James pip Alcuin to college 10s title

Following the earlier tri-college tournaments between the established Alcuin, Derwent and James teams and the newer outfits of Halifax, Vanbrugh and combined Goodricke-Langwith, the annual 10s competition was more eagerly awaited than ever before. Every college mustered and trained a team, though Wentworth's eight-man outfit were still attempting to recruit on the day with the line, "Do you have a degree? Do you want to play for us?".

This year the tournament had been split into two groups for the initial stages, with the top two teams from each progressing to a cup and the bottom two to a plate. With semi-finals, third/fourth place playoffs and finals for each imagined item of silverware, a mighty twenty matches were battled out, each team given five chances to prove their worth.

Group one saw Halifax confidently set out their stall, topping the table after easily striding past Vanbrugh and Wentworth and narrowly besting second-placed Derwent 7-0 through an individual try from star player Simon Reed. Meanwhile, the ramshackle post-grads of Wentworth capitulated a half-century of points per game, never even threatening to strike a return blow.

An Alcuin-Goodricke scrum

Meanwhile in the contest's "group of death" (which provided the cup and plate finalists), Alcuin and James easily overcame Goodricke and Langwith by margins of more than a score. Both experienced sides showed a healthy appetite for tries, with James racking up forty points against Goodricke and Alcuin's Rhys Spong replicating Bryan Habbana's feat of crossing the whitewash twice in the same minute, courtesy of a monster pass into the wind from centre Ben Howes. In a 10-10 draw foreshadowing the final, James went ahead early on before Alcuin deservedly clawed back level late on to leave nothing between the pacy and organised rivals.

In the cup semis, James ran Derwent ragged, notching up an astonishing 52-0 against a side they had had to fight tooth and nail for a 15s victory back in December. James viciously outpaced Derwent, their rapid players ably exploiting the greater space afforded in a 10s game, and invoking the wrath of Dan Taylor with their impudence.

Meanwhile, Alcuin-Halifax was a much closer affair. Halifax opened the proceedings early on, then conceding a Brad Voigt try and conversion before going over again before the break to make it 12-7. Alcuin were unbowed however, and Howes and winger Voigt racked up two more tries to carry their team into the final at the death of the game.

Cup finalists confirmed, eyes turned to the plate, in which Goodricke faced Vanbrugh and Langwith were given a by to the final courtesy of Wentworth's exit - after suffering through overwhelming defeats with eight men, the five uninjured players they had left called it a day. Due credit for facing the music for as long as they did.

Goodricke trumped Vanbrugh in a match witnessing the day's most dramatic - though not worst - injury to Vanbrugh's Alex Smith. After going over on his ankle, Smith made the most of the summoned ambulance's oxygen, but had little trouble walking to Derwent bar to watch England-France the next day. And in the final Goodricke conquered again to secure 5th place, overcoming Langwith 12-5, to whom they had narrowly lost by a conversion in the group stages.

Alex Smith takes oxygen on board for his ankle injury

The third-fourth place playoff of the cup saw Halifax slam into Derwent once more, but though Derwent secured two tries second time around, the result was the same. Halifax powered to a 19-10 victory, courtesy of two tries from Reed and another created by him. Derwent put up stern resistance - with captain Joe Rankin tackling one player right out of his shirt! - but ultimately third place was beyond their reach.

And so to the cup final: Alcuin-James round two. Once again, James were quickest off the blocks, and Alcuin's slow start saw two tries conceded to Raphael Gindre and Giles Welford early on, both converted by President Alex Muntus. Voigt hit back on the stroke of half-time, converting his own score to take it to 14-7 at the break.

Regrouping, Alcuin's resistance became firmer, but their renewed determination could not stop Ben Ivory going over again for James. The Alcuin passion kicked in late on though, and once more it was Howes and Voigt with the tries, as the game ratcheted up to a nail-biting conclusion: Alcuin needed a conversion to level the score, with the last kick of the game.

Alcuin and James in action in the final

Up stepped President Paul Guest, organiser-in-chief of the tournament, who had passionately played every game on a torn ankle ligament sustained in the first minute of the opener. To the left of the uprights, Guest faced the powerful cross-field wind with his drop-kick, and missed. James were elated, Alcuin distraught; Guest collapsed to the floor, utterly drained for the cause of college rugby. His opposite number Muntus arrived on the scene, and summed up the intense closeness of the game and the great spirit of the afternoon: "You didn't deserve to lose that."

Speaking after the game, despite losing at the last gasp Guest remained thoroughly enthusiastic: "Firstly, a massive thank you to all the colleges for not only putting teams together, but for all having impressive squads. The standard of rugby has never been higher in the one-day rugby tournament. It was a great day out for everyone and I hope it was a positive promotion for not only just how many people want to get involved in college rugby, but also just how high the standard of college rugby can be!"

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