BUCS Rugby Final Show

The pinnacle of the BUCS rugby calendar – the men’s final – took place under the floodlights at Twickenham, the home of rugby, this Friday, with the southern league winners Hartpury College powering to victory over Leeds Met University.

A hat-trick of tries for Hartpury winger Ian Clarke saw the University of West England home by the narrowest of margins, winning the game by 28 points to 24 in the dying seconds against Leeds.

The stage was set under Twickenham’s Friday Night Lights for the northern and southern Champions to do battle for BUCS glory.

The final was Hartpury’s second in three years, having won the title in 2012. However, it was Leeds Met’s first trip to the home of rugby, after an impressive league season which saw them climb ahead of Loughborough and former champions Durham to the Northern Crown, with victories over Bath and Exeter sealing their place in the final.

On the other hand, Hartpury recorded victories over northern sides Northumbria and then Loughborough, with now just 80 minutes separating both sides from BUCS glory.

As ever, the Talking Rugby Union team were at the scene and in the heart of university rugby action, bringing you the best insight, reaction and highlights of the big game.

Stay tuned to see our very own BUCS finals day show on-line very soon…

The lights were bright, the music was loud, the fans were cheering and the beer was flowing, as the final match of the 2013/14 BUCS season was about to get underway on a calm March evening in the capital.

As the first whistle blew and the game got underway, it began with the worst possible start for Leeds, on their inaugural visit to Twickenham.

Less than two minutes into the game the Hartpury backs got their hands on the ball, shipped it out to speedster Clarke on the wing, who then raced past the Leeds defence, with room to run on the outside and eventually touched the ball down under the posts.

The conversion was made to create and immediate 7-0 advantage for the southern side; silencing the Leeds fans and many of the team, who looked as if they couldn’t quite believe what had just happened.

After a resounding start Hartpury looked to be the much stronger side. However, after going down by a try so early on in the game, it came to a point where the score could have been exactly the thing the Yorkshire side needed to spring into life or the destruction of their cause – luckily, they found their feet.

Carnegie worked their way off the back foot through short, sharp forward bursts and pick-and-goes as the pack crept into Hartpury’s half.

A penalty and an impressive boot from Leeds fly-half and Captain Will Cargill placed the pack just five metres out, with their own ball at the lineout. The ball was retained in the air with seasoned proficiency, taken to a maul and slowly but surely edged forwards for a score.

Leeds Met had retaliated in perfect fashion, with a score of their own, greeted by a wall of cheers from the Yorkshire contingent as the ball sailed through the posts from Cargill’s boot to level the score at 7-7.

With all now to play for, the dedication and desire in both teams was clear in every tackle, run and ruck, as the northern champions threw all that they had to their southern counterparts.

True to the form of the rest of the game, it was now Hartpury’s turn to be in the ascendency; powering up the field with direct forwards running and skilful backs moves the men in black raced into the Leeds 22”. A desperate last-gasp tackle from the Leeds defence saved a try; however, Leeds scrum-half Alex Clarke, intentionally impeded a tap penalty in such a key area and found himself facing a yellow card and ten minutes on the side-line.

Reduced to 14 men the Yorkshire, to their credit, did manage to clear their lines and ‘do battle’ in the midfield; though, it wasn’t long before Hartpury had made their way deep into their half once again.

Interestingly, the men in black didn’t opt for the conventional attacks of running rugby, but chose to initiate a cross-field kick into the corner, although the winger could not take it in. However, relief turned to disaster for Leeds as their own winger also fumbled over the ball and missed it, leaving the Hartpury wing, Seb Rodwell, with a free ball and an open run over the whitewash.

A difficult kick was missed but the damage was done, as Hartpury regained the lead at 12-7.

With just 10 minutes left to go in the half it was errors from Leeds that cost them good field position time and again, with no attack being capitalised on.

Understandably frustration and ill-discipline then crept into their game; resulting in a penalty inside their half which Hartpury 10, Gareth Thompson converted to extend their lead to 15-7.

As Leeds struggled to execute the dominance they had enjoyed in both the quarter-final and the semi-final, the remainder of the half was fought-out in the middle of the field, with a long-range penalty attempt closing the half that was missed by Leeds.

With an eight point lead at the break, the title was within Hartpury’s grasp – just a further 40 minutes separated the West Country men from the trophy.

However, no doubt after a few stern words in the dressing rooms, it was Leeds who started the second stanza the stronger, as ill-discipline, this time, cost Hartpury.

An unusual number of penalties gave the Yorkshire side good field position, until the forwards managed to heave their way over the line for a try once again.

Cargill slotted the resulting kick, with the pressure on his shoulders, drawing his side to within one point of the southern champs – at 15-14 to Hartpury, the game was now on.

As Hartpury realised that the game was still very much on, they managed to force a penalty, after the scrum was dropped from the Leeds front row. Once again, fly-half Thompson took to the tee and slotted the ball home, to give Hartpury, still, just four points breathing room. 18-14.

Like the rest of the game so far, it was now Leeds’ turn to be on the offensive and for the next 10 minutes they dominated the run of play.

Leeds were brought deep into the Hartpury half after a kick was misjudged and kicked out on the full. However, time and time again the ball was turned over by a desperate Hartpury defence, clearing their lines on three or four occasions.

Finally for Leeds, though, the break came. Winger Robbie Martie – who had impressed throughout the entire playoffs – stormed through the Hartpury midfield on a brilliant line, only to be tackled and stopped short by fullback Jake Carter.

The offload was made, but the supporting player was held on the floor by the Hartpury defence as they desperately tried to keep Leeds out. Rightfully so a yellow card was awarded after illegally stopping the Leeds attack in a try-scoring position.

Cargill again was sure with the boot, as Leeds came within one point again, but you feel the Hartpury defence came off the better, avoiding an almost certain score.

After the penalty though, a determined Leeds let themselves down with some poor defence. Just seconds after the penalty the ball was in the hands of the Hartpury backs and then the danger man, Clarke, who seemingly stepped a defender and then glided through the defence and over the line for his second try. The resulting conversion was missed, but, once again, the main damage was done. 23-17 to Hartpury with a quarter of the game left to play.

Again it was now Leeds’s turn to go onto the offensive and they did so with impressive form. The ball quickly moved from one wing to the other, into the hands of Captain Will Cargill in the Hartpury 22”. Leeds were left with a clear-cut three on one in the left-hand corner of the pitch, though, unfortunately for Leeds, it seemed as though the fly-half got a wave of try-line fever.

Rather than giving the simple pop pass to wither player in support, for what would have been a certain try and a kick for the lead, Cargill put his head down and went for the score himself; although he made it over the line, the referee and touch judge deemed the ball held up.

A golden chance for a much-needed try went begging for Leeds, as they were forced to retreat to their own half without any points. Was that the difference between the teams? Did that cost Leeds the game?

As the clock wound down into single figures it was Hartpury who were dominating proceedings once again, what a turnaround in play after a missed opportunity. However, Leeds found themselves with another chance.

They fought hard all the way down the field and got a penalty as their reward. The kick for the posts was squandered, though, as they chose to opt for the lineout. Again, though, mistakes cost Leeds as the ball wasn’t won cleanly and gifted back to Hartpury who managed to once again clear their lines.

Seconds later it was that man again, Ian Clarke, the Hartpury winger and most attacking threat of the day, who had the ball in his hands as he crossed the line to complete his hat-trick. The conversion was missed, leaving Hartpury with an 11 point cushion.

However, there was still life left in the game, as the clock wound down to just a couple of minutes left, Leeds were on the front foot once again, in search of two scores. Roars rang around the Yorkshire fans as the ball, as quick as a flash, seemed to have made its way over the line, with a try for winger Dan Leake. A try which was a real testament to Leeds’ heart and desire throughout the game and the entire season.

With no minutes left on the big screen inside Twickenham, the Yorkshire fans thought the try was nothing more than a consolation. However, the referee deemed that there was still time left on the clock – time for one last surprise?

Immediately Leeds were awarded a penalty, bringing them in the Hartpury 22”, we each player and fan alike knew that a try here would steal the victory and the BUCS crown. Play after play the Met forwards and backs crashed onto short balls and into the bodies of hartpury defenders. Inch by inch it seemed that Leeds were making their way closer to the line, stiffened by the paralysing fear that one mistake would see their dreams shattered…

Unfortunately, though, it came, as the ball bobbled forward from a Leeds hand for a knock-on, bringing the final whistle.

After a gallant performance and an impressive exhibition of university rugby from both sides, the final score was 28-24 to Hartpury; who climed the famed Twickenham stairs to lift the BUCS crown and edge their names into university rugby history.