Manchester Claim Hard-Fought Varsity Win

Manchester University weathered an early storm from Manchester Metropolitan University in the Mancunian Varsity Battle, showing their pedigree in the latter stages to take a well-deserved 36-11 victory.

Two well-struck penalties early on from Max Proctor, the Manchester Met fullback, gave them a merited lead in the early stages of the first half, turning pressure into points at the breakdown.

The blue and yellow of the Man Met players swarmed the Purple opposition in the opening exchanges, full of naïve enthusiasm which often left them exposed out wide, where Manchester Uni were able to exploit the gaps when they had the ambition to send it into those channels through the back line.

Manchester University gradually got into the game, seeing off Manchester Metropolitan's attempts to suffocate the game. Using the width to their advantage they went over in the corner with some swift hands, and again with Danny Kennedy’s powerful solo effort to take the scores to 10-6 (with two unsuccessful conversions) in Manchester University’s favor on the half-time whistle.

A penalty at the start of the second half gave the Met an opportunity to take 3 points, but instead they took the ambitiuos option and went to the corner. 10 metres from Manchester University’s line they opted for a catch and drive, but their attempts where brought to ground by the strong counter maul, but that didn’t stop the forward pack from surging toward the line with ‘pick and go’ options.

Mark McConnell saw his opening with the whitewash looming, making a strong carry to make it 11-10, rewarding the efforts made in the first half.

As the game wore on the Manchester Metropolitan were unable to keep up the intense drive and dynamic approach they adopted at the start, providing Manchester University with an abundance of scoring chances well into the second half.

A quick succession of three tries by the wings and back row of Manchester University soon put the game beyond doubt, moving them into a 29-11 lead as they took advantage of some weak defence, their opponents now hampered by their lactic acid-filled enthusiasm.

The final blow coming in the dying seconds when replacement Ryan Getley took a short line off the scrum-half, turning the sustained pressure on the Manchester Metropolitan line into yet more unanswered points.

A successful conversion from Paddy Shaw made the final score 36-11 in Manchester University’s favour, fitness and technical ability prevailing over passion and heart.

Sequence of scoring (Manchester Met first)

3-0, 6-0, 6-5, 6-10 HT

11-10, 11-15, 11-17, 11-22, 11-24, 11-29, 11-34, 11-36 FT