The 1979 National Rugby Championships were a series of tournaments organized to determine a national champion in several divisions for United States rugby teams. The divisions included College, Military, Sevens, Interterritorial, and Men's/Women's Club.
The 1979 National Club Rugby Championship was sponsored by Michelob and took place at Avila College in Kansas City, Missouri on May 12 and 13.[1] The teams featured in the tournament were the champions of the four sub unions of USARFU. The Berkeley Old Blues won the title defeating St. Louis in the final after beating their New York namesakes in two overtime periods in the semifinal.[2]
The 1979 Women's National Rugby Classic took place on September 1–2 at Lutheran Home Fields in Arlington Heights, IL.[3] The tournament was co-sponsored by the Chicago Women's Rugby Football Club and Michelob beer. The format was two round-robin groups with group winners playing for the championship.[4] The team from Florida State won the championship with four victories. The Heathen Hearts of Houston took third place by defeating holders, Portland.
Standings
Rank
Team
Pld
W
L
F
A
FSU
POR
HOY
CHI
DEN
1.
Florida State
3
3
0
20
7
X
4:3
8:4
X
8:0
2.
Portland (ME)
3
2
1
17
4
3:4
X
X
10:0
4:0
3.
Hoyden Park (GA)
2
1
1
8
8
4:8
X
X
4:0
X
4.
Chicago
3
1
2
4
14
X
0:10
0:4
X
4:0
5.
Denver
3
0
3
0
16
0:8
0:4
X
0:4
X
Standings
Rank
Team
Pld
W
L
F
A
MAD
HEA
BOS
COL
1.
Madison (WI)
3
3
0
20
7
X
10:4
6:3
4:0
2.
Heathen Hearts (TX)
3
2
1
10
10
4:10
X
6:0
W:L
3.
Boston
3
1
2
19
16
3:6
0:6
X
16:4
4.
Colorado State
3
0
3
4
20
0:4
L:W
4:16
X
Ninth Place: Denver. Seventh Place: Chicago 4-0 Colorado State Fifth Place: Hoyden Park 16-4 Boston[5] Third Place: Houston def. Portland[6]
The 1979 National Sevens Rugby Tournament was hosted by the Hartford Wanderers and took place on June 23, 1979, at Sterling Field in West Hartford, Connecticut.[10] The twelve team tournament was won by the Denver Barbarians.[11]
The Inter Territorial Tournament involved the four regional rugby unions comprising the United States RFU: Pacific Coast RFU, Western RFU, Midwest RFU, and the Eastern Rugby Union. The region teams are formed from selected players from the sub regional rugby unions. Subsequently, the USA Eagles are selected from the four regional teams after the ITT concludes. The 1979 edition was held on the polo fields of the International Sports Core in Oakbrook, IL.[12] won by the Pacific Coast RFU.[13]Pacific Coast's Mike Fanucchi and Jack Clark were most valuable back and most valuable forward respectively.
Results:
26 May 1979 2:00PM
Eastern
0–21
Pacific Coast
Try: Del Chipman Rick Bailey Kelleher Del Chipman Con: Dennis Jablonski Pen: Dennis Jablonski
Oakbrook, IL
26 May 1979 3:00PM
Midwest
28–18
Western
Try: Larsen Larsen Mosser Del Chipman
Try: Bob Arnold Parker
Oakbrook, IL
27 May 1979 2:00PM
Pacific Coast
21–3
Western
Try: Tommy Smith
Drop: Milt Bennett
Oakbrook, IL
27 May 1979 3:00PM
Midwest
31–11
Eastern
Oakbrook, IL
28 May 1979 11:00AM
Eastern
34–3
Western
Oakbrook, IL
28 May 1979 1:00PM
Midwest
9–22
Pacific Coast
Try: Jeff Lombard Mike Fanucchi c Mike Fanucchi c Con: Dennis Jablonski Pen: Dennis Jablonski
^"First Major Rugby Tourney". (May 12, 1979). The Daily News, p.7 col.1-3
^"California Team Tops St. Louis Club For Championship". (May 14, 1979). Kansas City Times, p.4C
^"Weekend Kicks Off With Women’s Rugby". (August 31, 1979). Chicago Tribune, s.4 p.12 col.2
^Cohen, Edie (September 1, 1979). "Rugby Classic Opens In Arlington". The Daily Herald, s.3 p.5 col.3-5
^Kusek, Joe (September 2, 1979). "Rugby Invades Suburbs". The Daily Herald, s.4 p.1
^Kusek, Joe (September 3, 1979). "Florida State Rules Rugby". The Daily Herald, s.3 p.5 col.3-6
^"Longwood Lass And FSU Mates Grab National Championship". (September 9, 1979). The Little Sentinel, p.1
^"Palmer College Rugby Champions". Retrieved May 2, 2024 – via YouTube (at 2:58). PCC took Navy 24-6 in the finals for the championship.
^Carlson, Kenneth N. (February 1984). "National Championships". Rugby Football Scorebook (1st ed.). Lynwood, WA: Rain Belt Inc. p. 6. ISBN0-938428-04-7.
