Crimson ruggers couldn't quite preserve a one-goal lead over the Boston Rugby Club this afternoon as Boston fought back in the final minutes of play to eke out a 3-3 tie.

Heavy winds forced both teams to rely mostly on kicking, and neither three-quarter line was able to sustain a passing movement. But Harvard, with brilliant performances from scrum half Andy Schafer and freshman prop Paul Budden-hagen, dominated the play for most of the afternoon.

Quent Spector and Terry Turner also turned in one of their best games of the season for the Crimson.

The Crimson jumped ahead with an early lead in the first half as Budden-hagen blocked a kick and carried it over for the first score of the game.

Not Well Enough

From then on, Harvard moved well, but not well enough. Although it sometimes came close, it couldn't score for the rest of the game.

Boston, on the other hand, was scoreless in the first half, and didn't really begin to press until late in the game. Finally, with less than five minutes remaining, prop forward Mike Stepanian scored a throw-in from the one-yard line.

The game was the first for Harvard ruggers since they edged Brown, 6-3, last Saturday to end an undefeated Ivy League season.

Harvard dominated the play in that game, too, but after giving up a goal in the first half, the Crimson had to rally late in the second half to squeeze past the Bruins.

Earlier this afternoon, Boston's B-team dueled Harvard's second squad, swamping the Crimson 9-0 on three goals in the second half.