M. Rugger's Nab Peter Covo Cup

The Harvard men's rugby team captured the Peter Covo Memorial Cup this weekend in its annual battle with McGill College from Montreal, Canada.

The Crimson riggers capitalized on a penalty kick with under a minute left to play to beat McGill, 9-7.

All of Harvard's scoring in the match came by way of the penalty kick, which is worth three points. Junior Chris Baker kicked the three scores to boost the Crimson to the victory.

"The game was a good result for the whole team," Baker said.

The game was a hard fought battle that featured excellent rugby from both sides.

Harvard jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first half on Baker's first kick. Baker added his second score before the half to give Harvard a 6-0 lead going into the break.

McGill opened the second half with a renewed effort and scored a try--the rugby equivalent of a touchdown and worth five points--rather quickly into the half.

McGill then converted the two point attempt (awarded after a try) to take a 7-6 lead in the match.

From that point on, the teams, played even rugby, with neither team giving an inch.

But Harvard would bounce back.

With about thirty seconds remaining in the match, Harvard made a final run.

A foul was called and Baker converted the ensuing kick to give the Crimson the 9-7 victory and the Cup.

"We showed a lot of character in the game," freshman rigger Nick Simunovic said. "We were not rattled at all when McGill scored its try."

"McGill is a very good team," senior co-captain Jim Kryzanski said. "It is a big rivalry and a big win."

The annual battle with McGill celebrates the first intercollegiate sporting event in North America.

McGill and Harvard first met on the rugby pitch in 1873, and since then the teams have played regularly.

The teams now play each year alternating home sites between the two schools.

The teams battle for the Covo Cup and then spend the night celebrating the occasion. The winner is owner of the cup until the next year, when it will be put back on the line yet again.

The victory raised the Crimson's record to 5-4 on the season.

The season has been marked by a number of highs and lows. The team suffered several close losses but also came through with some huge wins.

But the McGill win is far and away the highlight of a sometimes-bumpy season.

"This is a few more losses than usual for the Harvard rugby team," Kryzanski said. "We have a young team this year, though. The win over McGill shows how much our team has improved."

"The McGill game was instrumental in preparing the team for the Ivy Championships and the Beanpot in the spring," Simunovic said. "We will enter the winter with a lot of confidence."

The team will wrap up its fall season this weekend with a match against Yale. The match will precede The Game and will take place at the Harvard pitch in the Soldier's Field Complex.

Yale is of course Yale and a win over the Elis would be a great way to end the season.

"I think we have a good chance against Yale," Baker said. "We are coming off a couple of good victories and want to end our season with a win."