Vital lessons were learned by Cambridge University as they suffered a 31-17 defeat to the Army at Grange Road.
In the build-up to the Varsity Match on Saturday, March 2 it is not all about winning, it is also about testing the systems and structures that will be pushed to the limit against their old adversaries at Saracens’ StoneX Stadium.
To that end, the questions and learnings that will have come out of the clash with the Armed Forces team will arguably be more valuable than a victory at this point in the campaign.
The Army prodded and probed in many facets of the game, and ultimately clinched the win through their superiority in the loose, particularly with ball in hand and their speedsters.
It was a compelling game that sucked you in and kept you gripped, without being quite as finessed at the seams as the coaching staff would desire.
There was a blistering start as the Army’s fly-half, Spr Johnson took a quick tap penalty inside the first minute to burst clear to score beneath the posts.
The slow start continued for the University when Pte Muritoki evaded two tackles on the break before passing over the final defender for supporting winger Sgt O’Reilly to run in unopposed.
In the 19th minute, O’Reilly appeared to be given the freedom of Grange Road to bounce off multiple tackles before finally being grounded and popping up a pass for SSgt Horner to barrel over the line to make it 19-0.
The third try acted as a wake-up call to the students, who upped their line speed in the second quarter, and began to reap the rewards by forcing the visitors onto the backfoot.
Their work was reflected on the scoreboard in the 21st minute. A catch and drive from a line-out led to captain Ben Gompels peeling off the blind side to touch down.
The Army’s defence was being put under increased pressure which they were doing well to withstand, but another rolling maul led to a penalty on 5m, and from another catch and drive, Gompels got his second try of the match.
Such was the Army’s prowess on the break, and quick off-loads, Tomos Miller was called into action to produce a try-saving, flying tackle to thwart Rfn Qorowale.
However, the good work was undone minutes into the second half.
The University had started brightly to move into the Army’s 22, but they were forced back by the visitors’ defence, and Johnson picked up a loose ball at the breakdown to send LCpl Butterworth away from deep inside his own half to touch down, making it 24-10.
The hosts were back to within a score of their opponents in the 54th minute when Charles Kantolinna touched down after a couple of phases following a line-out, and Jack Allinson added the conversion.
Just as it seemed that the comeback could be on, the Light Blues found themselves starved of possession. They were struggling to get their hands on the ball, and surrendering territory when they did, and that meant that front-foot ball was at a premium.
Miller was called upon again to produce another impressive tackle, this time on Pte Ducau, who looked set to be clean through, but it proved the signal that the University were to spend the rest of the match deep in their own half.
A yellow card for Byron Hodge, for a high tackle, and a well-worked try from the Army, who drew in their opponents before going wide for LCpl Graham to power over the line, sealed the University’s 31-17 defeat.
It may not have been the result or performance that the students would have wanted, but will give them much to pick over ahead of facing the Navy at Grange Road on Wednesday, February 14.
Photos from the game can be viewed here.
Cambridge University: Miller; Andrew, Loveridge, Bland, Farndale; Allinson, Favell; Wyse, Gompels, Collins, Hodge, Kantolinna, Pratt, Hughes, Tosa.
Replacements: Collins, Petty, Nixon, Hancock, Holdroyd, Day, Andrews.
Army: Pte Muritoki; Sgt O’Reilly, Rfn Qorowale, 2Lt Kelly, LCpl Butterworth; Spr Johnson, RFN Salusalu; LCpl Bamber, Bdr Austin, SSgt Horner, Cpl Beevor, Lt Mitchell, GNR Davison, LBdr Murray, Pte Ducau.
Replacements: Rgr Coen, Cpl Jenkinson, Sgt Westwood, RFN Ravuvu, LCpl Nayagi, Capt Ackers, Cpl Riley, Bdr Davies, LCpl Graham, Spr Qaniuci.
Scorers: 1min Spr Johnson try – Spr Johnson con (0-7), 16 Sgt O’Reilly try – Spr Johnson con (0-14), 19 Ssgt Horner try (0-19), 21 Gompels try (5-19), 32 Gompels try (10-19), 43 LCpl Butterworth try (10-24), 54 Kantolinna try – Allinson con (17-24), 69 LCpl Graham try – Spr Johnson con (17-31).
