Cambridge University suffered a 38-5 defeat in their first competitive match of the season against Loughborough. The scoreline was a harsh reflection on the performance of the Light Blues, who competed well for long spells of last night’s match at Grange Road.
The match got under way with both teams enjoying good spells of possession in opposition territory, but it was Cambridge who delivered the first blow, Simon Davies touching down in the eighth minute for a 5-0 lead.
It wasn’t much longer before the visitors were on the scoreboard in the 12th minute, as Cambridge paid the price for missed tackles with Jack Moates barging his way through the middle and surging over the line to level the scores.
Loughborough continued to threaten, and in the 21st minute a quick break from just inside their own half saw a speedy attack down the right, resulting in a try for Ben Christie. And then on the stroke of half time Cambridge fell further behind as Loughborough were awarded a penalty try.
Cambridge piled on the pressure for long periods in the second half, however, Loughborough then showed how ruthless they could be at the other end with nine minutes left when a quick exchange of passes allowed Jack Stapley to race through and score under the posts. And in the dying moments, Josh Price and Joss Morgan added to Loughborough’s tally with two late tries.
Scorers: Cambridge Uni – Davies try 8min. Loughborough Uni – Moates try 12; Christie try, Dixon con 21; penalty try, Dixon con 40; Tapley try, Denness con 71; Price try 78; Morgan try, Denness con 80.
Cambridge Uni: Briggs, Dillon Kelly, Dixon, Bond, Hunter, Stanley, Du Toit, Dass, Tullie, Gilles, Lare Erogbogbo, Phillips, Triniman, Davies, Griffiths. Replacements: Burnett, Hugkulstone, Dean, Moros, Rose, Lola Erogbogbo, Bartholomew, Balfour, Bell, Girling.
Loughborough Uni: Christie, Dickinson, Davis, Vukasinovic, Flament, Lewis, Moolman, Foster, Moates, Dixon, Mandivenga, Buck, Olowofela, Stapley, Hughes. Replacements: Davison, Leat, Cave, Price, Denness, Morgan, Watson, Catlin, Jemphrey, Kaye.
