A controlled and resolute performance secured Cambridge University a 15-7 victory over the Royal Navy.
In the final leg of the triple header against the sides from the Armed Forces, the parts and lessons learned from the previous games against the RAF and the Army came to the fore.
The students’ win was built on their defence, and that was a resounding theme of the game. Trips into the Light Blues’ 22 were few and far between for the visitors, with a fast and firm, high defensive line proving all almost impenetrable, bar one lapse. It has to be said, though, that the Navy’s defensive line was equally as impressive, and is a reason as to why there were only four scores all game.
The Navy were ideal opponents as their traditional physicality and set-piece strength was able to pose questions of the University, and they were up to the challenge.
The scrum more than held its own, and the line-out was its usual potent attacking weapon.
The Navy had the chance to put the first points on the board in the ninth minute, but Rickus Brink’s penalty was wide of the posts.
The first sustained foray into the Royal Navy’s 22 reaped its rewards in the 19th minute. The students set up a series of rolling mauls, which led to a yellow card for the Navy. There was no let-up in the pressure and from another line-out, a maul was driven over the line and captain Ben Gompels emerged from the pile with ball in hand having added to his tally of tries this term.
The hosts’ second try came in the 28th minute.
Full-back Jamie Farndale started the move with a powerful run that put in Tim Andrew. He was stopped shy of the line, but the Light Blues recycled possession to draw in their opponents as the phases built, and play was finally spread wide to the left where an overlap was created for Tomos Miller to touch down. Jamie Benson added the conversion to make it 12-0.
At the end of the half, the Royal Navy reduced the arrears. From nowhere, full-back Rory Dingmans broke clear and powered through a couple of tackles to score beneath the posts, with Brink kicking the extras to make it 12-7 at half time.
Defence was the flavour of the second half, with large swathes of the game contested in the middle third of the pitch. There was a spell of great defence from the Royal Navy on their own line in the 69th minute, when it seemed certain that the University would get the ball down.
Instead, it was not until the final play of the game that the scoreboard was added to, and that was through a penalty from Benson to make it 15-7.
The University will look to take the performance into their final match before the Varsity Match, which is against Trinity Western on Wednesday, February 21 at 7.30pm.
Cambridge University RUFC: Farndale; Andrew, Loveridge, Allinson, Miller; Benson, Favell; Collins, Gompels, Petty, Hodge, Kantolinna, Jones, Pratt, Hughes.
Replacements: Collins, Nixon, Edwards, Hancock, North, Holdroyd, Day, Bland.
Royal Navy: MNE Dingmans; MNE Teear-Bourge, MNE Dobson, MNE Hoffman, POAET Chambers; MNE Brink, AET Toogood; CSgt Evans, CSgt Stevens, LETME Cleverly, LETWE Mccadams, LETWE Scott, LCpl Wagstaff, LAET Mills, Capt Hayler.
Replacements: AB(SEA) Allton, LAET Thurgood, LAET Napier, OC Lewis, SLt Sutton, ETWE Roxby, ETME Rigelsford, ETWE Hume, AET Mayes, AB Lowe, LAET King, AET Hall.
Scorers: 19min Gompels try (5-0), 28 Miller try - Benson con (12-0), 40+2 MNE Dingmans try - MNE Brink (12-7), 80+3 Benson pen (15-7).