The RFU Handbook is an Aladdin's cave of tasty statistics.
CRUFC can be found on page 314 as the reviews begin with the Premier League and end at page 821 with the last of the clubs at league levels 7-11. Our rise from 2002 and page 623 to 2006 can be expressed therefore as over 300 pages. A long way yet to go.
That preamble serves as a context to yesterday's memorable experience beside the seaside. The Handbook confirms that the score equalled our biggest margin ever away, of 45 points, beating Old Patesians 57-12 three years ago. But the actual Cambridge score of 58 points just exceeds the 57 scored in Cheltenham and against Bradford and Bingley in March 2007. It could and should have been more as the game became the reverse of last week's home encounter against Birmingham. We began with a roar and ended with a whimper. Whilst Cambridge bathed in the autumn sunshine, their opponents were feeling the City of London chill of the week's troubled events as were the Arsenal supporters, Hull City leaving with a deserved win from the Emirates Stadium.
A nine try haul with contributions from rampaging forwards and swift backs. A special word here for Luke Fielden, second in the league try scoring table with 5 tries, nursing bruised ribs that hopefully will not rule him out of selection for next week's home game against Cornish Mounts Bay. Further down the same table are the HALF with 3 tries apiece, Hinckens, Archer, Lombaard and Fox. That then accounts for 17 of our 20 tries scored in four games, only equalled by Birmingham and Launceston. 100 tries in a normal season would be guaranteed promotion. More on that subject later. Now to the game itself, preceded by a narrow victory for our Wanderers XV against Southend 2's.
A one sided affair for 60 minutes or so, the home side chasing the game and wasting what precious possession came their way with unforced errors. No point whatsoever in blaming the officials for their interpretation of the new "experimental" laws. Richard Phillips, a quality referee, managed a game of pace, always on the action and quick in his decision as to which side was "killing" the ball. An exemplar of how to behave came from Darren Fox just before half time. A sharp tackle on the Southend stand off was followed immediately by Darren, in one movement, on his feet with the ball released by his opponent. The previous pattern had been one of slowing down the ball using every trick in the book. Fourteen penalties awarded in the first half , just five in the second and all in the visitor's favour. As with orchestral concerts, much depends upon interpretation and timing. So it is with referees and the sooner a side is in tune the better the performance and the match. There were no yellow cards, once again credit due to the man with the whistle and his assistants. Little then for Southend to blame other than their composure until the dying minutes of the game. Then they came to life, something or somebody fanned the dying embers and unity and movement began. Had that renaissance occurred one hour earlier then the game would have been a much closer encounter.
Cambridge had more than done their preparatory homework. Two former Southend players, now Cambridge regulars, with Crooksey the expatriate Essex man, making the pre-match diagnosis easier than usual. We began as at Westcombe Park with two pacey tries this time from James Hinckins and Paul Kendall in 7 minutes, neither converted. Southend replied with a long range penalty from the familiar trusty boot of Andrew Frost. Origins of the tries were a turnover ball from Darren Fox, followed by a Craig Evans break,taken on by James Shanahan, the second a neat kick into spacefrom Shanners well collected by PK. Nothing controversial about eitherscore, evidence emerging early of a one sided affair. However the spectators both in sun and shade had a fifteen minute wait for the next sequence of 3 tries. Dave Archer scored the first after neat interpassing on the blind side. Back row enjoyment of open play is a revelation. It has produced 6 of 7 forward tries compared with just 13 out of 26 games last season. The difference is the effective deployment of strength and pace by all our forwards, with many examples on show in our photo gallery. Second of the triple deservedly for Chris Lombaard following a perfect long looped pass from Stef Liebenberg. Bomber has provided Luke Fielden with the critical pass inside, on three occasions so far. Credit to Luke for being there for his winger. So it was with the final try of the half, a break from 50 metres out, an exhibition of running rugby, close interpassing completed by Luke.
Half time Southend 3 Cambridge 29.
There were no grounds to believe that a reversal was possible. But Southend began well with a flighted kick taken by Tyson Lewis, his pace leaving three Cambridge players on the ground. Then it was business as usual, Cambridge confirming their superiority on the day with a procession of 5 scores in 15 minutes. Craig Evans began with a rare penalty option, successfully taken. He added a third successful conversion to the next try from Darren Fox followed by our three backs scoring their second try of the match. Bomber caught a neat kick from his stand off to pass to Luke inside, the favour returned for the ninth and last Cambridge try. James Hinckins in between times scored a try at top speed, fed by Callum Powell with the try line a metre or so away. Too quick for the eye to take in but well captured by Chris Fell's telephoto lens.. Ben Patston impressed in his half hour on the pitch successfully converting two out of three attempts.
The remaining ten minutes were handed on a plate to the home side out of which they manufactured a try for replacement Danny Cleare. Some consolation to take to their next league game. Cambridge however will now dwell on lost opportunities to move well ahead on the league try scoring table. The errors are self evident and their correction a straightforward affair for the coaches and the players at fault. Our fifth game challenges our capacity to string four brilliant quarters together in one match. That takes some doing for any team, but Mounts Bay must expect such serious intent when they make their first trip to Cambridge next Saturday. Another prospect of a thriller for all of us.
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