# 1979 National Rugby Championships

The 1979 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, Military, Sevens, Interterritorial, and Men's/Women's Club.

## Men's Club

The 1979 National Club Rugby Championship was sponsored by Michelob and took place at Avila College in Kansas City, Missouri on May 12 and 13. The teams featured in the tournament were the champions of the four sub unions of USARFU. The Berkeley Old Blues won the title defeating St. Louis in the final after beating their New York namesakes in two overtime periods in the semifinal.
| Territorial Semifinal | Territorial Semifinal | Territorial Final | Territorial Final | | National Semifinal | National Semifinal | | National Final | National Final |
| April 28 - San Francisco, CA | April 28 - San Francisco, CA | | | | | | |
| Old Blues | 26 | | | | | | |
| Old Blues | 26 | April 29 – San Francisco, CA | April 29 – San Francisco, CA | | | | | |
| Old Puget Sound | 12 | April 29 – San Francisco, CA | April 29 – San Francisco, CA | | | | |
| Old Puget Sound | 12 | Old Blues | 6 | | | | |
| April 28 - San Francisco, CA | April 28 - San Francisco, CA | | Old Blues | 6 | | | | |
| April 28 - San Francisco, CA | April 28 - San Francisco, CA | BATS | 3 | | | | |
| BATS | 20 | BATS | 3 | | | | |
| BATS | 20 | | | | May 12 – Kansas City, MO | May 12 – Kansas City, MO | | |
| Los Angeles | 15 | | | | May 12 – Kansas City, MO | May 12 – Kansas City, MO | |
| Los Angeles | 15 | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 7 | |
| April 29 - Washington, D.C. | April 29 - Washington, D.C. | | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 7 | |
| April 29 - Washington, D.C. | April 29 - Washington, D.C. | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 3 | |
| Old Blue | 21 | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 3 | |
| Old Blue | 21 | April 29 – Washington, D.C. | April 29 – Washington, D.C. | | | | | |
| Norfolk City Blues | 9 | April 29 – Washington, D.C. | April 29 – Washington, D.C. | | | | |
| Norfolk City Blues | 9 | Old Blue | 24 | | | | |
| April 29 - Washington, D.C. | April 29 - Washington, D.C. | | Old Blue | 24 | | | | |
| April 29 - Washington, D.C. | April 29 - Washington, D.C. | Baton Rouge | 0 | | | | |
| Baton Rouge | 15 | Baton Rouge | 0 | | | | |
| Baton Rouge | 15 | | | | | | | May 13 – Kansas City, MO | May 13 – Kansas City, MO |
| Whitemarsh | 6 | | | | | | | May 13 – Kansas City, MO | May 13 – Kansas City, MO |
| Whitemarsh | 6 | | | | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 14 |
| April 21 – St. Louis, MO | April 21 – St. Louis, MO | | | | | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 14 |
| April 21 – St. Louis, MO | April 21 – St. Louis, MO | | | | | | | St. Louis Falcons | 6 |
| St. Louis Falcons | 16 | | | | | | | St. Louis Falcons | 6 |
| St. Louis Falcons | 16 | April 28 – Denver, CO | April 28 – Denver, CO | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma U. | 13 | April 28 – Denver, CO | April 28 – Denver, CO | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma U. | 13 | St. Louis Falcons | 6 | | | | | | |
| April 22 – Albuquerque, NM | April 22 – Albuquerque, NM | | St. Louis Falcons | 6 | | | | | | |
| April 22 – Albuquerque, NM | April 22 – Albuquerque, NM | Albuquerque Aardvarks | 3 | | | | | | |
| Albuquerque Aardvarks | 25 | Albuquerque Aardvarks | 3 | | | | | | |
| Albuquerque Aardvarks | 25 | | | | May 12 – Kansas City, MO | May 12 – Kansas City, MO | | | | |
| Houston Heathens | 12 | | | | May 12 – Kansas City, MO | May 12 – Kansas City, MO | | | |
| Houston Heathens | 12 | | | | St. Louis Falcons | 21 | | | |
| May 5 - Dayton, OH | May 5 - Dayton, OH | | | | | St. Louis Falcons | 21 | | | |
| May 5 - Dayton, OH | May 5 - Dayton, OH | | | | Akron (OH) | 7 | | Third place | Third place |
| Akron | 25 | | | | Akron (OH) | 7 | | Third place | Third place |
| Akron | 25 | May 6 – Dayton, OH | May 6 – Dayton, OH | | | | | May 13 – Kansas City, MO | May 13 – Kansas City, MO |
| Aamco | | May 6 – Dayton, OH | May 6 – Dayton, OH | | | | | May 13 – Kansas City, MO | May 13 – Kansas City, MO |
| Aamco | | Akron | 17 | | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 22 |
| May 5 - Dayton, OH | May 5 - Dayton, OH | | Akron | 17 | | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 22 |
| May 5 - Dayton, OH | May 5 - Dayton, OH | Chicago Lions | 13 | | | | | Akron (OH) | 9 |
| Chicago Lions | 22 | Chicago Lions | 13 | | | | | Akron (OH) | 9 |
| Pittsburgh | 3 | | | | | | | | |

### Semifinals

* 12 May 1979
| St. Louis | 21–8 | Akron |
| Try: Tom McDonough 10' c Con: Bob Cronin Pen: Bob Cronin | | |
* Kansas City, MO
* 12 May 1979
| Old Blues (CA) | 7–3 (OT) | Old Blue (NY) |
| Try: Art Ward 97' Pen: John Dixon 19' | | Pen: Malcolm Kimble |
* Kansas City, MO

### Third place

* 13 May 1979
| Old Blue (NY) | 22–9 | Akron |
* Kansas City, MO

### Final

* 13 May 1979
| Old Blues (CA) | 18–6 | St. Louis Falcons |
| Try: Blane Warhurst Bailey Grisch Pen: John Dixon Drop: Armstrong | | Try: Buster DelaRoche c Con: Bob Cronin Pen: Malcolm Kimble |
* Kansas City, MO Attendance: 1400 Referee: Peter Jones (ERU)

## Women's Club

The 1979 Women's National Rugby Classic took place on September 1–2 at Lutheran Home Fields in Arlington Heights, IL. The tournament was co-sponsored by the Chicago Women's Rugby Football Club and Michelob beer. The format was two round-robin groups with group winners playing for the championship. The team from Florida State won the championship with four victories. The Heathen Hearts of Houston took third place by defeating holders, Portland.
| Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | | | | | |
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | L | F | A | FSU | POR | HOY | CHI | DEN |
| 1. | Florida State | 3 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 7 | X | 4:3 | 8:4 | X | 8:0 |
| 2. | Portland (ME) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 3:4 | X | X | 10:0 | 4:0 |
| 3. | Hoyden Park (GA) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 4:8 | X | X | 4:0 | X |
| 4. | Chicago | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 14 | X | 0:10 | 0:4 | X | 4:0 |
| 5. | Denver Blues | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0:8 | 0:4 | X | 0:4 | X |
| Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | | | | |
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | L | F | A | MAD | HEA | BOS | COL |
| 1. | Madison (WI) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 7 | X | 10:4 | 6:3 | 4:0 |
| 2. | Heathen Hearts (TX) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 4:10 | X | 6:0 | W:L |
| 3. | Boston | 3 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 16 | 3:6 | 0:6 | X | 16:4 |
| 4. | Colorado State | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 0:4 | L:W | 4:16 | X |
Ninth Place: Denver. Seventh Place: Chicago 4-0 Colorado State Fifth Place: Hoyden Park 16-4 Boston Third Place: Houston def. Portland

### Final

* 2 September 1979
| Florida State | 6–0 | Madison |
| Try: Candy Orsini 55' c Con: Renata Brady | | |
* Arlington Heights, IL

## College

The 1979 College championship was won by Palmer College of Chiropractic. Navy finished fourth.

## Military

The 1979 Military Cup Rugby Championship was held May 5-6 on Stilwell Field at Fort Campbell.
| Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | Standings | | | | | |
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | L | F | A | FTC | SAV | FBO | FBF | FTP |
| 1. | Ft Campbell All Blacks | 3 | 3 | 0 | 51 | 6 | X | 30:0 | 13:6 | 8:0 | X |
| 2. | Savannah Rangers | 4 | 2 | 2 | 41 | 64 | 0:30 | X | 10:17 | 11:7 | 20:10 |
| 3. | Ft Benning Old Boys | 3 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 23 | 6:13 | 17:10 | X | X | 10:0 |
| 4. | Ft. Benning Flyers | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 0:8 | 7:11 | X | X | 4:0 |
| 5. | Fort Polk | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | X | 0:4 | 0:10 | 0:4 | X |

## Sevens

The 1979 National Sevens Rugby Tournament was hosted by the Hartford Wanderers and took place on June 23, 1979, at Sterling Field in West Hartford, Connecticut. The twelve team tournament was won by the Denver Barbarians.
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| June 23 - Hartford, CT | June 23 - Hartford, CT |
| Denver Barbarians | 24 |
| Denver Barbarians | 24 | June 23 - Hartford, CT | June 23 - Hartford, CT |
| Scioto Valley (OH) | 6 | June 23 - Hartford, CT | June 23 - Hartford, CT |
| Scioto Valley (OH) | 6 | Denver Barbarians | 12 |
| June 23 - Hartford, CT | June 23 - Hartford, CT | | Denver Barbarians | 12 |
| June 23 - Hartford, CT | June 23 - Hartford, CT | University of Rhode Island | 10 |
| University of Rhode Island | 11 | University of Rhode Island | 10 |
| Hartford Wanderers | 7 | | |

## ITT

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. The 1979 edition was held on the polo fields of the International Sports Core in Oakbrook, IL. won by the Pacific Coast RFU. Pacific Coast's Mike Fanucchi and Jack Clark were most valuable back and most valuable forward respectively. Results:
* 26 May 1979 2:00PM
| Eastern | 0–21 | Pacific Coast |
| | | Try: Del Chipman Rick Bailey Kelleher Del Chipman Con: Dennis Jablonski Pen: Dennis Jablonski |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 26 May 1979 3:00PM
| Midwest | 28–18 | Western |
| Try: Larsen Larsen Mosser Del Chipman | | Try: Bob Arnold Parker |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 27 May 1979 2:00PM
| Pacific Coast | 21–3 | Western |
| Try: Tommy Smith Steve Grey | | Drop: Milt Bennett |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 27 May 1979 3:00PM
| Midwest | 31–11 | Eastern |
| Try: Duncan Hales Con: Duncan Hales (2) Pen: Duncan Hales (5) | | |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 28 May 1979 11:00AM
| Eastern | 34–3 | Western |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 28 May 1979 1:00PM
| Midwest | 9–22 | Pacific Coast |
| | | Try: Jeff Lombard Mike Fanucchi c Mike Fanucchi c Con: Dennis Jablonski Pen: Dennis Jablonski |
* Oakbrook, IL
| Team | Team | W | L | F | A |
| 1 | Pacific Coast RFU | 3 | 0 | 64 | 12 |
| 2 | Midwest RFU | 2 | 1 | 68 | 51 |
| 3 | Eastern RU | 1 | 2 | 45 | 55 |
| 4 | Western RFU | 0 | 3 | 24 | 83 |