PREVIEW Cambridge RFC v Worthing Raiders 22nd November 2014 K/O 1400hrs Following a 6 try victory (41-13) against Cambridge based side Shelford RFC at Roundstone Lane, Raiders travel up the M11 to take on the other level 4 side based in the city, appropriately known as Cambridge RFC. Worthing last played Cambridge in the season 2004/5 (in what was known as London 1, level 5) and lost both the home and the away matches. These 2 games were the only reversals of that season, but Cambridge also lost 2 and as the ‘bonus’ point system had not been introduced, the league was decided on points difference. Cambridge were superior in this aspect thanks in no little way to a monster victory against local rivals Old Albanians. Cambridge were promoted to National 3 South (level 4) and Worthing were subjected to a play-off match against Bridgwater & Albion at Roundstone Lane which we lost. Cambridge only lasted one season in level 4 as they won 23 of their 26 matches (only 14 teams in the league at that time) and were promoted to level 3, where they stayed for 7 seasons. Their record in this league was impressive finishing 3rd, 4th, 6th and 9th; their best effort was 2nd in 2008-9. Alas, they started to falter in 2011-12, finishing 12th in what was now a 16 team league, before relegation the following season when they only registered 23 points after 4wins. Season 2013-14 was of course our year to dip toes in National 1, so as they were coming down we were going up……. we know what happened to Raiders…certain pundits had Cambridge bouncing straight back, but they jogged along eventually finishing in 7th position after 16 wins from the 30 fixtures. Form so far this season So for 2014-15 we are back together again, with very similar records so far, a 5/6 split for the 11 fixtures played with Raiders just in front by 2 points on 28, by virtue of a couple of extra bonus points. As seems to be the case with a number of clubs in this league, it is the home record that stands up well with clubs often struggling a little for wins on the away legs. This rule of thumb certainly applies with Cambridge as they have only one victory on the road, a pleasing win at Southend 20-36. The remaining fixtures, Bishop’s Stortford (32-19), Shelford (32-11 ouch!), Henley Hawks (37-0) and Chinnor (23-19 tense!) all ended in defeat. The home record makes for prettier reading, despite defeats against Taunton Titans (24-29 close)and Dorking ( 14-28), wins have been registered against Redruth ( 27-20), Ding’s Crusaders (27-17) and Lydney (50-20). Last Saturday Launceston were beaten 32-31, a last minute penalty from the boot of Gerhard Boshoff bringing the home win. I recommend a glance at the report by local reporter Mark Taylor in the Cambridge News (Google it up!!). The Players And so to the Cambridge players with only 2 featuring in every match so far namely back row forward Joe Collingham (top try scorer so far with 7, 4 against Southend ) and the aforementioned 32 year old South African stand-off, Gerhard Boshoff (64 points), who moved to the club this season after a short spell registered with Old Albanians. Prior to that he had a few seasons at Leicester Lions. He started up North (in 2006) with the wonderfully named club Preston Grasshoppers (the home club of long standing England international Lock Forward Wade Dooley otherwise known as the Blackpool Tower!) Gerhard also played 3 matches for Havant in January 2009. (A young prospect..Finn Coxon-Smith also featured in the Havant team for these matches!!). Elsewhere in the Cambridge team,scrum-half and captain Stefan Liebenberg, another South African, will be remembered from the fixtures with Old Albanians where he played 3 times against Raiders in his 80+ appearances. The 30 year old has returned this season to Cambridge having played for them from 2007-2010, he also had a spell with Bedford Blues in 2010/11. In the last fixture against Launceston he got the wrong side of the referee and received a red card. Centre three quarter Matt Goode has moved to Cambridge this season having played against Raiders at Chinnor and Rugby Lions. The 31 year old has clocked up almost 180 National league appearances. Corey Hircock also a centre has moved to Cambridge this season after a few appearances for Munster in the British & Irish Cup (6). The 24 year old also turned out for Bedford Blues (15) last season. He started in the first 8 fixtures for Cambridge but was injured against Chinnor on 25th October. Former England Colleges winger Mike Ayrton (22) is approaching the hundred starts mark for Cambridge already (95 with an additional 12 from the bench), whilst younger brother James Ayrton (20) has over 30 appearances and is also involved at Saracens Academy. In the forwards Martin Wolfenden (30), former Zimbabwe international has been almost ever present since joining from Peterborough in 2013. Ollie Marriott the vice captain has clocked up over 30 appearances in the back five since joining in 2012. He formerly played against the Raiders in his 2 year stint Taunton Titans. No 8 Stephen Hipwell has registered nearly 70 appearances since joining from Diss in 2011. He has also represented England Counties in 2013 on their tour to take on the Belgium National team. Hopefully this brief resume may tempt some additional supporters to travel up to cheer on the ‘RAIDERS’ for this tricky fixture!!!
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 14:27:19 +0000
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