University Rugby Review - Week 11

Yesterday saw the final University rugby action before Christmas, and it really didn’t disappoint, with enthralling games of rugby at all ends of the country.

With just three games left for most clubs in the New Year, each university was looking to put themselves in the best position possible before the break.

The pick fixture of the round came in the Northern Premier A league as league leaders and reigning champions Durham, travelled to Yorkshire and the in-form Leeds Met Carnegie.

Before the game Durham sat top of the table on 32 points – six clear of Loughborough in second and ten clear of Leeds Met in fourth. However, the Yorkshire side do have a game in hand on the league leaders and were looking to make the most of that advantage with a win that would serve as an old fashioned six-pointer.

However, it wasn’t the fairy-tale script for the champions, as we are so usually accustomed to, with Leeds racing away to a commanding 44-26 victory in the final quarter of the game.

The visitors got the best of the opening exchanges, however, as they raced to a 7-0 lead after early pressure.

The rest of the half was fiercely competitive, with both sides exchanges scores until Leeds entered the changing rooms at the break with a small, but important three point lead at 22-19.

Leeds came out the strongest in the second half as they scored shortly after the break, but the champions would not let them get away, replying with a try of  their own only minutes later.

However, in the final quarter of the game the Yorkshire outfit raced away with a further two tries to finish the game with a commanding 44-26 victory.

The win takes Leeds into third in the league on 27 points, now just six points behind the leaders, still with a game in hand. On the other hand Durham manage to hold onto the top spot, but only just, with a two point advantage over Loughborough.

Keep an eye on Talking Rugby Union today for a full match report and highlights video from this game…

Elsewhere in the league, second place Loughborough hit back hard from their disappointing loss to Leeds Met last week and kept their playoff hopes alive with an impressive 31-0 away victory over Northumbria.

The win took Loughborough, right into contention once again, now just two points shy of Durham. With just three games left before the playoffs begin, Loughborough are really back into contention.

On the other hand, the loss made Northumbria slip in the league table, below Leeds Met Carnegie with 24 points.

Finally in the Northern Premier A League bottom of the league Nottingham pulled off another fantastic result as they hurled past Newcastle Uni by 37 points to five.

The victory took the Midlands side off the bottom spot with 13 points; leapfrogging over Leeds University, who are now bottom with 10 points.

 

In the Northern B league leaders Birmingham continued their impressive season and even more impressive run, with another victory – beating Midlands rivals Loughborough seconds 29-8.

The victory extends their lead at the top of the table – now 10 points clear of Durham and Notts Trent. On the other hand Loughborough seconds are experiencing a difficult season by their standards, as they sit seventh – in the relegation zone – with 14 points, three behind Edinburgh in sixth.

Durham seconds lost in a high scoring encounter at fifth place York. The home side beat the North Eastern visitors by the closest of margins, with a final score of 34-33.

Finally, bottom of the league Sheffield Hallam lost at home to Manchester 19-3.

 

In southern half of the BUCS Rugby competition, table toppers Hartpury had a bye in this week’s round and, hence, their 2013 fixture list is already completed.

There were only two games in the league yesterday and both took place in Cardiff, with the pick being between the Met side and Bath.

After an incredibly close-fought match the visitors were sent back over the border disappointed, as Cardiff edged ahead to a 16-15 victory.

The win sees both sides swop positions in the league table, as Bath fell to fourth place with 25 points and Cardiff rose to third with 27.

In the other incredibly close game in the Welsh capital, visiting Bristol beat Cardiff University by 28 points to 27.

Cardiff, with only one win all season, are still stuck to the bottom of the league with just eight points. Bristol stay in fifth position with 13 points, but now well clear of the relegation spot.

 

Finally, in the Southern Premier B league there were four games played yesterday.

The top spot before Christmas is taken by Cardiff Met seconds who beat closest rivals (just one point behind) Bath by 26 points to 23.

Also, St Mary’s beat Cardiff seconds 19-14; Exeter seconds beat the University of South Wales 27-19 and finally, Hartpury seconds recorded an impressive first win of the season with a commanding 45-3 away victory at Reading. I wonder what those Hartpury first team players were up to in their bye week…

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