For the first time in five years, the Harvard men's rugby club will be competing in the Northeastern Championships. Joining Army, Dartmouth and Columbia this year, the Crimson will be competing for the right to play in the Eastern Championships December 2 in Orlando, Florida.

"This is the competition," said junior Will Rava, speaking about this weekend. "A lot of the Southern teams are not as good as Army or Dartmouth."

Team President and Captain Bruce Miller agreed with Rava, saying that, "The winner of the Northeastern Championships will win the whole thing or at least reach the final four."

A title also gives the Crimson a good opportunity to qualify for nationals for the first time since its 1984 national championship squad.

Harvard plays Army on Saturday. With a win, the Crimson would play again Sunday against the winner of the Dartmouth-Columbia tilt. Army is the strongest of the three opponents.

"They are a big, physical team," Miller said. "But I think that we are technically superior."

"We expect to win," Rava added. "We can win."

In preparation for this weekend, the team has been practicing twice a day for the last two weeks.

Harvard Crew: If you did not get to see enough rowing on Head of the Charles weekend three weeks ago, come and see the Tail of the Charles this weekend. The crowd will be smaller and no one will be selling T-shirts, but the Tail means just as much to the Crimson rowers as the Head.

Harvard varsity and freshman boats will be competing against other Boston-area schools, including MIT, Boston University, Tufts and Northeastern University.

Each varsity heavyweight team will have six to eight four-man boats on the water and Harvard's varsity lightweights will have four four-man boats entered in the event.

Each freshman team will have three to five eight-man boats in the event. For many of the freshman oarsmen, this will be their first real taste of competition on the open water.

The Tail is the last time that rowers will be competing on the river during the fall season. According to Ivy League regulations, the program starts the indoor phase of its season after the Thanksgiving weekend.

"This is the culmination of our fall training," junior Owen West labeled this weekend. "We would like to leave the water with a strong positive note."

Quote of the Week: "When I was a freshman [during the 1987-'88 season], we went down there and we won. Then, I didn't know any better."--Harvard men's hockey forward Peter Ciavaglia before the Crimson's season-opening game against Yale Friday at Ingalls Rink in New Haven. The curse of The Whale help up, as the Elis overcame a 2-0 deficit and thumped the Crimson, 6-2.

Runnerup: "If we control the line like we did today, I don't think we'll ever pass again."--Harvard football quarterback Tim Perry after engineering a 24-15 upset of Penn Saturday at the Stadium. Perry was forced to throw only seven passes in the game as the Crimson rushed for 318 yards.