# 1981 National Rugby Championships

The 1981 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 Men's/Women's Club, college, high school, Military, Sevens, and Interterritorial.

## Men's Club

The 1981 National Club Rugby Championship was sponsored by Michelob and took place in Dayton, Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base from May 9–10. The teams featured in the tournament were the champions of the four sub unions of USARFU. Coached by Ron Mayes the Berkeley Old Blues won the title defeating Old Blues of New York in the final 9–3. Old Blues scrumhalf David Bateman was MVP.
| Regional Semifinal | Regional Semifinal | Regional Final | Regional Final | | National Semifinal | National Semifinal | | National Final | National Final |
| April 25 - San Francisco, CA | April 25 - San Francisco, CA | | | | | | |
| Old Blues | 26 | | | | | | |
| Old Blues | 26 | April 26 - San Francisco, CA | April 26 - San Francisco, CA | | | | | |
| Old Puget Sound | 3 | April 26 - San Francisco, CA | April 26 - San Francisco, CA | | | | |
| Old Puget Sound | 3 | Old Blues (CA) | 26 | | | | |
| April 25 - San Francisco, CA | April 25 - San Francisco, CA | | Old Blues (CA) | 26 | | | | |
| April 25 - San Francisco, CA | April 25 - San Francisco, CA | BATS | 3 | | | | |
| BATS | 17 | BATS | 3 | | | | |
| BATS | 17 | | | | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | |
| Santa Monica | 16 | | | | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | |
| Santa Monica | 16 | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 17 | |
| April 19 - Las Cruces, NM | April 19 - Las Cruces, NM | | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 17 | |
| April 19 - Las Cruces, NM | April 19 - Las Cruces, NM | | | | Denver Barbarians | 3 | |
| Denver Barbarians | | | | | Denver Barbarians | 3 | |
| Denver Barbarians | | April 26 - Denver, CO | April 26 - Denver, CO | | | | | |
| Dallas Harlequins | | April 26 - Denver, CO | April 26 - Denver, CO | | | | |
| Dallas Harlequins | | Denver Barbarians | 10 | | | | |
| April 19 - Las Cruces, NM | April 19 - Las Cruces, NM | | Denver Barbarians | 10 | | | | |
| April 19 - Las Cruces, NM | April 19 - Las Cruces, NM | Kansas City Blues | 7 | | | | |
| Kansas City Blues | | Kansas City Blues | 7 | | | | |
| Kansas City Blues | | | | | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| | | | | | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 9 |
| April 25 - Washington D.C. | April 25 - Washington D.C. | | | | | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 9 |
| April 25 - Washington D.C. | April 25 - Washington D.C. | | | | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 3 |
| Old Blue | 15 | | | | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 3 |
| Old Blue | 15 | April 26 - Washington D.C. | April 26 - Washington D.C. | | | | | | |
| Atlanta Renegades | 0 | April 26 - Washington D.C. | April 26 - Washington D.C. | | | | | | |
| Atlanta Renegades | 0 | Old Blue (NY) | 17 | | | | | | |
| April 25 - Washington D.C. | April 25 - Washington D.C. | | Old Blue (NY) | 17 | | | | | | |
| April 25 - Washington D.C. | April 25 - Washington D.C. | Norfolk Blues | 13 | | | | | | |
| Norfolk Blues | 17 | Norfolk Blues | 13 | | | | | | |
| Norfolk Blues | 17 | | | | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | | | |
| Bethlehem Hooligans | 7 | | | | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | | |
| Bethlehem Hooligans | 7 | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 23 | | | |
| April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 23 | | | |
| April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | | | | Minneapolis | 8 | | Third place | Third place |
| Minneapolis | 7 | | | | Minneapolis | 8 | | Third place | Third place |
| Minneapolis | 7 | April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Chicago Lions | 4 | April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Chicago Lions | 4 | Minneapolis | 13 | | | | | Denver | 6 |
| April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | | Minneapolis | 13 | | | | | Denver | 6 |
| April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | April 26 - Milwaukee, WI | Evansville All–Whites | 7 | | | | | Minneapolis | 3 |
| Evansville All–Whites | | Evansville All–Whites | 7 | | | | | Minneapolis | 3 |
| Louisville | | | | | | | | | |

### Semifinals

* 09 May 1981
| Old Blues (CA) | 17–3 | Denver Barbarians |
| Try: Blane Warhurst c Mark Richter Mark Richter Con: Bill Armstrong (1/3) Pen: Bill Armstrong | | Pen: Milt Bennett |
* Dayton, OH
* 09 May 1981
| Old Blue (NY) | 23–8 | Minneapolis |
| Try: Chimere Okezie 14' Malcolm Kimble Chimere Okezie c Chimere Okezie c Con: Malcolm Kimble (2/4) Pen: Malcolm Kimble | | Try: (2) |
* Dayton, OH

### Third place

* 10 May 1981
| Denver Barbarians | 6–3 | Minneapolis |
* Dayton, OH

### Final

* 10 May 1981 12:30 PM
| Old Blues (CA) | 9–3 | Old Blue (NY) |
| Pen: Bill Armstrong 5', ?', 76' | | Pen: Malcolm Kimble 3' |
* Dayton, OH Referee: Ian Nixon (Texas)

## Women's Club

The 1981 Women's National Rugby Championship was a 16 team tournament sponsored by Michelob that took place on May 23–25 in Oak Brook, IL. The Belmont Shores team of Long Beach, CA won the championship with a 7–6 win over Beantown of Boston, MA. Kathy Cantu of Belmont Shore was MVP.
| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinal | Quarterfinal | | National Semifinal | National Semifinal | | National Final | National Final |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | | |
| Belmont Shore | 32 | | | | | | |
| Belmont Shore | 32 | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | |
| Ohio State | 6 | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | |
| Ohio State | 6 | Belmont Shore | 4 | | | | |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | Belmont Shore | 4 | | | | |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | Florida State | 0 | | | | |
| Florida State | | Florida State | 0 | | | | |
| Florida State | | | | | May 25 – Oakbrook, IL | May 25 – Oakbrook, IL | | |
| | | | | | Belmont Shore | 13 | |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | Belmont Shore | 13 | |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | Wisconsin Madison | 8 | |
| Wisconsin Madison | | | | | Wisconsin Madison | 8 | |
| Wisconsin Madison | | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | |
| | | Wisconsin Madison | | | | | |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | Wisconsin Madison | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | May 25 – Oakbrook, IL | May 25 – Oakbrook, IL |
| | | | | | | | | Belmont Shore | 7 |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | | | | Belmont Shore | 7 |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | | | Beantown | 6 |
| Beantown | 8 | | | | | | | Beantown | 6 |
| Beantown | 8 | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | | |
| San Francisco | 6 | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | | |
| San Francisco | 6 | Beantown | 32 | | | | | | |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | Beantown | 32 | | | | | | |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | U of Colorado | 0 | | | | | | |
| U of Colorado | | U of Colorado | 0 | | | | | | |
| U of Colorado | | | | | May 25 – Oakbrook, IL | May 25 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | |
| | | | | | Beantown | 15 | | | |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | Beantown | 15 | | | |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | Chicago | 4 | | Third place | Third place |
| Chicago | | | | | Chicago | 4 | | Third place | Third place |
| Chicago | | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | May 24 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | May 25 – Oakbrook, IL | May 25 – Oakbrook, IL |
| | | Chicago | | | | | | Denver | 6 |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | Chicago | | | | | | Denver | 6 |
| May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | May 23 – Oakbrook, IL | | | | | | | Minneapolis | 3 |

### Final

* 25 May 1981
| Belmont Shore | 7–6 | Beantown |
| Try: Gail Ball 72' Pen: Kathy Cantu 10' | | Try: Nancy Breen c Con: Karen Onufry |
* Oakbrook, IL
Lineups: Belmont Shore– Stregge, Hankins, Hancock, Boyce, Hartman, Rogers, Cantu, Miller, Wallace, Martinich, Goldberg, Ball, Kuskey, Martin, Hart. Beantown– Moynihan, Mullins, Kimble, Kaspotys, Rutkowski, Locket, Bridi, Fener, Cepko, Onufry, Evans, Lewis, Keith, Marr, Breen.

## College

The 1981 College championship was won by University of California at Berkeley. Harvard was runner-up.

## Military

The 1981 Military Club Rugby Championship took place in Dayton, Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base from May 9–10 and was won by the Wright Patterson Jets with a 7–3 win over Camp Pendleton.
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | | | |
| Wright Patterson | 6 | | | |
| Wright Patterson | 6 | May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | | |
| Fort Campbell | 0 | May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | |
| Fort Campbell | 0 | Wright Patterson | 3 | |
| May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | | Wright Patterson | 3 | |
| May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | Fort Bragg | 0 | |
| Fort Bragg | 26 | Fort Bragg | 0 | |
| Fort Bragg | 26 | | | | May 10 - Dayton, OH | May 10 - Dayton, OH |
| 193rd Infantry(Panama) | 6 | | | | May 10 - Dayton, OH | May 10 - Dayton, OH |
| 193rd Infantry(Panama) | 6 | | | | Wright Patterson | 7 |
| May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | | | | | Wright Patterson | 7 |
| May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | | | | Camp Pendleton | 3 |
| Camp Pendleton | W | | | | Camp Pendleton | 3 |
| Camp Pendleton | W | May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | | | |
| Uniformed Services Medical School | L | May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | | | |
| Uniformed Services Medical School | L | Camp Pendleton | 7 | | | |
| May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | | Camp Pendleton | 7 | | | |
| May 9 - Dayton, OH | May 9 - Dayton, OH | Davis Monthan | 6 | | Third place | Third place |
| Davis Monthan | 12 | Davis Monthan | 6 | | Third place | Third place |
| Davis Monthan | 12 | | | | May 10 - Dayton, OH | May 10 - Dayton, OH |
| Scott AFB/EUCOM | 10 | | | | May 10 - Dayton, OH | May 10 - Dayton, OH |

### Final

* 10 May 1981
| Wright Patterson | 7–3 | Camp Pendleton |
| Try: Gary Troop 20' Drop: Randy Troop | | Pen: Tukufu |
* Dayton, OH Referee: Roger Mazarella (Midwest RFU)

## Sevens

The 1981 National Sevens Rugby Tournament was hosted by the Hartford Wanderers and took place on June 20, 1981, at Sterling Field in West Hartford, Connecticut. The tournament was won by the Hartford Wanderers for the first time.
* West Hartford Wanderers 30-16 University of Rhode Island alumni (Final)

## 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 1981 edition was played at the Oak Brook Sports Core in Oak Brook, Illinois from May 23–25. The Pacific Coast RFU repeated as tournament champions. Results:
* 23 May 1981
| Pacific Coast | 11–10 | Eastern |
| Try: Don Guest 47' Don Guest Pen: Tom Smith | | Try: Lin Walton Harry Dickens |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 23 May 1981
| Midwest | 29–9 | Western |
| Try: (4) c Con: Joe Scheitlin (4/4) Pen: Joe Scheitlin | | |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 24 May 1981
| Pacific Coast | 29–7 | Western |
| Try: Tom Smith | | |
* Oakbrook, IL Attendance: 1500
* 24 May 1981
| Midwest | 9–25 | Eastern |
| Pen: Bill Chung (2) | | Try: Gary Lambert c Otis Purvis Gary Lambert Con: Mike Dufrense |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 25 May 1981
| Midwest | 6–31 | Pacific Coast |
| | | Try: Bateman Helu Fowler Everett Steve Gray (2) |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 25 May 1981
| Western | 12–23 | Eastern |
| Try: Greg Welfare c Con: Doug Parks Pen: Doug Parks | | Try: Lin Walton (3) Demyan Menyhart Floyd Dickens Con: Dennis Jablonski (2/4) Pen: Dennis Jablonski |
* Oakbrook, IL
| Team | Team | W | L | F | A |
| 1 | Pacific Coast Grizzlies | 3 | 0 | 71 | 23 |
| 2 | Eastern Colonials | 2 | 1 | 58 | 32 |
| 3 | Midwest Thunderbirds | 1 | 2 | 44 | 65 |
| 4 | Western Mustangs | 0 | 3 | 28 | 81 |

## High School

The 1981 National High School Rugby Championship took place in Dayton, Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base from May 9–10. Redwood High of Larkspur, CA became the first champions after a 6–3 victory over Seneca Valley of Maryland.
* First round: Seneca Valley W-L Cincinnati Indian Hills
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | | |
| Redwood | 13 | | | |
| Redwood | 13 | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | |
| Cincinnati Elder | 0 | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | |
| Cincinnati Elder | 0 | Redwood | 11 | |
| May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | Redwood | 11 | |
| May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | Langley | 9 | |
| Langley | W | Langley | 9 | |
| Langley | W | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Centerville B | L | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Centerville B | L | | | | Redwood | 6 |
| May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | | | | Redwood | 6 |
| May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | | | Seneca Valley | 3 |
| Seneca Valley | W | | | | Seneca Valley | 3 |
| Seneca Valley | W | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | | |
| Cincinnati St. Xavier | L | May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | | |
| Cincinnati St. Xavier | L | Seneca Valley | 22 | | | |
| May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | | Seneca Valley | 22 | | | |
| May 9 – Dayton, OH | May 9 – Dayton, OH | Webster Grove | 0 | | Third place | Third place |
| Webster Grove | W | Webster Grove | 0 | | Third place | Third place |
| Webster Grove | W | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Centerville A | L | | | | May 10 – Dayton, OH | May 10 – Dayton, OH |
| Centerville A | L | | | | Langley | |
| | | | | | Webster Grove | |
Champions: Redwood High Coach: David Kirschoff Roster: Colin Cole, Brian Muller, John Flowers, Jeff Davis, Elliot Morshead, Steve Fentress, Benny Thio, Mitch Halston, Barry Grove, Greg Merriman, Greg Behrendt, Robert Salaber, Robert Forstner, Nick Stoll, Duncan Green, Phil Aufricht, Eric Goodfield, Mike Jackson, Bud Riley, Steve Havernass, Sean Silvera, Pat Farley, John Weisberg, Mike King, David Flowers.