On their first visit to Ellgia Fields, Ulster provided a stern test for Craig Newby’s side on their first outing of pre-season. As the game unfolded it felt very much like a Champ fixture, albeit one contested by two very well-matched sides, no quarter asked or given, lightning in open play, and seriously competitive in the set and the loose.
With 20 players out of the selected 29 on debut, Cambridge started well, racing into an early lead through flanker Ardal Yallop. The big back row burst through the Ulster defence and stormed in for the first score of Newby’s tenure in the opening seconds, and, whilst Eli Caven was inches off with the conversion, the tone was very much set for the afternoon.
Not to be outdone, Ulster got back on terms close in via hooker Henry Walker around the 10 minute mark, with James Humphreys conversion nudging them ahead. With a quarter of the game gone, though, despite winning a scrum on their 10 m line, Cambridge’s aggressive defence led to a turn-over which hooker Dylan Irvine galloping away for their second score of the afternoon, with Caven good for the extras.
On the half hour, Cambridge again pressured the visitors on their own line, and that paid off handsomely as Levi Reweti plucked the ball out of the air to crash over before being mobbed by his team-mates. Caven added the two points, and the stage was set for a spectacular fourth try. Cambridge’s backs, potent all afternoon in attack, fashioned a superlative score out wide on the right. Otu Mausia’s distribution was a revelation all game and the speed and sleight of the Tonga international’s hands as the ball revolved through his back line was tunning, finished spectacularly by Imi Qorowale. Caven converted again, but there were signs of the second half to come as Ulster’s driving maul prevailed for Bryn Ward to touch down in added time for 26-12 to the hosts at the break.
Cambridge hit the ground running in the second period, with Henry Lumley scorching in following a winning scrum on the Ulster 10 metre line. Caven again added the extras. The visitors, though, less disrupted by replacements and, indeed, making the most of their own, upped their game. Winning their line out in the Cambridge 22, flanker James McKillop dove over, with Humphreys converting again.
On the hour, wing Lukas Kenny, who had a fine afternoon, finished off a long pass out wide to further reduce the deficit. A yellow card for Cambridge prop Zac Nearchou preceded Bryn Ward forcing his way over in the opposite corner for his second of the afternoon, again converted by Humphreys. And, despite some super last ditch defence in the face of a late onslaught, and an heroic try saving tackle for Caven, Jonny Scott gathered the loose ball to touch down for a try, converted, for the win.
Cambridge Head Coach Craig Newby was frustrated not to taste victory on first outing on his return to Grantchester Road: “We haven’t mentioned winning as part of anything we’re doing at the moment – I feel like it’s such a classic coach’s cliche but this has been all about the process, which we’re trying to get right but, particularly in that first half we looked powerful and strong, we scored some awesome tries and there were some really cool moments in defence. There was some stuff around discipline, and we gave Ulster too many opportunities to get out of their half, but that just comes with excitement and energy. Winning would be nice, it’s a great feeling to have, but that wasn’t necessarily the focus today. We’ve got some characters in the team, we have guys whom we want to express their strengths and they were outstanding, particularly in the first half. Ulster are a very high sportsmanship team, they play hard and fast and they’re very well drilled and we’re looking forward to hosting them this evening. To sum up – I’m always, proud, but not content!”
Teams
Cambridge
Mausia, Qorowale, Reweti, Rokodrava, Caven, Annand, Dawson; Ellwood, Irvine, Walker, Fulford, McCay, Thomas, Asotasi
Replacements – Doorey-Palmer, Nearchou, Bridges, Baxter, Lawrence, White, Lumley, Thorne, Bemand, Sorrell, Williams, Johnson, Stewart, Boal
Ulster
Green, Kenny, Prinsloo, Scott, Graham, Humphreys, Logan; Boyd, Walker, McGuire, Irvine, Hopes, McKillop, Ward, McLoughlin
Replacements – Hanlon, McAllister, McLean, Dougan, Stevens, Soper, Cunningham, De Klerk
Scorers
Cambridge
Tries – Yallop 1, Irvine 20, Reweti 28, Qorowale 31, Lumley 45
Conversions – Caven 21, 29 , 32, 47
Ulster
Tries – Walker 10, Ward 47, 70, McKillop 48, Kenny 61, Scott 78
Conversions – Humphreys 11, 49, 71
Attendance 1,108