Cambridge University 0 D.U.F.C. 50

The following Report is courtesy of the Cambridge News…

Cambridge University had nothing to show for their efforts as a powerful Trinity College Dublin side beat them by a half-century last night.

The away team were strong up front and attacked with real pace to run out winners by a big margin at Grange Road.

An injury to captain Daniel Dass gave Charlie Amesbury the opportunity to lead the Light Blues on only his second appearance for the team.

The Bristol full-back, who is studying for a MSt in social innovation at Queens’ College and been given a couple of months off by the Aviva Premiership club, made an instant impression on his debut in last Wednesday’s defeat at Richmond, scoring a fine solo try.

But he saw his team fall behind with just three minutes on the clock, with a missed tackle on halfway enabling the visitors to gain good territory.

Trinity College were full of attacking intent from the first whistle and it was Jack Burke who eventually powered over the try line.

It was not long until another tackle was shrugged off too easily and Burke dotted down for another converted score, with the Light Blues not knowing what had hit them in a lightning fast start.

The students began to get in some big hits as they attempted to stem the tide, but the visitors showed no signs of slowing down their attacking play, with plenty of craft keeping them firmly on the front foot.

It was wave after wave of attack from the Dubliners, and Cambridge had to show plenty of steel and huge amounts of stamina to plug the gaps and prevent them getting through.

After a short breather, when they were able to venture into the opposition’s half, a Cambridge handling error was punished with a try, winger Evan Dixon gathering in Jack McDermott’s cross-field kick to go over in the corner.

Fraser Gillies certainly got stuck in and was able to floor a few of the sizeable Dublin contingent, but Cambridge were opened up again five minutes before the break when centre Michael Courtney burst his way through for their fourth try of the night.

To ensure their intensity did not drop the visitors used half time to go through a few more drills, and Dixon glided through for his second try two minutes into the second period.

The contest then became scrappy and Cambridge competed well, but the visitors always looked like they could up the ante again and Dixon completed his hat-trick, McDermott cantered through for another score and Burke also sealed his treble.

Scorers: Trinity College Dublin – Burke try, McDermott con 3min; Burke try, McDermott con 7; E Dixon try 31; Courtney try 35; E Dixon try, McDermott con 42; E Dixon try, Hogan con 62; McDermott try, Hogan con 77, Burke try 80+4.

Cambridge University: Amesbury; King, Triniman, Phillips, Davies; Gillies, Tullie; Briggs, Dillon-Kelly, Moros, Hunter, Lola Erogbogbo, Rose, Harlow, Bartholomew. Replacements: Hugkulstone, Dean, Beckett, Gould, Bell, Clough, Lare Erogbogbo, Griffiths.

Trinity College Dublin: Hogan; Mollen, Courtney, K Dixon, E Dixon; McDermott, Joyce; Bollard, Cronin, Murphy, Dargan, Burke, Pim, O’Flynn, Ryan. Replacements: Boland, O’Sullivan, Byrne, Charbonnier, Todd, Milne, Marcelessi.

Trinity 2nd Xv win v Clontarf
The 2nd XV had a very good 22-15 win against Clontarf. Some good rugby was played and the win was achieved despite some good scoring chances scorned.

U20s
The Premier XV played some enterprising rugby beating a strong U20s team 41-13 after a tough first half.

The Pennenat team wontheir first gamev Ashbourne 48-5, showing some great promise.

3rd XV
Beat Coolmine 5-0 in a very intense defensive game.

4th XV
Lost to AIB 27-19 just missing out on a bonus point.

Womens’ XV
Last Wednesday the Trinity Womens’ XV played their opening SSI league game and drew with UCD in Donnybrook 12-12. The Women look to have a strong squad this season with many returners from last year and we look forward to an exciting and competitive season.