For the first time in well over a decade a Cambridge senior side beat the Light Blues of Cambridge University in the annual Town v Gown fixture, and did so by some margin. Matching the Womens’ side’s victory in the 1pm kick off, Josh Sharp’s 1923s showed power and cohesion throughout, despite an early yellow card for Jake Bridge’s and a red card before half time for Harry Bellamy. Uncontested scrums robbed the game of some of it’s competition, but there was no denying the attacking proficiency and intent of the Academy side as they ran in some excellent tries.
Bellamy had already battered his way over for the game’s opener before his expulsion after phase play from a driving maul. Hooker Jack Doorey-Palmer had profited from the same route. Jack Vernum’s conversion attempts had suffered from the residual storm winds from Saturday. 25 minutes in though the 1923s cut loose and a scintillating passing move ended with Clark Macfarlane’s scorching break showing the way forward. And 9 minutes later Imi Qorowale danced through for a touch down that put proper distance between the two sides.
So 15-7 at the break, with Cambridge down to 14 for the rest of the match – and the Light Blues for 10 minutes after James Wyse’s part in the incident leading to Bellamy’s red. And it took 13 minutes after half time for the line out to offer an opportunity for flanker Sam Johnson’s persistence to pay off for another try. Vernum converted – but it only served to sting the University into action and a blistering run from Ben Cook saw him dot down for a converted try.
As the game got scrappier, space opened up – and the returning Joe Green exploited it with panache, setting Caleb Reeves away for a try under the posts for Vernum to convert. Green was at the heart of the next score too as Jasper Sorrell got the final burst over the line, with replacement ten Will Howes on target off the tee.
The inspirational Green, though, fashioned the last word for Jonah Varela who cantered in for the try of the match and only the fourth win in the historical annual fixture since it’s inception half a century ago.
Academy Lead Josh Sharp was thrilled with the result and the manner of the performance, saying “We made sure the boys knew about the history of the fixture. That’s been key to our week. In terms of the game itself, not everything went our way, but it’s really nice to get the win! 1st XV Head Coach Craig Newby speaks about being in ‘battles’ and understanding that it’s ‘our war’ and the boys definitely lived up to that”.
Cambridge Team
P Macfarlane, Qorowale, Qanuchi, Sorrell, C Macfalrane, Vernum, Sandercock; Bellamy, Doorey-Palmer, Bridges, Fields, Miska-Alvarez, Hirst, Johnson, Yallop (C)
Reinforcements – Plunkett, Barry, Caton, Green, Howes, Varela, Reeves