James are tri-college rugby champions
JAMES COLLEGE 16 vs. DERWENT COLLEGE 10
College Rugby Union, Triangular Tournament – Third Game: Saturday 31st January 2009
Mathematically, it was James College who claimed the honours in this triangular competition, courtesy of this deserved 16-10 victory against Derwent, which was just sufficient to pip their opponents on points difference. In reality, there were no losers, as the last two months have shown not only the equity of all three participants – James, Derwent and Alcuin all won one fixture apiece – but, more importantly, represented a first class return for college rugby.
Back in late November, when James tackled Alcuin on an ominously foggy and muddy lunchtime, nobody could have predicted the extent of the revival for this brilliant campus tradition. This three-way tournament has been much more than a prototype, to test whether any semblance of interest remained, but more a catalyst. Plans are already finalised for a mini-tournament involving Vanbrugh, Goodricke and Halifax in the very near future, while the enthusiasm of sports reps elsewhere could soon add Wentworth, among other institutions, into the mixture.
The friendly atmosphere was summed up by Derwent Captain Joe Rankin, who spoke to Nouse after the match about who had ‘won’ the tournament: “I suppose mathematically, it would be James on in-game points difference. However, honestly I never really considered it a tournament. For me, it’s about playing regular XV a-side with mates and team-mates.”
On the prospect of embracing more teams into the college rugby arena, Rankin added: “I genuinely viewed these matches as the first of more against other teams, something I think is quite important to present if we want to build college rugby and bring other colleges on to play regular games.”
James President Muntus commented: “We’re absolutely delighted with the result. Derwent are a tough and well-organised team, and to get the win is a testament to all the hard work the guys put into training. It was great to see so many on the touchline and hopefully the excitement from this will carry through.”
Played in appropriately chilling temperatures and a biting, easterly wind, James bossed proceedings for the entirety of the first period. The 13-3 half-time advantage in their favour arguably flattered Derwent, who defended valiantly but could not manoeuvre their way past the advancing black-shirted tide. Several factors contributed to the game’s one-sided complexion: fly-half Alex Muntus kicked with intelligence and accuracy, Captain Seb Weir imaginatively employed little tap-throughs to shift the direction of play, and possession was frequently wrestled from line-outs, usually by fullback and Vice-Captain Bruce Green.
Referee Rob Donell, drafted in to officiate at short notice, applied the rules of the game with impartiality, although the inevitable consequence of this was another college match punctuated with scrum stoppages every two minutes or so. Surprisingly, given their obviously lighter pack size, James held their own in the maul, which offered another route forward. A couple of straightforward Muntus penalties from close range engineered a six-point advantage after ten minutes and it could easily have been more.
Kicking forward with good effect, James did cross the try line shortly afterwards, but Weir’s score was disallowed for a fiddly infringement during the build-up. Struggling to clear their lines – exemplified by one occasion when the clearance ricocheted dangerously off a team-mate – Derwent’s handling errors invited further scrutiny from the James attack. When Weir’s reflexes allowed him to gather a hopeful punt from fullback, number eight Giles Welford delivered the try the immense James pressure had warranted.
In the messy aftermath, the referee found reason to sin bin Derwent Inside Centre Dan Taylor for dissent and, with Muntus grabbing the extras, Derwent found themselves facing impossible odds. They did, however, reply almost instantaneously through a penalty and continued their forward momentum after half-time, the encouragement of skipper Rankin doubtless ringing in their ears.
As it transpired, the second half was scrappy and disjointed: suddenly, James’s kicking became wasteful, their effectiveness in the line-out waned as Sean Glas learned how to neutralise Green, and Derwent were almost cajoled to capitalise. With twenty minutes remaining they did just that, as left-flanker Luke Bailey crashed over following a neat passing flow from right-left and, with Chris Barrett converting, Derwent closed the margin to 13-10.
For those concerned about winning, at this point in time Derwent would have been victorious, but there was to be one, final twist. Having almost surrendered the initiative, memories of their November match with Alcuin – where a ten point lead was discarded – loomed large in James minds. However, they just refused to let this happen and, having nearly succeeded in stretching the advantage again through Will Maxwell on three occasions, James finally notched the decisive points through another Muntus penalty, awarded for needless dissent, in the dying moments. Once the final, desperate Derwent pushes had been repelled, it was a vastly-improved James side who claimed the plaudits, although the real winner here was the sport itself.
Derwent line-up: 1. Tom Chatwin (Stuart Kennedy), 2. Sean Glas, 3. Joe Rankin (c), 4. Jack Trewin, 5. Cake Hambleton, 6. Will Marle, 7. Luke Bailey, 8. Stuart Kennedy (Ed James), 9. Callum Biggins, 10. Chris Barnett, 11. Henry Clarke, 12. Dan Taylor (Matt Brook), 13. Jon Gore, 14. Rory Turnbull, 15. Dan Crehan
James Squad: 1, Stuart Palmer, 2. James Garmston, 3. Miguel Holloway, 4. Tom Pinney, 5. Bruce Green, 6. Gideon Heugh, 7. Will Maxwell, 8. Giles Welford, 9. Seb Weir (c), 10. Alex Muntus, 11. Ben Ivory, 12. Chris Shaw, 13. Simon Reed, 14. Raphael Gindre, 15. Aaron Rolph, 16. Rob Hanley, 17. Thomas Rodliffe, 18. Griff Chatwin
>> Derwent’s next fixture is scheduled to be against the Law College in week five. An Alcuin side, containing many guest players from other colleges, defeated the Law College 5-3, courtesy of a late try from Brad Voigt.
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It wasn’t the inauguaral tournament. Derwent won the first one (of 3 way, 15s Rugby) last year.
Apologies,
This has been amended.
Either way You guys still lost. bring on the 10′s… 10′s cause you u guys have lazzy no pace backs!
I wonder if Rankin would said such a thing had they not just had their pride destroyed by a very impressive James college? His whining all through the match might have suggested differently.
Well done James College!
Here is my full comment, made to both Nouse and Yorker:
I honestly never really considered it to be a tournament. Obviously certain players from Derwent, James and Alcuin did. But for me it’s about playing regular XV a-side, College Rugby with mates & team mates. I suppose it’s easy to class it as a tournament, seeing as we all played each other and a tournament has happened in the past.
But with the new College teams coming into the game now, and with games against teams like the Law College another possibility, it never really felt like a tournament to me. I guess that sounds like an excuse for not having ‘won overall’, but I genuinely viewed these matches as the first of more against other teams; something I think is quite important to present if we want to build College Rugby and bring other Colleges on to playing regular games.
I think we risk setting Derwent, James & Alcuin apart as the ‘better teams’, who Goodricke, Vanbrugh & Halifax may not be able to play, if we start calling our matches a tournament. If we want to take XV a-side College Rugby forward and involve more teams, we need to view matches as being part of the whole schedule; not in closed tournaments.
… I’m sure you’ll agree that’s a fair and mature attitude; unlike certain petty comments. And just for your interest Will, yes I would have said exactly the same thing if we’d won, drawn or if we’d lost by a country mile.
what’s important (ANON) is that JAMES won the inaugural 7′s, 10′s and now this 15′s tournament, stick to the facts!
Derwent lost to what was essentially a Barbarians side that postponed the game on 2 seperate occasions. Once last term, and again this term.
And Maxwell, you complaining about someone nagging at the referee is ever so slightly rich. I’ve played with you enough to pass comment on that…
Fight fight fight!
/caring
Oh noes! Dan Taylor complaining about people! /caring too
Congrats to James for getting the best points-difference and to the other two as well for a three-way tie. Very close and competitive and it looks likely to continue in full force!
And Joe, where did they get “I suppose mathematically, it would be James on in-game points difference” from? :-\
U Cant touch this !!!
A couple of things:
Firstly, Mr. Rose, Joe’s very first comment when providing me a quote was an acknowledgement that James had mathematically won the tournament. This appears to have been conveniently omitted in the above comment, not sure why.
Secondly, i completely subscribe to the opinion that this tournament wasn’t about winning, but the resurgence of college rugby. Congratulations to James and the other two participants. More pertinently, credit to the organisers and participants for overcoming numerous obstacles to even get this tournament off the ground. May it be the first of many. Joe has been immensely helpful in providing information
I’ll finish that sentiment, instead of accidently clicking submit now…
providing information to myself and is entitled to his opinion. I believe this would have been the same win, lose or draw.
I believe that in every one of my articles, i have stressed the real victor has been college rugby and i stand by that.