For most of the university, University rugby after Varsity is an afterthought, a quiet footnote to an already decided season.  In the early moments of this Saturday’s fixture against Durham University, it appeared that even the Blues themselves shared this opinion.

It took less than a minute for Durham to chalk up the first points of the game, courtesy of a try and conversion from captain M. Ward. Within ten minutes, the scoreboard read 19 –0 in the visitors’ favour, as the Blues could muster no more than a sluggish response to the onslaught of the Durham pack.

With missed tackles, dropped passes and a miscued restart, it was beginning to look as if the Blues would be on the wrong end of a cricket score. In the face of a strong defensive line they struggled to penetrate with the ball in hand, until no.8 Ben Martin galvanised his side with a try and Rob Stevens lifted the players further with a quality conversion from the right touchline.

From then on the game levelled out, as the Blues embarked on a period of sustained pressure. Fullback Greg Cushing was on hand to convert excellent handling into an impressive break, before a well worked line-out and subsequent drive brought the score to 19 -12.This was a scrap, characterised by errors from both sides and occasionally illuminated by slick handling in the back line. Some misguided kicking began to creep into the Blues’ game before they again started to exert some real pressure.An encouraging break down the right wing had the Durham defence rattled and resulted in flanker Jonathan Kennedy seeing yellow.

The Blues took advantage of their extra man. Having earned a penalty and kicked to touch, another well-executed lineout provided the platform for Rob Malaney, a former Durham captain, to get over the line. Though unconverted, his efforts took the score to 19-17 and the Blues now had a solid foothold in the game.Durham looked the better-drilled side, but the Blues were physically dominant. Scrum-half Donald Blake’s ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful quick throw-in brought the first half to an end.

Having fought to get back into the game, the Blues needed a strong start to the second half. But once again, Durham punished a lack of alertness in the early exchanges as second row Josh Beaumont, influential throughout the game, drove over to make it 24-17.

A lengthy period of dominance for Durham began. The Blues failed to muster real momentum, spilling passes and looking a distinct second best at the breakdown. A penalty under the posts gave Durham a ten point lead.The Blues looked more aggressive from the restart and were strong in the scrum, yet barely ventured out of their own half. Following a wasted penalty, as touch proved elusive, the  Durham pack capitalised and forced a try. Once converted, the deficit stretched to 17 points.

The rallying cry from Durham no. 6 was ‘let’s get vicious’, and his side soon proceeded to do so. Slick passing and good angles opened up the Blues’ defence, and at 41-17 the game was irretrievable.

Rob Stephen provided a late try for the Blues, before Durham converted another penalty to make the final score an apt 44-22. There remained only a final flurry from the Blues, thwarted by further handling errors, and some imaginary card-waving worthy of Mancini himself.

There is no doubt that Durham put in an impressive performance, but the Blues will be disappointed with the manner in which they let this game slip away from them after pulling it back at half time.