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Show Wednesday, September 16, ISM Page IS COALITION um Bodnar This picture of Norm HALL SAYS IT Park City Rugby Football Club against Tahoe, Sun Valley, is proud to host the fourth annual Park City Rugby Challenge Cup tins weekend. Each year since its inception the tournament has improved, building from a five team Don Sturges PAST CHALLENGE CUP WIN- NERS 1971 - (3-w- ay tie): Park City R.F.C., Provo A.C., Salt Lake City A.C. 1972 - Champions: Aspen R.F.C. San FranAs; Runners-up- : cisco R.C. 1973 - As; R.F.C. Champions: Aspen R.F.C. Runners-up- : Park City round robin in 1971 to a full 16 team single elimination event in 1974. This will be the format for in future the tournament years the size of the event will never extend beyond 16 entrants. Hopefully the quality of rugby will improve each year now . that the full slate has been realized, and fine clubs from all over the world will be attracted to Park City annually. The Muckers as tournament hosts, hope to improve the caliber of their play to parallel the tournaments increasing excellence.. 1974 has proven to be an active year for the Muckers, with major rebuilding of the squad and the most ambitious schedule in club history being undertaken in the same season. The roster has from 15 players at the risen outset of the summer to almost twice that number in September. AH eight returnees from 1973s fine club have worked hard throughout the year to pass on their knowledge of rugby to players who have counted 1974 as their initial rugby experience. Park Citys inexperience has cost them several matches through the year, but the record the club has attained to this juncture is a reflection of the 10-- 9 Muckers ability to play fine rugby on occasion. Highlights of the year have been victories Steamboat, Calgary Rams, and Lethbridge Miners. The Muckers have traveled widely throughout the summer, and the road trips have contributed significantly to the development of newer players who have been put on the firing line without having the chance to play second-sid- e to If matches. Park City is to' play well in the Challenge Cup, the experience and poise gained by the 19 game summer schedule will prove invaluable. The Muckers, like every other tournament side, cannot afford lapses in too short are the games play too hard and points given up are to get back. Aspen, winners of the past two Park City tournaments, has illustrated virtually constant flawless, play during the past eight matches here. Probably the key to Park Citys fortunes lies in how well their forwards are able to secure the ball. The diminutive size of the Mucker forward pack hampered them earlier in the year, as opposition constantly drove over the ball and put the Park City squad on defense. But as timing in the scrum, and work in the loose rucks and mauls has gotten better, Park City has been able to claim their share of the ball. Leaders of the pack throughout the season have been veterans Norm Hall, Dave Bodner, and A1 Coelho. This trio has never given up on the newer talent in the lineup, and has been the glue to solidify the pack into a mobile, unit. ad -- ball-hawki- ng . Steve Anaerson The venerable Corky Foster has made his return to Scrum Half after several seasons at Hooker, and he, along with Skip Schirf offer experience at this vital spot. Foster and Schirf can turn incredible games at Fly Half, and thus give the Muckers depth in the backline. But probably play in the Centre has improved as much as any other facet of Park Citys game. Don Sturges and newcomers Mitch Dixon and Allen Terry give Park -- City speed and deception in the heart of the backline, and all three are capable of making breaks at any time during a given match. Steve Anderson has continued his excellent play in the Fullback position, and in this, his second year, has become a scoring threat as a kicker and a ball carrier. Andersons ability to turn opposition kicks into scoring opportunities from any point on the pitch has kept Mucker players aware that they are not out of the running in any contest they enter. But truly, this has been a total club effort throughout the year. On many occasions the Muckers have played without several of the outstanding players named above and have won. It wont be one or two or seven players who carry the Muckers into the Challenge Cup, but 25 individuals who have brought various amounts of ability and copious amounts of enthusiasm to rugby in Park City during 1974. 1974 CHALLENGE CUP TRANTS Albuquerque Aspen As Aspen Bs Boulder Colorado State University Dead Goat Edmonton Clansmen Kansas City Bulls Minneapolis Park City Rio Grande Touring Side Steamboat Springs Tahoe Telluride University of Utah Vail EN- |