Here They Scrum

FOR SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T PLAN TO play rugby in college, Alex Magleby '00 is having quite an impact on the sport. In June the former Dartmouth standout and current Big Green head coach captained the U.S. national rugby sevens "side" to victory over a 10-team field in the Caribbean qualifier to earn a berth in next springs Rugby Sevens World Cup in Hong Kong.

Playing alongside Magleby on the U.S. squad is former Dartmouth team- mate Kevin Whitcher '99. It was Whitcher who convinced Magleby, whose Utah high school team won three national rugby titles, to end his flirtation with crew and join the rugby club. Dartmouth won three Ivy League titles during Magleby's tenure, and in 2001 he and Whitcher led the United States to the Rugby Sevens World Cup semifinals.

Both play on the front row in this fastpaced sport, which has fewer scrums than 15s rugby, and create confusion with their matching red hair. "We look like twins," acknowledges Magleby. "Kevin does something good, I get credit for it."

Given Dartmouth's proud rugby history, it's not surprising that the College has yielded two national team stars. Dartmouth was the first U.S. club to tour England (in 1958) and twice played for the national title in the 1980s. With the longawaited Corey Ford Rugby Clubhouse under construction, the team is looking to the future. "The clubhouse will be so impressive and it's in such a beautiful, natural amphitheater," says Magleby. "It will help us attract even better athletes."