Ampthill 28 - 0 CRUFC U15
 
Ampthill showed what a well drilled pack, playing for each other and sticking to a game plan can achieve.  Despite fielding a strong team, welcoming James Travers back after a long injury, Cambridge were well beaten by a good Ampthill side that played to their strengths, recycling the ball and then creating space.  For Cambridge this was the first game for 6 weeks and the long break caused by Christmas and bad weather showed as they played as a set of individuals, short of match practice.
 
Cambridge started well, moving the ball to the opposition 22 and were held up just short of the line.  But a penalty given away led to Ampthill relieving the pressure and moving upfield.  The remainder of the half was played almost exclusively in the Cambridge half and predominantly in the 22.  There was some impressive defence under sustained pressure, but the lines were never cleared and the ball soon turned over. Having prevented a number of almost certain scores against then, Cambridge had a scrum, but turned over the ball from it and Ampthill were able to score a simple converted try.
 
The rest of the half was spent by Cambridge stuck on or near their own try line and they were fortunate to end the half 7-0 down.
 
The second half started as brightly as the first with a good run, this time from Michael Brennan.  However, the ball was turned over at an ensuing ruck and Ampthill swept up the field to score an early converted try.
 
The rest of the half was much the same as the first: sustained Ampthill pressure, with some heroic Cambridge defence.  There were 2 more tries, both converted by the Amtphill no 10, one from the ‘wrong’ touchline, being of particular note.
 
In summary; Ampthill were good and played to a defined pattern and to the referee’s interpretations.  Cambridge were very short on match practice and whilst well beaten were not as poor as the scoreline suggests.