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CUARLFC 22 Oxford 32
The match was always going to be a close contest with both sides going into the match with good form behind them and even the bookies couldn’t split the two sides before kick off.Cambridge had been short of game time over the past month leading into the varsity match but when they had played they had looked dangerous with the ball in hand and tight in defence so they had good reason to feel confident about their chances.The match as always is a major event for players and staff alike and throws up scenarios that are a million miles from playing on a wednesday afternoon on a park pitch.There is a vociferous crowd , Sky Sports cameras and reporters at pitchside but importantly it is a night game with all the problems that throws at players with catching the bomb when it comes out of the sky and a chasing team waiting for the error.The match kicked off and both sides struggled to complete the first four sets of the match such is the speed of the defensive line and nerves when passing and catching the ball but once the first ten minutes had been completed the light blues started their point scoring blitz. The first two tries were jumps out of dummy half from skipper George Sykes after great lead up work from James Shearman and George Laing in particular punching holes in the right hand side of the Oxford ruck defence.With another try from Jon Garrity , who dug his hob nail boots in near the line and with three players on his back placed the ball on the line which when converted by Greg Cushing gave a scoreline of 16-0 to the light blues.Yardage was now coming too easy and two try scoring opportunities were bombed by a little too much football and a knock on over the line.The match could have been put away with a 22-0 scoreline and Oxford in all sorts of disarray but this is the beauty of sport and Rugby League in particular where momentum shifts almost without players noticing.It was apparent on one defensive set that Oxford put in where the impact of the hit was harder and ultimately dislodged the ball giving them a cheap set of six and field position.
Cambridge lose out in a thriller
Oxford 32 Cambridge 22. Match goes down to the wire . Full match report to follow
CUARLFC Squad for Varsity 2010
CUARLFC have announced the 20 man squad for the 2010 Varsity Match.The 17 man team and three travelling reserves finalized their training last night with a team run under the lights at Grange Road and thanks to CURUFC for their help in the preperations for thursday night.Coach Evans is happy with the final week of preperation , “ The camp up in thetford was used well by the players drawing on the experience of Brian and Marcus and the team run last night was good quality and now the players just want thursday night to come round.Both teams are in good form and it should be a cracking game.“
The match is live on Sky Sports 3 , 7.30pm.