The Harvard men's rugby football team was reeling. Actually, panicking may be the better word for it.

Opening its spring season Saturday against Holy Cross and playing without volunteer Coach Martyn Kingston--a graduate student finishing his thesis in South Africa--Harvard was rocking on its heels after the Crusaders cut the Crimson's lead to 6-4 with only five minutes remaining.

But the ruggers did not fall apart, and held on to defeat the Crusaders for the first time in three years.

"You only have a coach at the half," rugger Scott Roberts said. "In the game, you look to the captains, and Mike Newhouse and Scott Tierney stepped to the forefront and calmed the guys down."

"There was serious panicking," Tierney said. "We were tired, and they were excited after scoring. It was our first games as captains, and we just wanted to provide leadership."

But after the Crusaders missed the conversion kick, the Crimson was able to hold off Holy Cross with a determined defensive effort and a revived offensive attack.

Deon Strickland got the ruggers on the board early on in the contest. From five-meters, Strickland got the ball and bulled into the try zone. Nathan Keonig converted the try to put the Crimson ahead, 6-0.

"It was a rumbling, lumbering kind of try," said wing Mike Gibbs.

Harvard missed a penalty kick minutes later. There was no other scoring in the first half. The Crimson continued to penetrate the Crusaders' end of the field, however, but was unable to punch it in.

"We could have scored more," Tierney said, "but it's understandable since it's our first game, and they have already played a few games."

But in the second half, with the wind at their backs, the Crusaders began to play Harvard more evenly. And then, finally, after a long, sustained drive, Holy Cross scored an easy try after a Crimson penalty.

Already

Harvard will next be making its annual spring break tour. The Crimson will visit New Orleans, where it will take on LSU, Tulane, and the New Orleans men's club side.

"The game went really well," Roberts said. "We're working out the kinks, but we should be ready for the Ivy League tournament."

Harvard will be trying to snatch the Ivy League crown away from host Brown April 9th.