A late try from Richmond put a gloss on their score on what, ultimately, was a frustrating afternoon for Cambridge at the RAG. Craig Newby’s charges started brightly with some superb interplay putting Otu Mausia into space in the Richmond 22, with Eparama Rokodrava making it two tries in two appearances as he stormed in under the sticks with Jamie Annand adding the extras.
So far, so good, even allowing for the hosts getting themselves on terms 3 minutes later with Greg Kitson finishing off a well-worked move, with numbers over, to touch down for a try which was converted by Callum Grieve. But Ronnie Du Randt added a second for the hosts following Kitson’s break to put them ahead.
Arthur Thomas charged down in the home 22 and touched down in a prefect display of pressure on the opposition line – Annand’s tee shot was just wide. Then on the half hour mark Cambridge won their scrum on half way and moved the ball to the 22 where Jake McCay took the pass and barrelled over for try number three of the afternoon. Annand added another 2 points to his tally.
A series of unfortunate events, though, saw Richmond over in the corner as a loose backdoor offload from Imi Qorowale was plucked out of the air and touched down by Jake Monson. Then Mausia was through two-on-one at the other end with the try line looming large only for play to be brought back for an injury way behind the play. Having escaped a fourth try against them, sheer weight of numbers prevailed on the stroke of half time and Paddy Case’s try, converted again by Grieve, saw Richmond into the sheds with a 24-19 lead.
Despite being disrupted by injuries, the hosts kept their defensive shape in the second half. Cambridge were adjudged ‘held up’ twice as they attempted to get back on terms. Then Richmond’s persistence on the Cambridge line paid off once more on the hour mark with a touch down from Xavier Hastings, with Grieve again adding the extras for 31-19, which left Cambridge chasing the game.
Four minutes from time, Taitusi Qanuci steamed in for a try on debut to ensure a nervy finish as Cambridge looked to at least tie the score. Richmond, though, had the last word with Luc Jones adding their fifth of the afternoon with a minute left on the clock.
Craig Newby cut a frustrated figure afterwards: “It was disappointing to be honest. We focus on performance in pre-season rather than winning but there were a number of things from last week we wanted to address and we didn’t do it well enough. We have to go back to the drawing board – I’ve got to focus on the positives but I think today they were outweighed by the negatives. Ultimately what I’ve got in my locker is selection and some guys put their hands up today and last week and some guys kept their hands in their pockets. I don’t want to be too emotional about it and it’s not a knee-jerk reaction but it’s starting to get close to when we have to make some hard calls.
“I’d’ve liked to go into Ampthill with energy and confidence- but instead we’re going to go into the game with anger, and ‘edge’. We’ll see how the guys respond over the next couple of weeks. They’re a young group – we’re new together – and we haven’t been through tough times yet and we’ll look at it pragmatically on Monday. Fair play to Richmond today -their side’s been together a long time and they put pressure on us and made us work hard”.
Cambridge scorers:
Tries – Rokodrava 8, Thomas 24, McCay 30, Qainuci 76
Conversions – Annand 9,31,77
Cambridge squad:
Mausia, Qorowale, Reweti, Rokodrava, Caven, Annand, Bemand; Ellwood, Stewart, Walker, Lawrence, McCay, Thomas, Eckersley, Asotasi
Replacements – Irvine, Nearchou, Bridges, Baxter, Friend, Yallop, Lumley, Qainuci, White, Sorrell, Glister