1978 National Rugby Championships

The 1978 National Rugby Championships were a series of tournaments organized to determine a national champion in several divisions for United States rugby teams. The divisions included College, Women's club and Interterritorial.

1978 National Rugby Championships
Tournament details
Tournament format(s)Various
Date1978
Tournament statistics
Final
← 1977 (Previous)
(Next) 1979 →

College

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The 1978 College championship took place from February 4–5 at LSU's Parade Grounds in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.[1] Palmer College of Chiropractic were the champions.[2] Palmer had previously won championships in 1972 and 1973[3][4] and were runners-up in 1976. Palmer won three matches in the series to win the title.[5]
Championship Bracket

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
February 4 - Baton Rouge, LA
 
 
Palmer20
 
February 4 – Baton Rouge, LA
 
Georgia0
 
Palmer20
 
February 4 - Baton Rouge, LA
 
Kentucky0
 
Kentucky 3
 
February 5 – Baton Rouge, LA
 
Oklahoma0
 
Palmer19
 
February 4 - Baton Rouge, LA
 
LSU4
 
Miami (OH)11
 
February 4 – Baton Rouge, LA
 
Florida3
 
LSU22
 
February 4 - Baton Rouge, LA
 
Miami (OH)3 Third place
 
LSU 6
 
February 5 – Baton Rouge, LA
 
Texas A&M0
 
Kentucky10
 
 
Miami (OH)0
 

Consolation Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFifth place
 
      
 
February 4 – Baton Rouge, LA
 
 
Georgia30
 
February 5 – Baton Rouge, LA
 
Oklahoma16
 
Georgia4
 
February 4 – Baton Rouge, LA
 
Texas A&M10
 
Texas A&M18
 
 
Florida8
 
Seventh place
 
 
February 5 – Baton Rouge, LA
 
 
Oklahoma13
 
 
Florida4

Final

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5 February 1978
Palmer19–4LSU
Try: Duncan Hales 30'
Duncan Hales
Duncan Hales 70' c
Con: Mike Halliday
Pen: Mike Halliday 5'
[6]Try: Tommy Martin
Baton Rouge
Attendance: 2000
Referee: Dr. Peter Jones

The Inter Territorial Tournament involved the four regional rugby unions comprising the United States RFU: Pacific Coast RFU, Western RFU, Midwest RFU, and the Eastern Rugby Union. The region teams are formed from selected players from the sub regional rugby unions. Subsequently, the USA Eagles are selected from the four regional teams after the ITT concludes.[7] The 1978 edition was sponsored by Michelob and played as a round robin from June 10–11 on Aviation Field at Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri.[8]

10 June 1978
Midwest17–12Western
St. Louis, MO
10 June 1978
Eastern7–24Pacific Coast
St. Louis, MO
10 June 1978
Midwest13–9Pacific Coast
Try: Paul Pauluzzi
Gary Wilson
St. Louis, MO
10 June 1978
Eastern41–8Western
St. Louis, MO
11 June 1978
Western44–6Pacific Coast
St. Louis, MO
11 June 1978
Eastern27–16Midwest
St. Louis, MO
Team W L F A
1 Pacific Coast Grizzlies 2 1 77 27
2 Eastern Colonials 2 1 75 48
3 Midwest Thunderbirds 2 1 46 48
4 Western Mustangs 0 3 27 102

Women's Club

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The 1978 Women's National Rugby Classic for club teams was co-sponsored by the Chicago Women's Rugby Football Club and Michelob beer. The teams invited needed to have won a major regional title and have a winning record.[9] The games were played at Lion's Park in Mount Prospect, Illinois.[10] The team from Portland, Maine won the championship with four shutouts: 3–0 over Denver Blues in the first round, 24–0 over Houston Boars in the second round, then 4–0 against Chicago, and finally 18–0 against Madison, Wisconsin.[11] Chicago took third place with a 4–0 win over Florida State after three overtimes.[12]

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
September 2 – Mount Prospect, IL
 
 
Portland4
 
September 3 – Mount Prospect, IL
 
Chicago0
 
Portland18
 
September 2 – Mount Prospect, IL
 
Madison0
 
Madison4
 
 
Florida State0
 
Third place
 
 
September 3 – Mount Prospect, IL
 
 
Chicago4
 
 
Florida State0

Champions: Portland(ME) Women's Rugby Club. Qualified as New England Champions.
Record: 10–1–2
Coaching Staff: Rocky Frenzilli, Ricky Scala(Aide), Peter Gillis(Aide)
Roster: Sondra Spiers, Denise Dimitre, Pat Cribby, Kim Berry, Janet Muccino, Susan Adams, Brenda Costello, Mary Beth Staid, Reta Brown Flaherty, Brenda Swallow, Cheryl Ring, Ann Chippfield, Sue Malcolm, Marie Gagne, Amy Belliveau, Debbie Selleck (captain), Ann Chute, Mary Gouletand, Sue Lawler.

Monterey National Invitational

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The 1978 Monterey National Rugby Championship was the 20th edition of the tournament and was considered to be the de facto national championship.[13][14][15][16][17][18] This event took place at Pebble Beach, CA from March 25–26. The tournament MVP was Jeff Momsen (Old Blues), Miss Rugby winner was Nicole Parlette, Bill Armstrong of the Old Blues won the Running Drop Kick contest while Brian Lowe of UC Davis was runner-up. The Old Blues of Berkeley, CA went 5–0 to take first place.[19][20][21][22][23]
Championship Bracket

Second Round
March 25
Quarterfinals
March 25
Semifinals
March 25
Final
March 26
            
1 Santa Monica 17
16 Palo Alto 6
1 Santa Monica 6
9 Cal Berkeley 3
8 Old Blue (NY) 4
9 Cal Berkeley 18
1 Santa Monica 0
5 James Bay 4
4 BATS 3*
20 Stanford 3
4 BATS 0
5 James Bay 15
5 James Bay 6
21 Kern County 0
5 James Bay 9
2 Old Blues (CA) 18
2 Old Blues (CA) 10
15 Dartmouth 0
2 Old Blues (CA) 9
10 Newport Beach 0
7 Old Puget Sound Beach 0
10 Newport Beach 10
2 Old Blues (CA) 17
3 OMBAC 3
3 OMBAC 11 Third place
14 X–O Rugby Club 10
3 OMBAC 9 1 Santa Monica 3
6 Portland 3 3 OMBAC 11
6 Portland 9
11 Seahawks 0

*Advanced on kicks

Final

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26 March 1978
1:30PM
Old Blues18–9James Bay
Try: Pete Richter 2' c
Dave Bateman c
Con: Bill Armstrong
Pen: Bill Armstrong (2)
[24]Pen: Barry Robbins (3)
Pebble Beach
5th–8th Fifth place
      
L33 Cal Berkeley 0*
L34 BATS 0
W51 Cal Berkeley 0
W52 Newport Beach 9
L35 Portland 0
L36 Newport Beach 4 Seventh place
L51 BATS 20
L52 Portland 6

*Advanced on kicks

Thirteenth13th–16th9th–16th9th–12thNinth
Field 2 12:10PM
L17Palo Alto12
Field 2 3:00PML18Old Blues (NY)4Field 2 3:40PM
L37Old Blue (NY)4W37Palo Alto0
L38Kern County7Field 3 12:50PMW38Stanford9
L19Stanford33
Field 2 9:40AML20Kern County3Field 2 10:50AM
W55Kern County4W53Stanford8
W56Seahawks7Field 3 1:30PMW54Old Puget17
L21X–O RC11
Field 4 3:40PML22Seahawks3Field 3 4:10PM
FifteenthL39Seahawks24W39X–O0Eleventh
Field 4 12:00PML40Dartmouth3Field 4 1:00PMW40Old Puget SB RC14Field 3 12:00PM
L55Old Blues (NY)20L23Old Puget Sound10L53Palo Alto18
L56Dartmouth9L24Dartmouth0L54X–O8

Consolation Bracket

Second Round
March 25
Quarterfinals
March 25
Semifinals
March 25
17th place
March 26
            
L1 UC Davis 15
L2 Washington State 0
W25 UC Davis 12
W26 Sacramento Capitols 3
L3 U. of Oregon 6
L4 Sacramento Capitols 16
W41 UC Davis 3
W42 Chuckanut Bay 6
L5 Davis City 0
L6 San Francisco 10
W27 San Francisco 3
W28 Chuckanut Bay 7
L7 Chuckanut Bay 10
L8 U. of Washington 0
W57 Chuckanut Bay 26
W58 Old Gaels 3
L9 Colusa County 9
L10 Los Angeles 6
W29 Colusa County 9
W30 Hawaii Harlequins 7
L11 Hawaii Harlequins 13
L12 Saint Mary's College 6
W43 Hawaii Harlequins 0
W44 Olde Gaels 10
L13 Monterey 6 19th place
L14 Olde Gaels 7
W31 Oregon State 3 L57 UC Davis 13
W32 Olde Gaels 9 L58 Hawaii Harlequins 4
L15 Oregon State 6
L16 UC Santa Cruz 3
21st–24th 21st place
      
L41 Sacramento Capitols 6
L42 San Francisco 9
W59 San Francisco 6
W60 Colusa County 16
L43 Colusa County 10
L44 Oregon State 6 23rd place
L59 Sacramento Capitols 31
L60 Oregon State 7
29th place29th–32nd25th–32nd25th–28th25th place
Field 4 11:40AM
L25Washington State3
Field 4 3:00PML26U. of Oregon0Field 4 2:20PM
L45U. of Oregon9W45Washington State0
L46Davis City13Field 4 12:20PMW46U. of Washington30
L27Davis City4
Field 3 8:30AML28U. of Washington6Field 1 8:30AM
W63Davis City0W61U. of Washington10
W64UC Santa Cruz0*Field 3 2:10PMW62Los Angeles0
L29Los Angeles8
Field 4 5:00PML30Saint Mary's0Field 4 4:20PM
31st placeL47St. Mary's6W47Los Angeles0*27th place
Field 4 8:30AML48UC Santa Cruz7Field 4 1:40PMW48Monterey0Field 2 8:30AM
L63U. of Oregon4L31UC Santa Cruz0L61Washington State0
L64St. Mary's26L32Monterey3L62Monterey19

*Advanced on kicks

Exhibition match:

  • B.C. Whoi Whoi (Vancouver, Canada) 4-8 Bald Eagles (San Francisco, CA)

References

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  1. ^ "UK In Rugby Tourney". (January 24, 1978). The Lexington Leader, p.B-3 col.3
  2. ^ "Burdock Rugby Star In Iowa". (June 9, 1978). The Valley Independent, p.8 col.1
  3. ^ Broyles, Clifford (March 3, 1974). "LSU looking for revenge in rugby match". The Eagle. Vol. 98, no. 62. Bryan-College Station. p. 15. Retrieved December 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Palmer Rugby Club". Archived from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  5. ^ "Palmer Wins Rugby Crown". (February 8, 1978). The Daily Dispatch, p.37 col.2
  6. ^ "Palmer College Wins LSU Tourney". (March 1978). Rugby, p.
  7. ^ "Michelob National Rugby Tourney". (June 11, 1978). St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p.5F col.3
  8. ^ "Rugby Tourney Set For This Weekend". (June 6, 1978). St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p.15
  9. ^ "Tourney A Big First In Women's Rugby". (August 30, 1978). Chicago Tribune, sec.7 p.1
  10. ^ "Rugby Classic Adds ‘Color’ To Lives Of Women Players". (September 4, 1978). The Daily Herald, p.3 col.3-4
  11. ^ "Rugby". (September 15, 1978). Evening Express, p.20 col.1-2
  12. ^ "FSU Women Ruggers Are Getting Last Laugh". (November 13, 1978). Tallahassee Democrat, p.3B, 5B
  13. ^ "The Money Is Nice, But The Work Annoys Them". (March 20, 1974). San Francisco Examiner, p.52 col.2
  14. ^ "Bakersfield Rugby Team Wins Slugfest From Fullerton". (March 14, 1977). Bakersfield Californian, p.14 col.5-7
  15. ^ "Chuckanut Bay Ruggers 18th At Monterey". (March 27, 1975). Bellingham Herald, p.14 col.1-3
  16. ^ "UM Rugby Club Enters Title Meet". (March 15, 1974). The Missoulian, p.14 col.3-4
  17. ^ "Add: U. Va. Rugby Club". (June 23, 1966). Times-Dispatch, p.21 col.2
  18. ^ Hickey, Dan (2016). "History Of Northern California Rugby". Northern California Rugby Football Union. NCRFU.ORG. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  19. ^ "For The Record". (March 27, 1978). St. Petersburg Times, p.2C col.3
  20. ^ "Berkeley Old Blues Rugby Champions". (March 27, 1978). Times–Herald, p.15 col.3
  21. ^ "Old Blues Win". (March 27, 1978). Independent–Journal, p.38 col.2
  22. ^ "Name Droppers". (March 27, 1978). Daily Record, p.15 col.1
  23. ^ "Blues Score". (March 28, 1978). Star–Ledger, p.31 col.5
  24. ^ Moss, Al (April 15, 1978). "Old Blues Whip James Bay 18–9". Tournaments. Rugby. Vol. 4, no. 2. p. 4.