Colorado State University and University of Colorado rugby squads have been contesting rugby's "pill" for over 40 years, a long and storied competition that has featured somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 matches as each institution's first and second sides have faced off in spring and fall, year-in and year-out since the Beatles disbanded.

On Friday, October 7th at Infinity Park Rugby Stadium the tradition continues as the 'A's face off at 7pm and the 'B' sides kickoff at 5pm in what has become a Colorado rugby autumn classic. Last spring the teams split with CU taking the 'A' match and CSU prevailing in the 'B' fixture.

Scrumdown, CSU put-in                            credit: C. Wiley

It is a tribute to the school's respective rugby programs as well as a testimony to the individual players that the cumulative match records, "Are just about even," reports sideline pundit Axl Cross, "if you find them who say CU is ahead in the win column, there'll be an equal number who'll claim CSU leads." Truth be told, that data has long been buried beneath the sands of time and is unlikely to be excavated anytime soon.

And though the full record of rugby competition between these two venerated institutions may have been lost to antiquity, the crucial matchup thus far is the one you won't want to miss: Friday, October 7th at Glendale's Infinity Rugby Complex beginning with the 'B' sides @ 5pm and continuing with the 'A's @ 7pm Ticket link.

Glendale Raptors, the top-ranked clubside in the country, demonstrated well the reason for their status in a comprehensive victory over cross-town rival Denver Rugby Highlanders at Infinity Park rugby stadium Saturday evening. Over 1,000 spectators were in attendance for the Division I clash in near-perfect fall weather conditions.

Highlanders spent a goodly portion of the initial stages of the match inside Raptors 22 meter line, but were unable to come away with points as they crossed into goal twice though the Raptors defense denied them groundings. Glendale’s lineout play was impeccable, securing their own ball and pilfering most of Highlanders throws.

After a Highlanders missed swipe at goal in the first minute, flyhalf Ata Malifa put his side up by three with a penalty conversion from 35 meters at four ticks as Highlanders were judged to have not released at tackle. The next fifteen minutes featured territorial kicking by Highlanders #10, Leif Gibson, which pinned Glendale deep in their own end, but consummate defense by the home team kept Denver from tallying.

Raptors increased their lead to eight in the 19^th minute as their backs shifted ball at speed and second center Christian Sarmiento finished in the corner. Glendale upped the margin as Malifa deftly fed onrushing wing Max Stattler back inside and the speedy 3/4s crossed and dotted for a Malifa-converted goal and it was 15-0 at 26 minutes.

Glendale had a player shown yellow at the 30 minute mark, but the visitors were unable to capitalize on that advantage though they managed a fair amount of time inside Glendale’s 22. Instead it was the formidable Malifa who broke through the defensive wall at Highlanders’ 22 meter line and streaked into goal for his own conversion and a 22-0 lead at the 33^rd minute.

Gibson slotted a penalty goal at 35 minutes to put Denver on the board and it was 22-3. Sarmiento picked up his brace with a well-squibbed boot into the box he was able to snatch at speed and dot for a Malifa-converted goal, and a 29-3 lead as time dwindled in the half.

It was Glendale yet again at the whistle when a Highlander was pinged for grossly inhibiting play and the home side were assessed a fiver by Sir Tim Luscombe. Malifa’s conversion brought the score to 36-3 at the respite.

Raptors got on the front foot quickly after the re-start with Stattler getting his double after receiving a pop pass from Croy and burning the sideline for fifty to dot for a goal converted by replacement and former Eagle, Dan Power, and Glendale increased their lead to forty at minute 43.

Raptors tried again at minute 48 when loosehead Pat Carroll, exhibiting admirable pace in support of a Power break, touched down. Power’s conversion took the scoreline to 50-3.

Glendale dotted five more times before the whistle with tries by: Croy, Power, a brace by flanker Brad Winbush, and the final by Faroud Douarian for a resounding 77-3 victory.

Glendale’s head coach, Mark Bullock was pleased with his side’s opening of their national title defense, “We managed to get on top of the Highlanders in the set piece and really created problems for them at lineout time as both locks, Matt Doubek and Casey Rock were very effective in stealing Highlander lineout ball and winning our own.” Bullock was pleased with his forwards’ overall play: “We were very strong in the loose. This denied the Highlanders a platform for attack and provided us an opportunity to counter attack which we did quite effectively tonight. “

Next up for Denver Rugby Highlanders is Utah’s Provo Steelers, 1pm kick at Infinity Park South while the Raptors play host to KC Blues in the Stadium. Both matches on 10/1.

Scoring:

Glendale Raptors 77 (36) – Tries: Sarmiento (2), Stattler (2), Malifa, Penalty Try, Carroll, Croy, Power, Winbush (2), Douarian; Con: Malifa (4), Power (3), Pen: Malifa

Denver Rugby Highlanders 3 (3) – Pen: Gibson

Referee: T. Luscombe

In Division II action at Infinity Park South on Saturday, Glendale Raptors claimed sole possession of first place in their league with a bonus-point win over Denver Rugby Queen City. Twenty-two first half points were sufficient to provide the margin of victory against a game City bunch, though an additional try was scored by the home side in a second half that nearly featured a fantastic finish by the visitors.

Queen City struck early when Glendale attempted to run from their own end and ball bobbled in the backs resulted in a City set piece close in. Though Raptors snatched scrum ball and cleared their lines, the visitors’ #10 Mark Stines, collected ball and chipped ahead into space. At the subsequent loose piece close in, City’s forwards rumbled towards and into goal with lock Brian Gustafson touching down for a 5-0 QC lead at the third minute.

Glendale fullback Ben Cappa brought Raptors back within two, slotting a penalty assessed when QC were seen to have joined the breakdown not through the gate: 5-3 with eight gone.

The home side grabbed the lead, as their pack took a lineout five meters from Denver’s goal and muscled over for a Gavin Griffith touch down, and Raptors were up by a three at twelve.

An eventful 20 minutes passed with each side asking questions in probing surges and tactical boots, but no points were recorded until ball spun swiftly from a penalty awarded for failure to release at tackle, found wing Chris Wenglasz at the right end of the overlap and he finished in twenty, dotting down a Cappa converted goal: 15-5 to Glendale at minute 34.

Glendale upped their advantage to 17 in a splendid backline movement begun just outside their 22. Center Greg Fugier looped to put wing Devin Copeland clear for a 40 meter scamper before offloading to Cappa outside City’s 22. The fullback was able to defy pursuit to try, and with his own conversion the tally stood at 22-5 at break.

In the first half, City squandered a fair amount of opportunities in play broken by handling errors and concentration voids while Raptors were quick to breakdown effecting turnover ball.

Glendale flyhalf and former Penn State standout, Eric DeFelice, marshaled well his backline and had Raptors threatening soon after the re-start, but City were able to turnover possession and the visitors roared into Glendale territory, banging hard on the door as they powered into goal though the inability to ground due to solid Raptor defense saw points go begging.

Denver got back in the match with a try from replacement Jesus ?. The wily #9 spun out of the loose five meters from goal and charged hard across the paint to reduce Glendale’s lead to twelve at 57 minutes.

A Glendale offsides enabled Stines to pin the hosts at their five meter line, defending a lineout. However two phases on Queen City were pinged for not releasing at the tackle and DeFelice cleared his lines. But the travelers kept up pressure and were rewarded when Jesus Flores touched down again, and with Stines’ conversion, it was a five point margin in the 74^th minute and the boisterous crowd on both sides of the field cranked up the volume.

It was Glendale who had the final word when, with City showing boots and saddles in the hosts half and Glendale desperate in defense, Fugier stripped ball and burst from congestion at his 35 meter line, outpacing the chase to score the match’s last and make the record 27-17 Glendale over Queen City.

Next up for Glendale is Northern Colorado Flamingos, October 15 in the stadium, 6pm while next stop for QC is on the road against those same Flamingos, October 1^st.

Scoring:

Glendale Raptors 27 (22) – Tries: Griffith, Wenglasz, Cappa, Fugier; Con: Cappa (2); Pen: Cappa

Denver Rugby Queen City 17 (5) - Tries: Gustafson, Jesus (2); Con: Stines

Referee: K. Weaver