The two teams that have won the last seven NIRA DI championships will face off Saturday when Harvard hosts Dartmouth.
This is a huge game, and, in fact, it's bubbling up to the national team, where alumni from both teams play.
USA co-captain Erica Jarrell-Searcy, who captained Harvard, was asked who she had winning that game, and her response, of course, was: "Who do you think I have?"
She continues to follow the Crimson.
"Whenever there are matches on at hours that don't conflict with games, I am watching," she told GRR.
USA Head Coach Jack Hanratty chimed in.
"I love the how I know that Dartmouth are playing Harvard this weekend," said Hanratty. "I think that it's really important,. I'm hoping to go after [the test match in] New Jersey to go and watch, do a bit of a drop into a few of the of the universities, because it's and important time."
"For a long time we've been a nation that just needs to get people playing as much rugby as they can," added Jarrell-Searcy. "So for a while that looked like sending people overseas. We're so fortunate that the college game is well enough resourced that you have athletes coming out of those environments who are just ready to step into a national team jersey. I am definitely feeling grateful for the sort of college sport environment in the US."
Harvard is coming off a big win over Brown, beating their Ivy League rivals 76-0. That followed up from a dramatic 26-24 win over Sacred Heart.
No. 8 Gemma Ogoka leads the Crimson with four tries in those two games, while Maya Hilger and Sana'a Lunon each have three.
Dartmouth was impressive in their opening win over Army, and then two weeks ago lost 49-24 to Life University in a non-conference game. That match was probably more valuable to the Big Green than was Harvard's win over Brown.
Wing Lauren Cheng leads the team with three tries while Marley Larkin and Vasiti Turagavou have two.
This game doesn't decide a ton of things, but it could well vault the winner to a likely #1 seed into the playoffs.
Note: Also this game has been moved to Friday night to avoid an incoming nor'easter.
