Harvard Claims Ivy Bid to Nationals in Wildcard Final

Baker Field, New York, NY - With their 32-13 win over Brown in final of Sunday’s Ivy Playoffs, Harvard won the right to represent the Ivy League in next Spring’s Division I Collegiate Championship.

Dartmouth (7-0) won the 2010 Ivy Championship outright and will move on to USA Rugby’s Premier League in the Spring. The Ivy teams ranked 2, 3, 4 and 5 then came to NYC to battle for the Division I slot.

By Ed Hagerty

In Saturday’s semifinals of the four-team Ivy Playoff, Harvard squeaked past Yale 10-6 and Brown defeated Columbia 42-17, setting up Sunday’s final.

Harvard 32, Brown 13
Led by the two tries of wing Brendan Hanrahan, Harvard went out to a 17-5 halftime lead and then added 15 second half points to win 32-13.

Tries by Hanrahan and Will Peck, the first converted by Max de la Cal, gave Harvard an early 12-0 lead. Brown responded with an unconverted try by Dow Travers, 12-5.

An injury-time try by flyhalf Gabe Cunningham gave Harvard a 17-5 lead at intermission.

Second Half
A penalty goal by Brown’s Sam Rabb three minutes after the restart narrowed Harvard’s lead, but it was restored in the 24th minute when Max de la Cal responded with a penalty goal for Harvard, 20-8.

Harvard increased its lead in the 27th minute when they kicked ahead while 25 yard’s from Brown’s line and flanker Connor Heard raced in for a touch down in the corner of the try zone, 25-8.

Refusing to roll over, Brown responded eight minutes later with a try by flanker Chaney Harrison, 25-13, but that was the Providence school’s last gasp.

Brendan Hanrahan closed the show with his second try in the 43rd minute, de la Cal’s conversion bringing the final score to 32-13.

Harvard 32
Tries: Hanrahan 2, Peck, Cunningham, Heard
Convs: de la Cal 2
Pens: de la Cal

Brown 13
Tries: Travers, Harrison
Pens: Rabb