Sat 11 Jan 2020, 14:00
They say forwards decide matches and Rotherham brought a big pack who were strong scrummagers. So strong that they were able to win a penalty from most scrums.
However, forwards need to do more than scrummage. Elsewhere, our lighter but more mobile forwards were more than a match for Rotherham - disrupting their line-outs and winning turnovers on the floor and driving them back in the tackles.
Rotherham claimed the ball from the kick-off but Cambridge tackled like demons and drove them backward until they spilled the ball. We pounced and Matt Hema ran in in the corner. Ben Penfolds was left without a tee and missed the conversion.
Two minutes later history repeated except this time James Martin did the honours. The tee was still missing and again the kick went wide but five minutes in we were 10-0 up.
Rotherham countered with a well-taken try as multiple phases stretched our defence. They made no mistake with the kick.
We had an attack disrupted by a deliberate knock-on that saw their fly-half sent to the bin. But we were not able to capitalise, and it was not until the 37th we were finally able to stretch the Rotherham defence to make space for Henderson to score on the wing. Again Ben Penfold - even with the tee - could not split the posts.
The second half started slowly. Playing into the wind Cambridge looked after the ball with short passes so as not to give up a scrum. However, on a Cambridge put in, with the scrum under pressure Ben Adams picked up at the back and looked for the pass to Fin Creighton but the Rotherham 9 read it and intercepted and ran in unopposed. Cambridge almost got a try but were bundled into touch just short. Then Rotherham took the lead. From a penalty, they had a line-out. A short throw was passed back to the hooker who was able to dot down. As both conversions went over, Rotherham were 15-21 up.
Five minutes later Cambridge were again on the attack. The forwards drove the ball on, Ben Penfold put in a cross kick. Rotherham's defence could not gather and James Martin was able to gather and dive over in the corner - giving Ben another tough conversion which dropped short held up by the gale.
Four minutes later Matt Dawson broke through the Rotherham line, fed James Martin who sprinted fifty metres before being tackled ten metres short of the goal line. He popped the ball up towards the three red shirts in support. And to point up the mobility of our pack, this was the entire front row who had kept pace with him. Tighthead prop Henry Peck took the pass and scored - his second in sixty games. Again the wind held up Ben's kick.
As time ran out all Cambridge needed to do was look after the ball. But we kicked it away and though we forced Rotherham into touch, a long throw in the wind was called not straight. Then Rotherham won a scrum penalty. Giving them an attacking line out and then phase after phase of pick and go battered our line. But Cambridge had the will to win and we held them out and then contested possession forcing them to hold on and we won the penalty and only had to kick the ball dead for the win.
Unfortunately the Wanderers came off second best to Ampthill 1881, but the 3rds were able to win 21-0 at Saffron Walden.
Final Score
Cambridge 25 - 21 Rotherham
Tries: Hena, Martin (2), Henderson, Peck
