The Eastern Rugby Union, dormant since 1941, came back to life in New York last weekend with the Ivy League's Big Three and four other teams, Frank Lombardi, president of the Harvard Rugby Club, announced last night.

In addition to the Crimson, Yale, and Princeton, the revitalized Union includes Dartmouth, M.I.T., the New York Rugby Club, and the Washington Rugby Club. Each of the teams plans to play two games with every other squad on a home-and-home basis during the spring season.

The varsity's first league match will be held in New York, March 27, against the New York Rugby Club. The Crimson fifteen then goes to Bermuda the following week to compete in the annual Rugby Week tournament.

Better Year Seen

With several returning veterans in the line, and a program of extensive training planned, the Rugby Club should better last year's 5-3-2 record. Woody Simpson, former captain and first-string guard for powerful U.C.L.A., will lead the scrum. Also contending for a position among the Crimson's eight forwards are ex-football captain Johnny Nichols, now at the Business School, varsity football guard Bill Frate, Art Tickner, Ted Kennedy, Jim Ladd, Terry Turner, Brady Williamson, Bob Allen, and Jorge Hardoy.

The backfield will be led by outstanding scrum-half Frank Lombardi, president of the University Rugby Club and vice-president of the Eastern Union. Vying for positions in the backfield are veterans Jack MacRae, Jack Dormand, Robert Albert, Ted Carey, and Claud Hooton.

Princeton First Bermuda Opponent

The varsity's first game in Bermuda will be a warm-up match against the West-mount Club of Montreal. In the first round of the official tournament, the Crimson will face a traditionally powerful Princeton squad which defeated the varsity last fall, 6 to 0.

This year, however, the Tigers will meet a well-conditioned and well-coached Crimson fifteen with far more drive and finesse than last fall's inexperienced squad. It is expected that the team's new coach, Bob Raulston, who is a member of the Governing Board of the Australian Rugby Union, will be an important factor in the team's improved play.