TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS 53-52 CAMBRIDGE
With defence in open play seemingly optional for both sides, Cambridge were edged out by a single point in a remarkable display of attacking rugby at The Slade. Ironically, for the third game in a row, the side that kicked their penalties won the contest, but National One, across the board, continues to serve up high-scoring, close encounters and, with EIGHT tries apiece, no one could complain about entertainment.
Cambridge edged into an early lead after sustained pressure, Billy Walker opening the scoring – but Luke Bouchier couldn’t add the extras. TJ’s responded by return under the sticks with the conversion good. And, setting basketball-style tone for the afternoon, Jacob Cusick’s break immediately put scrum half Ruaridh Dawson in for his first of the afternoon. Bouchier made no mistake with the conversion.
A yellow card resulted from the attempt to stop Ethan Thorne going in at the corner. The resulting line out saw Tom Petty touch down off the back of the driving maul. Bouchier added another off the tee. But TJs were back in the game 18 minutes in and the converted try saw Cambridge’s lead whittled down to 7 points.
Five minutes later, Dawson fed Bouchier from the base of the scrum and the fly half went wide for Thorne to scoot in for his first of the day before knocking the ball between the uprights from out wide. Then Ben Gibson turned on the afterburners to enable the onrushing Eli Caven to score. Bouchier shaded the kick wide of goal.
On the half hour, Dawson struck for the second time, a quick tap penalty allowing him to streak in under the posts and Cambridge were, it appeared, firmly in the box seat with Bouchier’s extras at 14-36 up. Two driving mauls from the hosts in the last ten minutes of the half, though, foreshadowed things to come.
Not for the first time this season, Cambridge conceded the first score of the second half, with the conversion cannoning off the upright. Two more tries followed in quick succession to give the hosts the lead at 45-36. Then Caven stretched to finish for another try, converted by Bouchier to tie the scores.
With ten minutes left, having gone for the corner and lost the resulting line out rather than slotting the three points on offer, Cambridge conceded again for 50-45. Then a yellow for Jasper Sorrell’s challenge enabled TJ’s to stretch their lead to 8 points. With what turned out to be the final phase of play, Bouchier’s penalty attempt rocketed back off the post but the ball was fed wide to Thorne, who’s flying finish brough up Cambridge’s ninth try of a crazy afternoon. Bouchier’s conversion sailed through from the touchline, but merely precipitated the final whistle.
Looking at positives, Cambridge are the second highest scorers in National One after three rounds – but have the worst points against, one more than TJs who are third after two narrow wins. It’s still all to play for – and Leeds Tykes visit Ellgia Fields on Saturday.
HT 26-38 FT 53-52
Attendance 253
Referee Alex Powdrell
Teams
Tonbridge Juddians
Mannix, Walsh, Osgood, Sims, Skinner, James, Lloyd; Boon, Holling, Bratton, Waite (C), Scopes, Engelbright, Everitt, White
Bench – Cole, Mutch, Merrick, Brook, Minton
Cambridge
Caven, Gibson, Cusick, Sorrell, Thorne, Bouchier, Dawson; Smyth, T Petty, Walker, McCay, Dacres, Warner, Mills, Adams (C)
Reinforcements – White, J Petty, Campbell, Ritson, Lewis
Scorers
Tonbridge Juddians
Tries – Walsh 8,70 Engelbrecht 18, 46 Scopes 34, Holling 40, Mannix 41, Lloyd 49
Cons – Lloyd 9, 19, 35, 47, 50
Pen – Lloyd 76
Cambridge
Tries – Walker 6, Dawson 10, 29 T Petty 13, Thorne 22, 80, Caven 25, 55
Cons – Bouchier 11, 14, 23, 30, 56, 80