Rugby: Flowerman try keys squad's victory

When the men’s rugby team looks back on this season, it will point to Saturday’s 11-5 home victory over Columbia as the game when the players came together as a unit.

The scouting reports on Columbia billed the Lions as an aggressive team runs the ball straight ahead rather than trying to make defenders miss with finesse. To prepare for such a team and to address the poor tackling that had plagued the defense all season, Princeton focused its practice sessions on one-on-one contact drills in the week leading up to the match.

Putting in the “hard yards” in practice paid off for the Tigers, as they outmatched a Columbia team known for its physicality.

The first 15 minutes of the game saw little progress in either direction, but by denying the Columbia attack with solid form tackles, Princeton showed that it would not be run over on its home pitch.

Just when Columbia’s relentlessness started to wear Princeton down, sophomore scrum-half Ben Tsui sent a high box-kick into Columbia territory to test the uncertain hands of Columbia’s deep three. Though Columbia’s fullback fielded the ball cleanly by calling for a mark — rugby’s equivalent of a fair catch — his caution gave Princeton good field position, setting up an easy penalty kick for Tsui.

Five minutes later, Columbia answered. After consecutive Princeton penalties put them within striking distance, the Columbia forwards used a design play, in which they form a maul off a ruck, to score a try. A missed conversion limited the Lions’ lead to 5-3.

Just before halftime, Princeton and Columbia traded missed penalty kicks. Princeton’s attempt, by senior Josh Grehan — who replaced Tsui at scrum-half — clanged off the left post to leave Princeton trailing 5-3 at halftime.

Grehan made good on another penalty kick opportunity to open the second half, giving Princeton a 6-5 lead. The next time Princeton got the ball, the referee whistled Columbia for setting up offsides This forced Columbia to defend conservatively, leaving room for Princeton’s attack.

Ten minutes into the second half, junior hooker Zachary Flowerman scored his seventh try of the season, touching the ball down while dragging a defender. Three phases of textbook offense — a maul off of a lineout and two “pick-and-go” plays — put Flowerman within range.

Up 11-5 after Columbia blocked the conversion, Princeton had to protect the one-score lead for 30 minutes. Columbia held possession for much of that time, finding creative ways to get the ball in the hands of its most dangerous runner, flanker Derek Lipscomb. To hold off Columbia, Princeton put together a string of courageous goal-line stands. Each link in the Princeton defense was tested, and none yielded.

“They spent that second half within our [22-meter line],” Grehan said. “We didn’t play technically beautiful rugby, but we played hard rugby, and that was how we won: with energy and determination on the pitch.”

“Those goal-line stands may prove to be the defining point of our season,” junior second row Zak Deschaine said. “The team came together as a unit and showed a lot of heart, and I hope we can carry that with us for the rest of the season.”

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With almost no time left, Princeton committed a penalty deep in its own territory, giving Columbia one last chance to steal the victory. After retreating the required 10 yards, junior prop John Veras loudly pointed out the man he was guarding, anticipated the pass that gave this player the ball, closed the distance at speed and accelerated through the tackle, delivering a hit that sealed the win and reverberated throughout the entire Ivy League Rugby Union.

In a game when so many players put together strong defensive efforts, freshman outside center Philip Halsey was named Man of the Match by head coach Rich Lopacki for never allowing the Columbia attack to continue beyond his man. Halsey’s flawless tackling patched up Princeton’s struggling back defense.

“Philip has great instincts,” junior prop Scott Gates said. “At one point he put together three tackles in a row, getting right up each time to make the next hit.”

With the win, Princeton advances to 2-2 and will guarantee a playoff spot if it wins its remaining three league games. For the first time this season, the Tigers played with energy for all 80 minutes. They’ll need to maintain that energy into next weekend, when they take on first-place Dartmouth and third-ranked Brown on the road.