is the rival school 40 miles to your North, you are going to get even more. Under that backdrop, the squad hosted the University of Vermont (UVM) this weekend and posted another dominating victory, easily besting the Catamounts 48-0.

"UVM's lone goal for the year was to beat us," said Rugby Club President Max Levine '09. "They've constructed a big team, and their pack greatly outweighed ours. To their credit, our forwards did a great job containing their size and strength."

With their front-line successfully tying up the Catamount's size, Middlebury's backs were able to use their advantage in speed and quickness. This became evident early on, as Middlebury scored thrice in the first ten minutes of the game, with all three scores coming from kicks over the top with chases.

This has been a season of transition for the Panthers, as the fall initiated the first full year under co-head coaches Kevin O'Brien and John Phillips. With them, the two coaches bring a style of play that differs slightly from that of Ward Patterson, who led the team to a National Championship during the spring 2007 season. O'Brien and Phillips emphasize a more reactionary style of play, preferring the players to make quick decisions based on what is happening on the field rather than rely on set plays. While the strategy requires that the players be able to read what is happening and make split-second decisions in instant time, Levine thinks that after three games, the team is starting to get the handle of the scheme.

"I'm not sure that [the strategy] dominated the game," he said, "but there were definitely moments where we benefited from that style of play. We are finally realizing that our backs are where our greatest strength is."

While on the field the team's strength might lie in their back line, the program as a whole draws its power from its immense popularity on campus. This year there are over 60 active members and the club fields three full teams. The result is a team that boasts enviable depth. This weekend, for example, the Panthers were missing four normal starters due to injury, yet still trotted out a starting line-up featuring only one player who had not played first-team rugby before.

"We have players that would not only be starting, but would be star players on most other teams in the league who aren't starting for us," said Levine. "Some even play in the second game."

While this scenario might lend itself to discontent amongst the non-starters, Levine is quick to note that this is not the case within Middlebury rugby.

"[Lack of playing time] hasn't deterred anyone," he said. "Everyone is committed to the idea of the team. We play for our brothers."

On Saturday, the men played like the team it professes to be, with the forwards controlling the size and strength of UVM and the backs exploiting their speed advantage on the edges. On top of that, Andrew Peters '08.5 and Ed Cahill '09.5 controlled the kicking game, with Peters recording four tries, and Cahill two.

The victory meant even more to the Panthers than normal, as the team played the game honoring Pavlo Levkov '11. Taking the field on his birthday, with his memorial service scheduled for later in the afternoon, Middlebury wore black armbands to memorialize the classmate, teammate and friend.

With the win the Panthers average margin of victory on the year sits at 51 points, and they once again top the New England Rugby Football Union rankings. While they can expect to get each opponent's best shot, it is safe to say that even as a team in transition, the Panthers will be ready.