(Dublin, Ireland) September 9, 2001 -- The All-Americans
defeated University College Dublin (UCD) 16-11 Sunday to end

their tour of Ireland 2-0.

The collegiate team crossed for a try in each half and then held
off a late-charge from their hosts to secure the win in dry, but
blustery conditions at the Belfield Bowl..

The game was played at a faster pace than some of our guys had
ever experienced before, noted head coach Tom Billups. They
were hurting, but that's part of the experience. We got a big
contribution from our bench, and I was proud of every man out
there.

Fullback John Buchholz put the All-American's first points on
the board with a penalty midway through the first half. The US
side had strung together a multiple-phase attack that drew the
UCD defense offside, and Buchholz hit from about 30m.

Back on the attack after the restart, the All-Americans scored
when a UCD clearing kick failed to find touch. Flanker Zach
Pulliam caught the ball inside the hosts' half and linked with
the outside backs to put wing Paul Emerick into space. The
speedster from Northern Iowa touched down in the corner.

UCD converted a straightforward penalty after 30 minutes, for a
halftime score of 8-3. However, with the referee policing the
match vigorously, both teams struggled for continuity. The game
was an increasingly fractured, sometimes fractious affair.

The teams swapped penalties after the break and it was near the
end of the third quarter before the All-Americans were able to
finish one of their several promising attacks. Captain Kort
Schubert called a short lineout that the Americans drove for
several meters, lock Ryan Connell jamming the ball forward from
the next breakdown. Prop Mike MacDonald then powered through the
fringe defense for the five-pointer.

Perhaps struggling with the stop-start pace of the game, the US
side could not extend their lead to ice the win, despite a clear
advantage in the territorial battle. Instead UCD gathered some
momentum of its own, putting their wing into the corner to get
back within a try of the lead.

The final 15 minutes of the match required stout defense from
the All-Americans as UCD kept the ball in hand at every
opportunity.

The two wins this week were the culmination of an All-American
program that has been reinvigorated in 2001. Tour plans and
staff were put in place in the spring and player selections were
based largely on June's collegiate All-Star Championships. The
team assembled at the New York Athletic Club last week before
flying to Ireland for the two fixtures in Dublin.

The All-American program will look to repeat the cycle next year
with another overseas tour expected.


Final: All-Americans 16 UCD 11 (halftime All-Americans 8-3)


All-Americans: Tries: Emerick, MacDonald
Pens: Buchholz (2)

UCD: Tries: McCarron
Pens: Hickey (2)
11