Green Retains Focus Despite Language Barrier, French Flare

On their third match in five days, the Big Green played host on Wednesday to a touring side from the Université de Toulouse.  Translation of the referee’s calls made things a little difficult at first, but once both teams got the hang of it they were able to put on quite a show for the crowd that had gathered at Brophy Field in Hanover for the match.

The first half was mostly played on Toulouse’s side of the field.  Dartmouth was first to score, with Captain Tommy Brothers ’11 putting up two successive penalty kicks from inside the Toulousian 22-meter line.  After some back and forth play, a blocked kick on Toulouse’s 5-meter line led to a try for Co-Captain Nick Downer, and a good conversion kick by Brothers put the score at 13-0 Dartmouth.   Sophomore outside center Derek Fish ’12 was able to put some more points on the board when an intercept quickly turned into a line break and a sprint to the try zone.  Brothers succeeded on the kick and Dartmouth left the pitch at halftime with 20 unanswered points. 

In the second half, Toulouse responded to their frustrations in the first half by playing with increased intensity, stepping up physical play and using all weapons available to them.  Toulouse was first to score, off of a line-out in Dartmouth territory, and a good conversion kick put the score at 20-7.  With both teams not wanting to give an inch, play was fierce, and one player from Toulouse was sin-binned for playing the ball after the whistle, and Dartmouth Co-Captain Paul Jarvis was sent off with a yellow card after a brief scuffle.  With the ball deep in Dartmouth territory, Toulouse was able to score once again, but the kick was no good and the score remained 20-12 Dartmouth.  Late in the half a turnover on the Dartmouth 22-meter turned into another try for Toulouse, and a good kick put the score at a close 20-17.  However, it was too little too late for the French team, and Dartmouth was able to stifle Toulouse’s attack for the final minutes of the half, clinching the victory for the Green.

After the game, the French coach was very complimentary of Dartmouth’s play, calling the team “athletic and very tough.”  “The game was very involved, “ he said, “and very well contested.  Two really good teams were on the pitch.” 

Dartmouth Co-Captain Paul Jarvis commented that the team needs “to continue to improve on our set pieces and our breakdown skills.   Toulouse was able to impose their style of play on us in the second half, but overall the match was a great test for a very young team, and highlighted areas for improvement and skills that need to continue to be developed."

Dartmouth has two more scheduled games this spring. The first, against the Mystic River D1 men’s club, is on Saturday April 24 at 1:00 PM, at Pine Banks Park in Malden, MA. The second is against the Boston Irish Wolfhounds men’s club in Hanover, Saturday May 1, at 1:00pm.

Photo Courtesy of Bob Grant