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Sat 12 Sep 2015
US Portsmouth
1st XV
23
19
Cam lost at Sea
Roger Berry12 Sep 2015 - 20:10
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Cam lose their way in a poor second half performance in this Senior Vase encounter
With Risey struggling with 25+ players unavailable plus an horrendous trip to Portsmouth with several of the Cam supporters not making it for the start of the game, this Senior Vase fixture did not get off to the best of starts and when, at the first scrum, the young black and ambers pack were driven back by the home sides significantly heavier 8 things did not look great. However the second scrum was much better and Cam were soon throwing the ball about and on 5 mins a good drive from the forwards followed by quick ball saw Tommy Allen skip over for a try which was converted by Liam.
However this lead proved to be short lived as poor handling of the restart saw Cam concede a penalty and from the resultant lineout the very physical home 8 drove over for a converted try on 10 mins.
Cams drills let them down again when the home side using the wind and took play into the Cam 22 from the restart and poor drills again allowed the hosts in to score an unconverted try.
While most of the rugby was being played by Cam they continued to butcher chances but on 17 mins they scored a well deserved try when #8 Mac made a beautiful break and managed to pop the ball to hooker Magoo who crossed under the posts for an excellent score.
However US took the lead immediately when Cam were again penalised at the restart and they gratefully accepted the 3 points.
At this stage the forward battle was becoming far more even however both black and ambers forwards and backs too often gave the ball away cheaply and when an interception by US Portsmouth saw play move from their 22 to the Cam 22 there was again some concern among the Cam supporters but in this case good drills saw them move play back up field and when, on the stroke of half time, Tommy A found himself in a bit of space on halfway he ripped through some flimsy defence and dotted down for his second try which was converted by Liam making the halftime score 19-15.
So with Cam having the advantage of the breeze and the hosts visibly tiring the Cam supporters were quietly confident that their side would be able to add to the score and close the game out - however US Portsmouth had other ideas.
It seemed from the touchline that unfortunately the black and ambers also believed the game was done and dusted and the cohesiveness of the first half disappeared together with their discipline and rather than continuing to play multiple phases of fast, attacking rugby, pulling the tiring opposition from one side of the pitch to the other we saw far too many guys trying to go it alone and losing the ball in contact.
On 55 mins, with Cam pressing hard the home side took advantage of slack play and broke out to score and take the lead with an unconverted try.
US Portsmouth added a penalty on 70 mins and despite great pressure in the closing 10 mins by Cam they managed to repel the siege and will go into the draw next Wednesday.
This was a disappointing result for Cam for, despite missing a number of players (eg young prop Max was drafted in to play 2nd row) this was a game which should have been comfortable for the black and ambers if they had stuck to the game plan and also protected the ball better.
In the tight the young and inexperienced front 5 soon got to grips with the vastly more experienced and physical opposition with the front row Parnaby, Magoo and Jeff never taking a backward step and with Sam and debutant Andrew working well at the lineout the makeshift pack performed well in the set pieces but discipline, concentration and lack of accuracy really cost them the victory which in most peoples eyes (including the official) was theirs for the taking.
It was good to see Tommy A returning to his home club after his time in Oz and there were promising debuts for Andrew as flanker, Oscar at 15 and Kyle as replacement hooker and finally, for our sole reader in the North, the captain played the full 80, driving his team on throughout.
For our C&W supporters, our own Alex O'Meara, now contracted with the Pirates, is on the bench for B**rf in their pre season game against the C&W tomorrow - obviously we wish him all the best but clearly anticipate that he will be on the end of a drubbing similar to the one they received at Kingsholm in the Singa 7s
Next week the real action starts with the 1s again on the South Coast when they play Trojans while the 2s have another friendly against Millbrook.
However this lead proved to be short lived as poor handling of the restart saw Cam concede a penalty and from the resultant lineout the very physical home 8 drove over for a converted try on 10 mins.
Cams drills let them down again when the home side using the wind and took play into the Cam 22 from the restart and poor drills again allowed the hosts in to score an unconverted try.
While most of the rugby was being played by Cam they continued to butcher chances but on 17 mins they scored a well deserved try when #8 Mac made a beautiful break and managed to pop the ball to hooker Magoo who crossed under the posts for an excellent score.
However US took the lead immediately when Cam were again penalised at the restart and they gratefully accepted the 3 points.
At this stage the forward battle was becoming far more even however both black and ambers forwards and backs too often gave the ball away cheaply and when an interception by US Portsmouth saw play move from their 22 to the Cam 22 there was again some concern among the Cam supporters but in this case good drills saw them move play back up field and when, on the stroke of half time, Tommy A found himself in a bit of space on halfway he ripped through some flimsy defence and dotted down for his second try which was converted by Liam making the halftime score 19-15.
So with Cam having the advantage of the breeze and the hosts visibly tiring the Cam supporters were quietly confident that their side would be able to add to the score and close the game out - however US Portsmouth had other ideas.
It seemed from the touchline that unfortunately the black and ambers also believed the game was done and dusted and the cohesiveness of the first half disappeared together with their discipline and rather than continuing to play multiple phases of fast, attacking rugby, pulling the tiring opposition from one side of the pitch to the other we saw far too many guys trying to go it alone and losing the ball in contact.
On 55 mins, with Cam pressing hard the home side took advantage of slack play and broke out to score and take the lead with an unconverted try.
US Portsmouth added a penalty on 70 mins and despite great pressure in the closing 10 mins by Cam they managed to repel the siege and will go into the draw next Wednesday.
This was a disappointing result for Cam for, despite missing a number of players (eg young prop Max was drafted in to play 2nd row) this was a game which should have been comfortable for the black and ambers if they had stuck to the game plan and also protected the ball better.
In the tight the young and inexperienced front 5 soon got to grips with the vastly more experienced and physical opposition with the front row Parnaby, Magoo and Jeff never taking a backward step and with Sam and debutant Andrew working well at the lineout the makeshift pack performed well in the set pieces but discipline, concentration and lack of accuracy really cost them the victory which in most peoples eyes (including the official) was theirs for the taking.
It was good to see Tommy A returning to his home club after his time in Oz and there were promising debuts for Andrew as flanker, Oscar at 15 and Kyle as replacement hooker and finally, for our sole reader in the North, the captain played the full 80, driving his team on throughout.
For our C&W supporters, our own Alex O'Meara, now contracted with the Pirates, is on the bench for B**rf in their pre season game against the C&W tomorrow - obviously we wish him all the best but clearly anticipate that he will be on the end of a drubbing similar to the one they received at Kingsholm in the Singa 7s
Next week the real action starts with the 1s again on the South Coast when they play Trojans while the 2s have another friendly against Millbrook.
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