Rugby Team Update
October 10th, 2007
-- Jon Niles, Head Coach, WVU Men's Rugby
Previous Recaps: [ 12-Oct-07 ] [ 10-Oct-07 ] [ 14-Sep-07 ] [ 2007 Preview ]

After two weekends of tough competition, the WVU men’s rugby team took on Clarion at home on September 15th for their 1st league match of the season. Clarion had some big players especially in the centers. WVU would score after 4 minutes of play with Inside Center Tom French breaking thru the Clarion defense from 40 meters out from try and offloading a pass to Outside Center Joe Callegari who ran the last 10 meters for the score. Lock Patrick Christy converted the kick to put WVU up 7-0. At the 14 minute mark Prop Chris Lee scored off a series of rolling mauls and forward runs, Christy again converted the kick to put WVU up 14-0. At the 21 minute mark Flyhalf Ricky Palmer scored after picking up a loose ball from a Clarion lineout deep in their territory to put WVU up 19-0. At the 28 minute mark a well executed backline play and pass from Palmer let Fullback Jeff Dull break thru for a 45meter run and score, with Christy making the kick WVU went up 26-0, where the score would be going into halftime. Five minutes into the second half saw Prop John Velasquez and Lock John Robbins take the field for Chris Lee and Patrick Christy. A series of miscues and lack of execution saw WVU miss several chances to score throughout the 1st 20 minutes of the match. Finally at the 22 minute a well executed series of forward runs saw Lock Kris Callaghan dive over for the 1st score of the 2nd half, Fullback Jeff Dull converted the kick to put WVU up 33-0. The next 15 minutes saw the team tire a little and become lackadaisical as Clarion maintained some possession and was able to move the ball towards our try line. With no time remaining Clarion was able to score a try in the corner and see the game finish at 33-5. After a loss in an away friendly match against Indiana University of PA, in which 7 starters were rested or unable to attend, the team took on archrival University of Pittsburgh on Sunday September 30. WVU had beaten Pitt last Fall 31-29 and would be looking for back to back wins against Pitt, which hadn’t happened in a long time. This game would again be another hard fought match as several penalties by WVU allowed Pitt to gain a lineout at our 5 meter line, and several forward picks saw Pitt score the 1st try to lead 7-0 at the 9 minute mark. WVU would attack right back off the kickoff and a weakside counter attack from WVU allowed Outside Center Joe Callegari to score and cut the lead to 7-5 at the 11 minute mark. Pitt would answer 3 minutes later from their forwards who were holding onto possession and slowly moving down the field grinding out another try to lead 14-5. WVU was able to immediately counterattack as they stole the ball and Flanker Corey Kyle went weakside of the pitch and got the ball to Flyhalf Ricky Palmer who scored. Fullback Jeff Dull made the kick to bring the score to 14-12. The rest of the 1st half would see WVU commit several penalties which ruined possession and allowed Pitt the opportunity to kick the ball back downfield. Pitt was able to go into half with a 14-12 lead. At halftime, the talk emphasized cutting down on penalties and maintaining possession which would be essential in the second half if WVU was to win. The start of the second half was much better as WVU put pressure on the Pitt offense. At the 9 minute mark Pitt had a scrum at their own 5 meter line. A poor pass from the scrumhalf to the flyhalf allowed Scrumhalf Ryan Coster to partially block the clearing kick and Inside Center Tom French dived on the ball for the WVU score. Jeff Dull made the kick to put WVU up for the 1st time 19-14. Great defense by WVU continued to put further pressure on the Pitt backs and at the 14 minute mark, Tom French scooped up a poor pass from Pitt and ran in for the score, Jeff Dull again made the kick to lengthen the lead to 26-14. Off the ensuing kickoff Pitt was able to slow the ball down and drive the ball down the field 2 meters at time for a score at the 19 minute mark to bring the score to 26-21. At 29 minute mark Flyhalf Ricky Palmer scored off a series of backline passes to put WVU up 31-21. Sustained pressure on the Pitt defense gave WVU a scrum on the Pitt 40 meter line and a nice backrow play allowed Wing Chris Vittesse to run down the field and dish off to 8 man Brendan Fitzgerald for the score to put WVU up 38-21. With time winding down in the game a WVU penalty allowed Pitt to gain a lineout at the 5m mark. Off the lineout a penalty against WVU and some confusion from the ref and the players allowed Pitt to take a quick tap and score a final try to end the game at 38-28 in favor of WVU for their 2nd consecutive win against Pitt.