1st XV Brown Men at Harvard Men
Brown scored four unconverted tries to Harvard’s one but had to come back in the final minutes of the match to eke out a 20-17 victory in this tense Ivy match-up. The muddy and wet conditions confounded the Bears all day as handling errors and careless penalties caused shifts from potential momentum to lost possession.
Harvard gained an early 3-0 lead on a penalty kick in the first five minutes, but Brown countered with a Dow Travers’12 try three minutes later. Brown lock Landon Turley’12 took a defensive lineout, #8 Chaney Harrison ran it 10 meters where center Travers broke through on a pass from outhalf Zahid Jethani’13 for a 5-3 Brown lead
Over the next 20 minutes Brown mistakes allowed the scrappy Harvard team to get back into the match conceding three penalties, one of which was converted at 21 minutes to give Harvard back the lead 6-5. But the Bear’s superior forward strength then came alive. A penalty to Brown was kicked to the corner where the subsequent Brown lineout was driven over the line with Harrison scoring, 10-6 Brown.
Although Harvard kicked yet another penalty kick at 34 minutes, the Bears held a 10-9 advantage at the half.
Within three minutes of the opening of the second half, Harvard scored its only try as they duplicated the Brown sequence: penalty kick to touch and a driven lineout for five points, Harvard 14, Brown 10.
Brown’s erratic play continued and was exacerbated by a yellow card issued to co-captain Danny Levine-Spound’12 at 53 minutes. Although Brown prevented a Harvard try while a man down, another penalty kick gave Harvard a 17-10 advantage.
At 73 minutes with Brown at full strength again, the Bears began to play to the conditions with the forwards controlling the attack with a series of Brown rucks. Although Harvard defended the line gamely, Travers took a pass, side stepped one defender and found space to score. Brown now trailed 17-15 with 7 minutes remaining.
Having used their forward strength for one try, Brown battled down to the Harvard end again. A Brown scrum in front of the posts was taken by scrum half Matt Leonard’14 who broke right beating the Harvard flanker and scoring the winning try with only minutes left on the clock.
Referee: Don Jennings
Scoring
First Half
3rd min penalty kick-Harvard 3
8th min try- Brown (Down Travers) 5
21st min penalty kick-Harvard 3
27th min try- Brown (Chaney Harrison) 5
34th min penalty kick- Harvard 3
Halftime: Brown 10 - Harvard 9
Second Half
43rd min try- Harvard 5
53rd min penalty kick- Harvard 3
73rd min try- Brown (Dow Travers) 5
78th min try- Brown (Matt Leonard) 5
Final: Brown 20 - Harvard 17
Play By Play
Brown at Harvard 1:00 PM Saturday. Looks to be a wet one.
Brown to take field in 40 min. against Harvard on a grey rainy day. Great day for rugby. http://t.co/9n3K6Wct
John McGeachy: "looks like a good day to be a forward.". http://t.co/iz0HcVgR
5-3 Brown. Harvard LO @ Brown 5 m
Penalty Harvard. Brown kicks to 30 for Brown LO
10-9 Brown. Two tries Brown; Three kicks Harvard.
End First Half