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A bridge too far for Cambridge Unviersity Rugby |
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14 November 2008 |
The game against Notts Trent was always likely to be one of the toughest assignments of the season, due to their history of producing representative players and players currently plying their trade in National League 1 of the professional game.
The game against Notts Trent was always likely to be one of the toughest assignments of the season, due to their history of producing representative players and players currently plying their trade in National League 1 of the professional game. Backing up after playing four days earlier against Staffs University was going to be a test for a full strength team but with the numbers ravaged by injury and late call offs, the Green Lions (Cambridge) boarded the bus with 15 players with half of those only just starting to play the sport.
The game was played with both teams exchanging completed sets one after the other but the indiscipline of the Notts Trent players led to a succession of penalties. This meant that the Lions could camp out for prolonged periods in the right part of the field and the pressure finally told with Hooker James Shearman going over through a gap in the markers under the posts to leave an easy conversion for Max Stechman. Notts Trent were not going to be put off by this set back and threw the kitchen sink at the Cambridge defence. Further indiscipline led to a player being sin binned and during this period Shearman jumped out of dummy half, zipped past the markers, and gave the full back a "see you later" on the way to dotting the try down under the posts, again converted by Stechman. Notts Trent came back with a try under the sticks to make sure the scoreline reflected the even nature of the game but a penalty under the posts right on half time was converted by Stechman to give a half time scoreline of Cambridge 14 - Notts Trent 6.
For the next thirty minutes both teams traded blows but desperate defence on the goal line by both teams meant that it would go right down to the wire. Notts Trent finally broke the deadlock with a tap penalty near the line when Cambridge clocked off for that instant and with the try converted left a narrow two point lead for the Lions. It looked as if the lions were going to come away with the spoils but some poor defence allowed Trent good field position, a kick that was allowed to bounce went the right way for the Trent chasers and a converted try under the posts gave a lead for the first time to Trent by four points. With only five minutes left Cambridge needed an error in the Trent quarter to give them a chance of drawing the game or even snatching it back again, but a breakout try by Trent sent their team and fans into raptures and the game was gone.
Final Score CUARLFC 14 - Notts Trent 22
The 15 men of Cambridge should be proud of their efforts in Nottingham according to coach John Evans , "We knew that this would be one of the tougher fixtures of the season and to travel with key positions not covered by experienced players was always going to be a tough ask, but this year's squad are tenacious people and they gave their all in defence and attack but sadly to no avail. We know it is difficult to get a full strength team out each week and this game was certainly one that will give valuable experience to the rookies to take into the future. At the halfway stage of the season we are the leaders and should take pride in this but will need to make sure we travel to Lincoln and Loughborough with the full compliment of 17 players or we will undo the good work we have done so far."
The KCJ Man of the Match was James Shearman who was a threat to Trent all afternoon and his second try of the afternoon will live long in the memory.
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