Sunday 14 March 2010

Norfolk 5 Cambridgeshire 43

Congratulations to Joe Stafford on scoring for Cambridgeshire on Sunday.

Cambs try scorers: Ryan Headington (2), George Smith, Louis Rawlings (2), Joe Stafford, Alex Shea-Simmonds

Conversions: Ryan Headington (4)

This was a comfortable victory for Cambridgeshire over a Norfolk team who never really got out of the starting blocks. Cambs were too dynamic in the loose and had too much pace in the backs for their Eastern Counties rivals. Only a tendency for over elaboration in midfield kept the score respectable - if Cambs had got the ball into the hands of their wingers more often the score must surely have been greater.

It took 5 minutes for Cambs to get on the scoreboard - a flowing passing move put winger George Smith over in the corner. Cambs completely dominated the first half. The scrum was very solid and the front row of Pratt, Picton-Turbervill and Curtis demonstrated that superior technique will always win the day over size in the set-piece.

Resolute defence by Norfolk kept the scoreline down even though Norfolk had not yet ventured into the Cambs half. In particular a crunching tackle by the Norfolk blindside flanker on Cambs scrum half Harry Hitchcock when a big blindside beckoned saved a certain try. Eventually the pressure told - second row Sam Jones won a line out, the ball was recycled and from the ensuing ruck the try was scored by fly half Louis Rawlings coming round on the loop.

From the restart Norfolk were unable to clear their lines - the ball bobbled loose and it was snaffled up by the Cambs back row. The mobile unit of Ollie Walker, Ben Bishop and Euan Dingwall gave Norfolk no respite. The ball was passed out to centre Joe Stafford who dived over the line. Ryan Headington's conversion made the score at half time 17-0 to Cambs.

At the start of the second half Norfolk were once again unable to deal with the restart and Cambridgeshire turned the ball over. Slick passing from the half backs put inside centre Ryan Headington in for a score. Headington followed his try with a successful two point kick.

Norfolk now started to come back into the game more - their pack got on top at the set piece and they engineered an overlap for their pacy left winger to skate in for a deserved try.

Having scored their try the Norfolk defensive organisation started to unravel and Cambridgeshire scored three further tries. A neat midfield tiger ball put Sam Jones through a gap. He offloaded to fly half Rawlings who dived over for his second try.

Cambridgeshire then scored direct from the kickoff as a wonderful flowing passing movement gave Ryan Headington his second try. Finally another passing move created space out wide for winger Alex Shea-Simmonds. Two further conversions from Headington made the final score 43-5 to Cambridgeshire.

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