Jubilant James crush deflated Derwent

Alcuin vs Halifax

As last week against Derwent, Halifax comprehensively failed to muster a full team, giving Alcuin a win by default. However, with Alcuin's squad all revved up with no-one to play, captains Giles Raymond and Simon Reed promptly commissioned the inaugural Alcuin-Halifax sevens tournament.

Played in a highly jovial, largely slapdash spirit, anyone finding one of the gaping holes in both sides defences were more than likely to score a try. The undoubted highlight was everyone being forced to convert their own drop goals, as the Alcuin pack, with the notable exception of star bootsman Ross Gehnich, demonstrated exactly why they leave the kicking to the backs.

Given their disappointing turnouts, Halifax surely cannot wait until their amalgamation with GLW in the Spring. And their opponents' frustrations have only been compounded by finding out about the cancellations so late in the day - just half an hour before on this occasion. But until college rugby gains points-gaining status, Halifax will be more than happy to concentrate on winning other sports and thus topping the college sport league table.

Goodricke-Langwith-Wentworth 7 - 32 Vanbrugh

Written by Joe Regan

GLW’s title aspirations were dealt a fatal blow on Sunday as they fell to a third consecutive defeat in the league at the hands of a rampant Vanbrugh college. Despite putting in by far there best performance of the season, a new-look GLW side, ambitiously nicknamed “The Demons”, were left stunned after a second half rout dashed any hopes of an upset and a maiden victory.

Given the previous form of both teams, one could be forgiven for suggesting that the result was a foregone conclusion, with Vanbrugh outright favourites against a team whose defence had leaked a spectacular 82 points in two games. However in a strange reversal of pre-match fortunes, GLW, with an average team turn-out this season of just 12 found themselves with an embarrassment of riches – boasting a full 22 man squad! In contrast, Vanbrugh cut a far more rag-tag appearance, only just managing to beg, borrow and steal enough players to field a complete side at the last minute.

Right from the kick off, GLW allowed their organisational advantage to speak for itself, controlling much of the opening possession and comfortably containing their opposition’s advances. A succession of huge tackles on the part of influential flanker Tom Gregory and lock Johnny Smith quickly muted the early cockiness of the Vanbrugh backs, who had felt confident enough to run moves at a leisurely canter.

But seemingly undeterred by these initial setbacks, Vanbrugh managed to gain a foothold in the game by adding width and speed to their backline moves. Such changes gradually began to bear fruit as their wingers thrived off increased supply and had a number of chances to take an early lead. However this revival was short lived, when an instinctive grubber kick by GLW inside-centre Martin Ferry allowed him to capitalise on a dropped pass, and open the scoring with a spectacular pitch-length sprint.

Visibly infuriated by this defensive lapse, the Vanbrugh rugby machine was awoken from its initial slumber. Rather unfortunately for those brave few who smelt an upset in the air, the men in green began to play with a purpose that had been so absent previously. Their forwards, a burly bunch, grew in confidence and began to boss the breakdown with ruthless efficiency. Despite continued heroics and unquestionable commitment from on the part of the Demons’ defence, this constant attrition finally paid off for Vanbrugh. With a line-out five metres out, Vanbrugh formed an eleven man maul and duly jinked over the line to level the scores at 7 - 7.

After such an even first half, the second period was bizarre in comparison. Despite a close opening five minutes in which both teams appeared happy to camp out on the half-way line, the balance of the match soon shifted dramatically. As if a light had suddenly gone off, the majority of the GLW players forgot how to tackle, while Vanbrugh were quick to act on such frailties with crash ball after crash ball never failing to make yards.

Having forced their opposition on to the back foot, it was only a matter of time before the deadlock was broken. Following a well executed line-out, Vanbrugh’s captain stormed in from close range for the first on was to be a flurry of tries. This five-pointer was followed within minutes by two more very similar, rather sloppy scores, highlighting GLW’s shock at having lost such previously assured ascendancy. The pick of the bunch however was the textbook cross field kick in the seventieth minute by Vanbrugh’s superb fly half, which was duly caught and completed by the left winger.

Despite this second half deluge GLW seemed to keep heart, and superb last ditch tackles by the likes of Chris Smith and Dan from Canada (playing his first ever game of rugby) topped off what can only be seen as progress for a team often deridingly referred to as the Barbarians of the college rugby scene.

Any thought of a consolation try was quickly distinguished, as GLW were reduced to 14 men in the closing minutes of the game when as flanker Christian Hammer was given an imaginary yellow card by the referee for a phantom hand in the ruck. While a final score-line of 32-7 flattered a stop-start Vanbrugh side, such creativity in the face of a battling GLW side was no mean feat.

Derwent 0 - 40 James

Written by Dan Hunt and Ross Gehnich

Matches between the old guard of college rugby are always met with much anticipation, and Sunday’s clash between James and Derwent was set to be such an occasion. With both sides fielding strong sides at the Railway Institute clash, no one would have predicted the one-sided outcome of the contest.

On a bright and blustery Yorkshire day, the inaugural blast of the whistle placed the ball in Derwent hands, who from the off were looking to make use of their sides strength advantage, with powerful running rewarding them hard-fought yards. Despite the initial blue surge, play soon settled down, with both teams repeatedly turning over possession, fighting to draw first blood. An opportunity for James came on 20 minutes, when after a Derwent high tackle, James President Alex Muntus stepped up, but failed to bisect the uprights, leaving the sides deadlocked at 0 - 0.

Sore from this missed opportunity James, were keen to show their hand. With strong running and fantastic movement of the ball, the James number 8, Giles Welford, was put over for the first points of the game, and Muntus did not make the same mistake twice. Having gone 7- 0 down, the Derwent defence kicked back into action, meeting the powerful James attack head on.

Despite some massive hits being put in by the outstanding Derwent centre John Gore, James continued to turn the screw, with the constant pressure finally telling. In spite of a resilient, but increasingly desperate defensive effort, Derwent were unable to repel the well drilled James maul, which trundled over the line. The grounding was complimented by Muntus once more, bringing the score to 14 - 0.

With the Derwent levy beginning to crumble, the continued pressure was to prove too much for the weakened defence. From the restart, James deftly distributed the ball wide, with some excellent support play coming from hooker Mike Maloney contributing to the score. Again Muntus did his duty, and James found themselves 21 points to the good.

The following try followed a similar pattern, with a text-book James lineout releasing the backs to exploit the vast expanse of the R.I’s pitches, the James winger breaking clear at the halfway mark. Another clean conversion saw the points piling on, but James continued to exert their dominance, pinning the Derwent side within their 22.

Losing to James does not get any easier.
Dan Taylor

It seemed only a matter of time before something gave, and having been awarded a 5 meter scrum, James’ Man of the Match scrumhalf Huw Harrow exploited the blind side space and went it alone, diving over for the fifth try of the match. Unusually, on this occasion Muntus was stumped by the angle, making the score an astounding 33 – 0 at the break.

Not wishing to go down without a fight, Derwent Captain Joe Rankin was keen to muster his men during the half time speech. And whatever words were uttered in that huddle, he was certainly able to reinstate his players resolve, as the second half saw Derwent reassert themselves in the game, halting the James onslaught in its tracks.

Veteran second rower Jack Trewin led the fightback, punching through the wall of black, conjuring ball from rucks and making an effective tackle on that most elusive of prey for a member of the front five, a full back.

The stalemate however, was abruptly broken when James fresher Tommy Savage picked up the ball and smashed a hole in the Derwent line, from which James were able to utilise quick ball to swing it wide for Chris Smith to add his name to the long list already on the score sheet. Drawing the match to a close, Muntus clipped through his final conversion of the day to complete the staggering final score of 40 – 0 to James.

Muntus, although understandably, happy with his team’s convincing win, felt that his side failed to exert their dominance in the second half, saying, “I'm happy with the first half performance - we stuck to the basics well. But our second half lacked composure, which is something we need to work on in future games.”

Speaking after the game, Derwent captain Rankin said, “They were a more superior team than us today, although we were missing several key players there can be no excuses. We were beaten by a better college team on the day”. Or in the words of Dan Taylor, “Losing to James does not get any easier.”

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