Army dominant against Cambridge 1923

The Army’s Senior Men had a dominant 80 minutes against Cambridge 1923 at Grantchester Road.

History regularly shows that when the conditions are not favourable, and a team finds itself up against unfamiliar opposition players trying to prove themselves, then performances can often suffer.

So it was to the red shirts’ credit that they elevated themselves above the heavy conditions underfoot, greasy ball, and lack of structure in the Cambridge team, to put the game to bed by half-time.

That said, the first few minutes were frustrating for the visitors as they got to grips with what was in front of them. But it did not take too long before the Army turned possession into points in spectacular fashion. Although some initial phase play was scrappy, when the ball came back to Spr Johnson (RE) his chip kick was inch perfect out to the flying LCpl Graham (RE) on the left wing. Cambridge did scramble back to cover, but full back, Pte Muritoki (3 Scots) was there to support and dot down.

The second try was not long in coming. Having won a lineout against the throw, the Army played with tempo, centre Capt Bromley-Martin (IG) putting Hldr Vula (4 Scots) away down the right. The last tackle came in, but with the pitch slick following the day’s heavy rain the slide took the winger over.

To their credit Cambridge, too, were intent on playing with pace. But their ambition came unstuck in the face of some aggressive defence. A turnover was forced 40 metres out, scrum-half, Cpl Riley (RLC) ran play back with interest and when the ball came right Hldr Vula was there to hand off the last defender and go over for his second.

It took the best part of 20 minutes for Cambridge to get into the Army’s danger zone, and even that was down to some indecisive reaction in the visitors’ backfield to a speculative kick ahead. But the red shirts did not just hold out, they were end to end for a try to remember for LCpl Booth (RE).

Spr Johnson spotted a massive overlap on his own line, dummied the defender and turned on the pace. LCpl Booth got the ball just about on halfway, and his dummy was even more outrageous, ignoring the Hldr Vula outside him and instead making it all the way to the whitewash himself.

Even then, the Army did not relent. LCpl Radianirova (REME) was next, then Pte Muritoki again. And while Cambridge did have the most eye-catching moment of the remaining time in the first half with a chip and chase, it was the Army who finished with points, hooker Spr Johnson (RE) on the end of a driving maul to finish things off to make the score 45-0 heading into the break.

The spectators at the clubhouse end of the field had been treated all the action in the first half. And that was similar in the second, with Cambridge coming out of the sheds determined to have an impact, and the Army were on the back foot for virtually the entirety of the third quarter.

LCpl Booth found himself in the sinbin for 10 minutes, and the inevitable changes meant that the Army also needed to settle into the patterns of play once again.

But the Blood and Sands were not able to turn their territory into points, and when the Army finally got some territory they were over for try number eight, LCpl Ratukadreu (REME) finishing things off from close range.

The dam now broken, the tries began to flow. Pte Butterworth (2 Para) shrugged off a defender to score a run-in, as did Rfn Salusalu (Rifles).

Cambridge were able to raise a cheer from the home supporters from a quickly tapped penalty, but this was just a consolation, as Pte Butterworth went in for a second shortly afterwards.

The game did end with a penalty try for Cambridge, but the contest was long over, 71-14 the final score.

ARMY TEAM

1.SGT SMITH, 2.SPR JOHNSON, 3.CPL ROBERTS, 4.LCPL BOOTH, 5.RFN RAVUVU, 6.LCPL NAYAGI, 7.LBR MURRAY, 8.PTE DEUCU, 9.CPL RILEY, 10.BDR DAVIES, 11.LCPL GRAHAM, 12.CAPT BROMLEY-MARTIN, 13.LCPL RADIANIROVA, 14.HLDR VULA, 15.PTE MURITOKI, 16.BDR AUSTIN, 17.CPL BAMBER, 18.SSGT HORNER, 19.SPR TABUATAMATA, 20.CAPT STEVENSON, 21.RFN SALUSALU, 22.SPR JOHNSON, 23.LCPL RATUKADREU, 24.SPR QANIUCI, 25.PTE BUTTERWORTH

Words © New Dogs, Old Tricks

All images – Alligin Photography © Cat Goryn

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