The official line from the Harvard Rugby football club this week is that the squad is "quietly confident."

After picking up its third straight Metro Conference victory with a 32-0 shellacking of Holy Cross last weekend in Worcester, and being tabbed the number-one team in the New England area, the Crimson is trying to keep a cool head about its success.

"We can't get too cocky now," Co-Captain Mike Newhouse said. "Last week was a real confidence booster. Playing in the cold, on a wet field, and in snow by the end of the game, we were still able to score 32 points. We're quietly confident."

The Crimson (3-1 overall, 3-0 Metro Region) will try to clinch a berth in the New England Championships when it takes on Tufts today at Soldiers Field.

Guarantee

While a win today will guarantee Harvard a spot in the New England Championships, the ruggers say they are not satisfied with just qualifying. By winning the final two games of the Metro Region slate, the Crimson could conceivably go into the New England Championships with the top seed.

"We want to win all five of our games," volunteer Coach Martyn Kingston says. "It will give us an easier first game, and that will be good for us since it could be a three-game weekend."

Using the N.E. Championships as a stepping stone, Harvard went on the capture the national championship four years ago.

Radcliffe

After two bitter rivals play a hard-fought game, each side usually spends the off-season staring at the schedule, anxiously anticipating the next meeting.

For the Radcliffe and Dartmouth rugby teams, the waiting will last only six days.

After meeting last weekend in the consolation round of the Mayor's Cup tournament, the two squads renew their rivalry today in Hanover, N.H.

"They're probably pretty bummed out," Co-Captain Eliza Schwarz said. "We beat them last week and we beat them last spring."

The Black and White rallied from a 6-4 deficit to defeat the Big Green, 8-6. Prop Anne Moon scored the game-winning try with five minutes remaining in the contest.

"We beat them by a try," Schwarz said, "so we did not exactly dominate them. They'll be coming after us."