# 1981 National Collegiate Rugby Championship

The 1981 National Collegiate Rugby Championship was the second edition of the official national championship for intercollegiate rugby organized by the U.S. Rugby Football Union. The tournament was hosted by the Dayton-Miami Rugby Football Club at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. The Cal Bears repeated as champions as did Mick Luckhurst as MVP. Brian Vincent, also of California, won Most Valuable Back.

## Participants

Harvard Qualified for the National Championship by winning the 16 team Eastern College Championship hosted by Virginia Tech at Blacksburg, VA on April 11–12.
* First round Harvard 16-3 Cornell
* Second round Harvard 12-11 Princeton
* Semifinal Harvard 11-7 Navy
* Final Harvard 26-12 Army
Roster: President- Ray Roberts
Captains- John Morgan/Al Halliday Record 15-0 Charles Bott (Center), Greg Carey (Flanker), Mark Cooley (Center), Keith Cooper (Prop), John Dorgan (Fullback), Jacques Driscoll (Center), Timothy Endicott (Scrumhalf), Al Halliday (Lock), Rich Iorio (Flanker), Rick Kief (Hooker), Bill Looney (Flanker), Malcolm Mackenzie (Wing), David Miller (Wing), Ed Montgomery (#8), Jerry Nelson (Flanker), Keith Oberg (Scrumhalf), Jim Phils (Prop), Steve Rintoul (Hooker), Roy Roberts (Prop), Steven Rosston (Wing), David Suave (Lock), Ed Tompkins (Center), Sabin Willett (Flyhalf).
Miami Qualified for the National Championship by winning the 16 team Midwestern Collegiate Cup in Bowling Green, Ohio on May 2–3.
* Miami 10-4 Illinois
* Miami def. Xavier
* Miami def. Rippon
* Miami def. Stevens Point
Roster:
President- Terry Jones Captain- John Kacmarsky David Anzo (#8), Daniel Burtis (Prop), Matt Davis (Scrumhalf), Doug Edwards (Hooker), Leslie Irvine (Fullback), Terrance Jones (Lock), Eric Juday (Wing), John Kacmarsky (Center), Paul Koch (Scrumhalf), Richard Kroko (Lock), John Lucas (Flanker), Kent Lindsey (Lock), Thomas Link (Flyhalf), Joseph Martello (Flanker), Michael McCourt (Wing), Matt Meany (Flanker), Mitchell Mink (Fullback), Robert Morgan (Prop), Gary Pratt (Prop), Marty Trinkino (Hooker), Dale Tuttle (Center), Justin Whelan (Wing).
Kansas State Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Western Regional in Denver, CO on April 25-26.
* Kansas State 9-4 Principia Kansas City
* Kansas State 26-3 Oklahoma
* Kansas State 13-11 New Mexico State
Roster:
President- Scott Bertrand Coach- Greg Young, Charlie Busch Captain- Scott Skahan Rick Aeschliman (Wing), Scott Bertrand (Flyhalf), Daniel Blea (Fullback), Tim Brown (Flanker), Greg Hansen (Center), Don Harris (#8), Jim Hewitt (Lock), Dane Jacobson (Lock), Dean Colic (Lock), Pete Lewis (Wing), Tim McNamara (Center), Mike Nash (Center), Dwight Schaefer (Center), Bill Sexton (Prop), Scott Skahan (Hooker), Mark Snyder (Flanker), Mike Somodi (Fullback), Doak Stitt (Prop), Tim Walker (Lock), Dennis Wilbert (Scrumhalf).
California Qualified from Pacific Regional at UCSB on April 10–11.
* California 17-9 Long Beach State
* California 12-11 BYU
Roster:
Coach- Ned Anderson Trainer– Dave Stegner Captain- Tim O'Brien Drew Brooks (Prop), Jim Brown (Prop/Hooker), Dave Clark (Lock), Jessie Coueruvias (Lock), Mark Deaton (#8), Scott Denardo (Prop), Kris Donaldson (Wing), Frank Helm (Hooker), Don Hooper (Center), Don James (Prop), Ed Kerwin (Center), Mick Luckhurst (Fullback), Jeff McDermott (Flanker), Ken Meyersieck (Scrumhalf), Tim O'Brien (Center), Matt Secor (Fullback), Bruce Sorenson (Lock), Dennis Squeri (#8), Bob Tanaka (Scrumhalf), Matt Taylor (Wing), Brian Vincent (Flanker), Bob Williams (Flyhalf).

## Bracket

| Regional Semifinal | Regional Semifinal | Regional Final | Regional Final | | National Semifinal | National Semifinal | | National Final | National Final |
| April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | | | |
| California | 17 | | | | | | |
| California | 17 | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | | |
| Long Beach | 9 | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | |
| Long Beach | 9 | California | 12 | | | | |
| April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | | California | 12 | | | | |
| April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | BYU | 11 | | | | |
| BYU | 16 | BYU | 11 | | | | |
| BYU | 16 | | | | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | |
| Santa Barbara | 12 | | | | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | |
| Santa Barbara | 12 | | | | California (Pacific) | 29 | |
| April 26 - Denver, CO | April 26 - Denver, CO | | | | | California (Pacific) | 29 | |
| April 26 - Denver, CO | April 26 - Denver, CO | | | | Kansas State (West) | 15 | |
| Kansas State | 26 | | | | Kansas State (West) | 15 | |
| Kansas State | 26 | April 26 - Denver, CO | April 26 - Denver, CO | | | | | |
| Oklahoma | 3 | April 26 - Denver, CO | April 26 - Denver, CO | | | | |
| Oklahoma | 3 | Kansas State | 13 | | | | |
| April 26 - Denver, CO | April 26 - Denver, CO | | Kansas State | 13 | | | | |
| April 26 - Denver, CO | April 26 - Denver, CO | New Mexico State | 11 | | | | |
| New Mexico State | 15 | New Mexico State | 11 | | | | |
| New Mexico State | 15 | | | | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Texas A&M | 12 | | | | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Texas A&M | 12 | | | | | | | California | 6 |
| April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | | | | | | | | California | 6 |
| April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | | | | | | | Harvard | 3 |
| Harvard | 11 | | | | | | | Harvard | 3 |
| Harvard | 11 | April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | | | | | | |
| Navy | 7 | April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | | | | | | |
| Navy | 7 | Harvard | 26 | | | | | | |
| April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | | Harvard | 26 | | | | | | |
| April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | April 12 - Blacksburg, VA | Army | 12 | | | | | | |
| Army | 18 | Army | 12 | | | | | | |
| Army | 18 | | | | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | | | |
| Maryland | 10 | | | | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | | |
| Maryland | 10 | | | | Harvard (East) | 25 | | | |
| May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | | | | | Harvard (East) | 25 | | | |
| May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | | | | Miami (Midwest) | 7 | | Third place | Third place |
| Miami (OH) | 24 | | | | Miami (Midwest) | 7 | | Third place | Third place |
| Miami (OH) | 24 | May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Ripon | 9 | May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Ripon | 9 | Miami | 20 | | | | | Miami | 10 |
| May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | | Miami | 20 | | | | | Miami | 10 |
| May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | May 3 - Bowling Green, OH | Stevens Point | 18 | | | | | Kansas State | 0 |
| Stevens Point | 7 | Stevens Point | 18 | | | | | Kansas State | 0 |
| Ohio State | 3 | | | | | | | | |

## Semifinals

* 9 May 1981 11:30 AM
| California | 29–15 | Kansas State |
| Try: Mick Luckhurst 12' Bob Williams c Ken Meyersieck 38' c Matt Taylor Con: Mick Luckhurst (2/4) Pen: Mick Luckhurst Mick Luckhurst 45' Drop: Mike Lemmon 80' | | Try: Pete Lewis 50' c Don Harris 55' c Con: Scott Bertrand (2/2) Pen: Scott Bertrand |
* Dayton, OH Referee: Ian Nixon
* 9 May 1981
| Harvard | 25–7 | Miami |
| Try: Charlie Bott c Charlie Bott c Kip Mackenzie c Bill Looney 60' Con: Charlie Bott (3/4) Pen: Charlie Bott | | Try: John Kacmersky c Con: John Kacmersky |
* Dayton, OH

## Third place

* 10 May 1981
| Miami | 10–0 | Kansas State |
| Try: John Kacmarsky c Justin Whelan Con: John Kacmarsky | | |
* Dayton, OH Attendance: 6000

## Final

* 10 May 1981
| California | 6–3 OT | Harvard |
| Pen: Mick Luckhurst 5', 90' | | Pen: Charlie Bott 50' |
* Dayton, OH Attendance: 6000 Referee: Don Reardon (SoCal)