Durham Dominate Against Leeds

Durham University flew past an impressive Leeds University side with a commanding 40-21 victory at the Durham City Rugby Club on Wednesday.

After suffering a shock defeat to Loughborough two weeks ago, the Northern Premier A League began to look much closer at the top than it had for a number of weeks.

Before the game Loughborough were just one point behind the top spot in second place, after both teams won last Wednesday.

Durham returned to their usual winning ways with a comfortable 37-10 victory away at Nottingham and Loughborough continued their surging run of form with 26-13 victory away to Newcastle.

Yesterday it was the turn of sixth place Leeds University, with just two wins to their name so far this season, to take on the champions.

The clash began with blistering pace under the North Eastern floodlights as both sides scored early tries, within the first 20 minutes, to leave the score 7-7, with both sides looking strong.

Moments later it was Leeds who made the next breakthrough with another powerful try. The extras were duly added to double their tally and put them seven in front.

Durham were then awarded a penalty which was made small work of as fly half Louis sent the ball between the uprights to bridge the gap to 14-10.

Durham’s fight back then continued as the backs got the ball in their hands and eventually scythed their way through the Leeds defence to touch the ball down for another score. The conversion was missed but the damage was already done as Durham took the lead by the smallest of margins at 15-14.

Moments later, after a training ground move went wrong, Leeds were pinged for crossing, awarding Durham a penalty inside the Leeds half. The kick was good and the lead was extended. 18-14, Durham, was the score at the break.

With a number of changes to both sides, particularly in the Durham front five, the game began to creep into the final stages, as both sides were caught in a scoreless deadlock.

However, it was those men again, Durham, who quenched the drought with number of powerful lines from the backline culminating in the men in purple crossing for the score. 25-14 Durham.

In the final phases of the game it was all about the home side, who crossed the Leeds whitewash a further three times. Firstly from a penalty and resulting lineout that led the North Eastern forwards crashing over the line. Another powerful run from Crest and the Durham backs and finally a close referee decision in the final stages, where Durham were awarded a further try.

Leeds could only manage another consolation try, after a spirited performance where they were outclassed on the day.

Final score Durham 40 – Leeds University 21.

Durham head coach Alex Keay told Talking Rugby Union that “it was a great game of rugby; I was really impressed with Leeds Yesterday – I think that’s the best I’ve seen them play.”

Interestingly, Alex explained that losing to Loughborough a few weeks ago “has, in some ways, helped us really.

“The unbeaten record has been a bit like a monkey on our back really over recent weeks; in some ways we started to worry about losing more so than trying to do the job in hand.

“It created a bit of a fear factor really, so in some respects it’s been a good thing.

“Records are there to finish at some stage, so I think people should celebrate the incredible record that we did achieve, rather than focusing on when it came to an end.

“A lot of the current team now weren’t around when the run began so it’s good – they’ve got to start building their own record from now.”

In regards to the game itself against Loughborough, Alex highlighted that it “was played in horrendous conditions and it shouldn’t really have been played.

“That’s not taking anything away from Loughborough, though, they played a great game on the night and fully deserved to beat us. However, I’m afraid it was very much a lottery of a game due to the conditions.”

Next week Durham travel to Leeds and face the Metropolitan side at the Carnegie Campus. Leeds sit in fourth currently, with 22 points but a game in hand. Alex is under no illusion that the game will be an easy one with just four games left in the league:

“That’s going to be a huge game for us and them. Obviously, if we win that, with three games left, we’re going to be quite far away from the rest of the pack and I think they’ll know that.

“They have to win both of their next two games to catch us up, with bonus points as well, so it’s an old fashioned double-header really for us.

“It’s going to be a huge game and we need get the result. However, if we put a good performance in I think we can do well.”