The New England Collegiate Rugby Conference continues to be compelling as the second half kicks off, with Coast Guard edging out Vermont, and two other exciting games - in all three matches the losing team earned a bonus point.

Rhode Island and New Hampshire played it tight early but the game was a wide open, fluid affair. URI ran in four first-half tries and five in the second period to win 61-31 and move to 5-1 and 1st in the NECRC. Right behind URI is Coast Guard, which notched its second win over Vermont this season, 17-10.

In both games Vermont was shut out in the second half. In wintry, wet conditions, both teams had to deal with numbers handling errors. Vermont scored at about ten minutes and then for the next 25 minutes turnovers and mistakes kept both teams scoreless.

But then late in the first half CGA scored to lead 7-5. Just before the half ended, CGA kicked to space, and Vermont did well to gather the ball and score in the corner.

Vermont led 10-7 at halftime, but Coast Guard tied it early in the second half with a penalty. Both sides battled up the middle, but it was Coast Guard who were able to get the ball wide and exploit a little space and score.

UVM threatened in the last three minutes and got over the tryline twice, but were held up. things got scrappy and UVM received a red card late, and Coast Guard survived.

So it remains a little wild and a little contentious in the NECRC. With four more weekends to go, still anyone from the top three could win it.