Assassins Edge Past Cambridge

The famous Anti-Assassins, who now go by the Wooden Spoon AAs after joining forces with the Wooden Spoon Society in 2005, were back in action last week as the invitational side travelled south to face Cambridge University.

The side was originally founded in 1950 by three Sedburgh school alumni and has since continued to play a mixture of both traditional and charity matches, which have recently included games against Richmond, Taunton, the Royal Navy and a British Army team based in Germany.

Last week it was the turn of a University showdown, as the Spoon AAs, filled with rugby talent from the North West, took on a very young Cambridge side.

After a fiercely competitive encounter under the lights at Grange Road with eleven tries scored on the night, it was the same amount of points that split the two sides, with the visiting Assassins coming out as eventual 38-27 winners.

The flowing nature to the game led to an entertaining spectacle, where both sides punished each other’s mistakes.

There were ominous signs from the off for Cambridge as the Spoons, who had brought a strong side down south, powered their way through the home defence thanks to a punishing run from centre Sam Russell, who crossed the whitewash in the first two minutes.

But the university found their feet and Harry Peck delievered a perfectly weighted and timed pass which found Sam Alderson running a great line to score under the posts.

The to-and-fro nature of the game started to pick up as David Hanabury made a great break with a dummy and he had Jordan Dorrington in support, who in turn fed John Hale to touch down for 12-7 to the visitors.

Max Montgomery caught the eye with a try on his university first-team debut last week and the rapid No 8 was on the score sheet again, in almost identical fashion with a break from halfway.

But the Anti-Assassins had the half-time lead after a great chip and collect from inside his own half by Jamie Harrison.

And just as in the first half, Russell pounced for his second try inside the first few minutes to make it 24-12 to the visitors.

Peck’s perseverance after picking up from the base of a scrum led to a deserved try for the Light Blues.

They cut the deficit to two points on 50 minutes as Montgomery went over after a catch and drive from a line-out.

But as they exerted pressure on the Anti-Assassins’ line they were twice hit by breakaway tries from the visitors.

The first came in the 61st minute and the second, after an interception on halfway, in the 74th, both through Jordan Husband.

The second put the game to bed, with the university getting some consolation from a Henry Somers try.