Cambridge Rugby face Ulster at Ellgia Fields on Saturday 13th September – KO 3pm – in the first of their pre season matches. Head Coach Craig Newby has selected his first XV starters – and is looking forward to going into battle:
“Ulster’s the first test for our first team squad – nearly everyone will play in that game and have an opportunity. Ulster are an historic club, they’re a proud province. On and off the field they’ve had their glory days and they’ve had their tough times, as a country as well as a rugby club. I was lucky and fortunate enough to spend three years there and become a part of that. I’ve got some really fond memories and some tight friendships amongst the coaching staff and the playing group – I still speak with them now.
“Dan Soper – an Ulster assistant coach – has helped Pete White on his coaching journey this season. We’ve got a couple of Northern Irish lads signed in Jake McCay and Jack Boal – so that will add a tasty subplot. It’ll be a good measure of where we’re at – they’ll bring over a mixture of youth and experience – and they’ll play a direct, fast and aggressive style which we’ll experience in the Champ. It’s important for us to be challenged at this stage of the season and they’ll provide us with a huge first test for our men.
“We’ve got a big squad for this week – we’ll refine it as we go along, heading into the trip to Richmond next week. It’s ‘performance rugby’ now – the measure of where we are is the performance on a Saturday. I’ve dug around a bit and Cambridge as a Club hasn’t played Ulster before. We’ll front up and enjoy the occasion and take it on from there”.
Cambridge team to face Ulster:
Replacements
16 Jack Doorey-Palmer, 17 Zac Nearchou, 18 Jake Bridges, 19 Gareth Baxter, 20 Jack Lawrence, 21 Pete White, 22 Henry Lumley, 23 Ethan Thorne, 24 Charlie Bemand, 25 Jasper Sorrell, 26 Matt Williams, 27 Sam Johnson, 28 John Stewart, 29 Jack Boal.