Hopes of a Crimson rugby victory in California this week rose considerably on Saturday as the home side trounced the Barbarian Rugby Club of Montreal by a 16-3 score in the season's opener.

The Crimson suffered three temporary casualties in the game, which under rugby's no-substitution rule meant finishing with only 12 men on the field.

The Montreal side threatened briefly immediately after the kick-off, but the Crimson soon gained control of the game when the Business School's Peter Curry took a pass from Olivier Brunet to score near the posts in the eighth minute. Jim Joslin converted, to make the score 5 to 0.

Four minutes later Ron Eikenberry scored a copybook try far out in the corner, diving over after a ten yard run and laterals from Charles Levine, Joslin, Allah Hobson, and Pete Palmer. Joslin's kick went wide. (8 to 0).

In the eighteenth minute, Captain Lionel Bryer had to go off with a pulled muscle and Joslin failed to make a 30-yard penalty kick a minute later. John Chalsty touched down the Crimson's third try as soon as the ball came back in play, Joslin's successful conversion making the half time score Harvard 13, Barbarians 0.

Lack of outdoor practice was glaringly obvious at the start of the second half, as Tony Gianelly and John Chalsty went off with minor muscular injuries within five minutes. With a safe lead, the Crimson chose to play three men and 645 lbs. Short rather than risk aggravating the injuries.

This policy looked as if it might prove dangerous as sloppy tackling let the Barbarians through for their first try in the fortieth minute. (13 to 3.)

The Crimson came back, however, as Martin Lindsay, Terry Turner and Charlie Eaton took the ball downfield eight minutes late, Eaton scoring. (16 to 3).

The Rugby Club will meet M.I.T. at Tech on Tuesday, before leaving for the California trip on Wednesday night, to play two matches with the University of California at Berkeley.