Hartpury RFC vs Cambridge (A) - 14-70

Fun in the sun as Hartpury run riot on the road

By Luke Jarmyn & James Logan, at Ellgia Fields

HARTPURY RFC produced a near perfect performance in blisteringly hot conditions on Saturday as Mark Cornwell’s side scored an emphatic 10 tries enroute to their biggest victory of the season. 

Hartpury’s forward pack created a dominant platform while fly-half Harry Bazalgette sublimely pulled the strings and didn’t miss a kick all afternoon with nine conversions which keeps the university side in the play-off places ahead of their final league game. 

With the sun shining over the Ellgia Fields at Cambridge’s Grantchester Road ground on the south side of the city, Hartpury arrived from the 150-mile trip East in good form having beaten Nottingham 52-19 while knowing only another win would do in the race for the sixth and final play-off place. 

Meanwhile already relegated Cambridge aimed to end their home season on a positive note following a dismal 77-14 loss away at Coventry.

Bazalgette kicked off and the black-kitted Gloucestershire visitors put themselves on the front foot almost immediately. 

Despite conceding an early infringement, several forwards dominated the midfield to force a breakdown penalty and a stint of possession in Cambridge’s territory had gifted the visitors a quick start, the ball was shifted left and right before No.8 Cameron Cobbett found a gap in the defence to bundle over from close range unchallenged. Bazalgette converted his first kick of the afternoon with ease. 

Following the impressive home performance the previous week, those in Black looked focused on transferring that form to the road. 

Co-captain Will Crane doubled Hartpury’s lead just before the quarter-hour mark; after the Blood and Sand were infringed for being offside, a driving maul off a line-out saw the hooker muscle through the defenders to score left of the sticks. 

The conditions were ideal for running rugby, and with a large crowd enjoying rugby in the sun, it would yet again be the visitors from the West Country that provided the entertainment in East Anglia.

A superb interception from outside-centre Robbie Smith and an intelligent kick by fullback Brad Denty put the visitors back in the danger zone, Bazalgette found the gap and offloaded for Smith to stroll over the try line for the third score of the afternoon on the half-hour mark.

It was soon four tries to the all-black West Country side as straight from the kick-off winger Ollie Holliday found himself open on the outside channel with acres of space as he turned on some blistering pace to go the length of the pitch and secure Hartpury’s try bonus point. Bazalgette’s fourth conversion made it 28-00.

The home-side had little to cheer about in the opening 40 minutes, but as the half-time break approached that changed. Hartpury switched off, and Northampton Saints loanee Billy Pasco found a gap in the black line to slip through and take the ball over the try-line to score on his debut. Cambridge scrum-half Ruaridh Dawson converted from close range.

Mark Cornwell’s outfit looked content with their efforts in the first half, and it would become even better with the last play of the half as they were awarded a penalty try after a high hit on Brad Denty in front of the try line after looked to have denied the black shirts of a fifth try. Referee Richard Gordon sent Cambridge openside flanker Dan Eckersley to the bin for the dangerous challenge while also awarding the penalty try to make it 7-35 at the break.

Things didn’t seem to slow down going into the second half either, Cameron Cobbett earned his second try as he bundled over after dashing off the back of a scrum to extend Pury’s lead, and five minutes later Robbie Smith got in on the act as he yet again intercepted a pass to go the length of the pitch and dot the ball down. Bazalgette was successful from the tee once more to make it 7-49. 

However, the hosts refused to sit down, responding with a well-worked try from Dan Eckersley as the back-rower tucked the ball tightly, saw a gap and found a way over the line. 

From there, it would be a Hartpury whitewash, replacement prop Louis Trevett offering himself for the offload before bursting through the blood and sand line to take the ball over just after the hour-mark.   

The travelling fans had been treated to a spectacular show, and it wouldn’t end there as ex-Bath flyer Charlie Powell added another try for those who came from the West Country before a mirror image score by wing Ollie Holliday capped off a superb final away match of the regular season. 

Bazalgette converting both late tries racked up an impressive 100 per cent record from the tee in Cambridge against the already relegated hosts as they put themselves in a fantastic place ahead of a final day of the season winner takes all clash against Cornish Pirates.

Stats:

CAMBRIDGE RUFC: Ben Currie, Joe Green (Ollie Allan 40’), Billy Pasco, Jasper Sorrell (Sam Johnson 42’), Ethan Thorne (Eparama Rokodrava 59’), Otumaka Mausia, Ruaridh Dawson; Jake Ellwood (Tubuna Maka 67’), Jack Doorey-Palmer (Joe Plunkett 66’), Paul Wulf-Masoe (Francois Rossouw 67’), Jake McCay (Charlie Friend 67’), Gareth Baxter, Rhys Fulford (Arthur Thomas 58’), Dan Eckersley, Ben Adams ©

Tries: Billy Pasco 38’, Dan Eckersley 58’

Conversions: Ruaridh Dawson 39’, 59’

HARTPURY RFC: Brad Denty (Alex Forrester 40’), Charlie Powell, Robbie Smith, Ollie Allsopp (Will Knight 58’), Ollie Holliday, Harry Bazalgette, Rhys Price (Cai Gealy 68’); Harrison Bellamy (Louis Trevett 51’), Will Crane (cc) (George Knowles 62’), Jon Benz-Salomon (Alex Gibson 51’), Dale Lemon, Jack Davies (cc), Cameron Murray (George Perry 72’), Harry Taylor (Ellis Hart 64’), Cameron Cobbett

Tries: Cameron Cobbett 3’, 46’, Will Crane 13’, Robbie Smith 30’, 51’, Ollie Holliday 33’, 74’, penalty try 40’, Louis Trevett 64’, Charlie Powell 70’ 

Conversions: Harry Bazalgette 4’, 14’, 31’, 34’, 47’, 52’, 65’, 71’, 75’

Referee: Richard Gordon (RFU)

Attendance: 1,877

Half-time: 7-35 (To Hartpury)

Star man: Harry Bazalgette (Hartpury)

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Terrific ten tries delights Cornwell

By Luke Jarmyn & James Logan, at Ellgia Fields

Hartpury RFC’s director of rugby Mark Cornwell was full of praise for his side’s performance as well as confidence in his side's impressive form after they scored 10 tries against relegation bound Cambridge on Saturday.

The away victory in East Anglia, which notably included a ruthless display by the university side’s forwards as well as try braces for No.8 Cameron Cobbett, outside-centre Robbie Smith and winger Ollie Holliday, sets up a winner takes all play-off shootout against Cornish Pirates next weekend.

Cornwell said: “It was perfect conditions today to play rugby, I know it's hot, but the boys ran the ball around and moved it well. 

“We didn’t score too many out wide, so we had easier conversions today, so a very pleasing performance.”

Fly-half Harry Bazalgette had a 100 per cent record from the kicking tee, scoring all nine conversion attempts, and was influential in the offensive play. 

Cornwall was delighted by the playmaker’s showing and said: “I feel like we lost our way a bit in the first 20 minutes, maybe trying to move the ball too quickly to the edges instead of making them tackle. 

“But I thought that he varied his game quite well from kicking to moving the ball through the hands, which led to some decent tries out there today.”

Hartpury sit sixth in the Champ table with one game left of the regular season, and a final home game against seventh placed Cornish Pirates means its looking like a straight shootout for the sixth and last play-off spot. 

Cornwell added: “If we can do a job at home next week against Pirates, then we may be able to finish fifth, definitely sixth, and then we are into the play-off quarter-finals.

“At the moment it looks like it might be Worcester or Coventry away, and that’s if we can do it next week, as it will be a tough match.”

Man of the match Harry Bazalgette also spoke post-match and was excited about the prospect of finishing the league campaign in the playoffs and extending the season.

He said: “We’re buzzing, really buzzing. It adds a little bit of spice, and we’ve really enjoyed playing at home this year, and we’ve made it a fortress this year, and hopefully that will continue. 

“It also adds to the fact that it will pretty much be a straight shoot-out for a play-off place.”

The No.10 admitted that there were parts of this season where he was unhappy with his performances, but he’s trying to look forward. 

He said: “I had a little bit of a spell a few weeks ago, as a number of us did and went through a couple of games in which we lost on the bounce. 

“It’s never about one person, but I'll admit that maybe I wasn’t doing my bit in that period for the team, but in the big moments, the boys have all stepped up.”