News
CUARLFC 12 Notts Trent 0
For the first time in over 10 years Cambridge University have won the division they compete in BUCS(Formally BUSA) with the defeat of the strong team from Notts Trent yesterday in Cambridge.Notts Trent are the only side to have beaten the lions this season with a great and tenacious comeback up in nottingham.Cambridge knew that they would not have total control of the game for long periods due to the smart players Notts had especially the hooker who if not looked after could carve the ruck defence up and put notts on the front foot.The game kicked off on the Leys School pitches and many thanks to Matt the groundsman for allowing the game to go ahead on what was the best track available in cambridge due to the downpours we have had over the past week.Both sides were trading completed sets but pretty quickly the go forward at the ruck allied with a very good kicking game meant that notts were penned in their own twenty metre area for large parts of the first half.Good pressure and patience were rewarded with two penalties in front of the sticks which were converted giving a narrow 4-0 lead to cambridge at half time.
The talk at half time centred around the ruck area and tightening up a little to snuff out the threat of the hooker jumping out and stopping their go forward.The next twenty minutes were scoreless with brutal defence from both sides and no shortage of good running at the ruck but with both sides defending well at the ruck meant both sets of backs were gettingvery little ball on the front foot.The deadlock was broken when after notts conceded a penalty and then a repeat set , cambridge scored at the side of the posts with good footwork and evasive skills from scrum half Rupert Wingate-Saul which converted gave a scoreline of 10-0.For the remaining 18 minutes it was imperative for the side to stay calm under pressure and work the ball up the field with a good kick chase.They did this and with another penalty shot in front of the posts extended the lead out to 12-0.
Notts trent were not going to give in and with repeated raids on the cambridge line in the last 5 minutes surely something was going to give but the hallmark of this side is they become more determined and tenacious when they are defending their line and the final whistle blew with notts still trying to get the elusive points.
Scorers for Cambridge were , Try R.Wingate-Saul , Pens , J Hunt(3) Con J Hunt
John Evans was proud of the players efforts , “ This was the litmus test for us today as notts trent are a good rugby league side , fit , aggressive and like us in that they will play every set as if their life depends on it.We spoke about what we would have to do physically in this game but the mental side of the game is massive on days like these because we see who can handle the next level of intensity where both sides are playing for a trophy.Again no points scored against us and this is very important to the players as it is a big goal for every player on the field to make their tackles and work well in their defensive unit.Everybody in this club is playing for places and everybody will be given a shot in the team but we are reaching a time of the season where players have to bring their A game to every training session and match.“
The KCJ Man of the Match was by a clear margin the skipper Matthew Bray , who played the whole 80 minutes at prop and was a menace to the notts runners and defenders all day.
