Under the lights at a refurbished Grange Road, anticipation was high for the spectacle of Ireland’s oldest rugby club, DUFC, taking on the Blues on Grange Road’s new state-of-the-art Mumford Pitch. Trinity College Dublin had won the last few fixtures between the pair and were seeking to repeat their narrow 27-24 home victory from two years ago. On this occassion, a stop-start performance from the home side was not enough to stop the tourists, as the Dublin-based team strung together a relentless and complete display in a 64-21 thumping.

A healthy crowd including a lively Irish contingent piled into Grange Road on the same day a new all-weather pitch was officially opened at the ground, and bonfire night fireworks filled the sky. The fireworks on the pitch, however, were from the visitors – an early lineout steal, followed with the Irish pack piling into a powerful rolling maul and crashing over the tryline from five metres out. Five points in only the second minute. It was four minutes later when Trinity found their second try; a weaving, rolling maul forming this time on the far side of the field with the same result.

“A healthy crowd including a lively Irish contingent piled into Grange Road”

High energy and a franticness then developed, with a try-saving tackle from DUFC’s O’Sullivan giving the Blues some hope they could stay in it. A penalty for hands in the ruck followed, and the unstoppable force of another rolling maul from the lineout led to Trinity’s third try of the match. Their lead was 0-17 after Quirke added the extras for his second conversion of the night – with only ten minutes on the clock.

The momentum sharply swung Cambridge’s way after a Trinity infringement saw them temporarily reduced when the referee gave marching orders with a yellow card. A period of sustained pressure followed from the Blues as they resolvedly ventured, for the first time, into the opposition’s twenty-two.

Nate Bottomley’s precisely judged cross-field grubber kick, to the left-wing, looked certain to see Cambridge find their first score of the match but the ball agonisingly slipped through Cam Martin’s fingers, much to the relief of the visitors while the Blues were left hands on heads. In the 23rd minute Cambridge eventually capitalised on their man advantage. A rolling maul, which was swiftly becoming the story of the night, saw prop Fin Edwards score, imbuing a renewed sense of hope as the difference was closed to only ten points.

Half time loomed and looked to save the home side, but it was their turn to be reduced to fourteen men after a yellow for playing the ball on the floor saw Trinity five metres out once more. The tries did not stop coming either, and once again a rolling maul extended the visitor’s lead. After quickly regaining possession from a scrum on the halfway line, Trinity’s Murphy superbly gathered the ball from a piercing grubber to surge under the posts, the two Cambridge defenders only able to chase in vain. A comfortable lead of 31-7 belonged to the Irish as the whistle went for half time.

“A complete display of raw mauling strength, pace throughout the backline, and lineout superiority”

DUFC returned to the field after only a couple of minutes, as Cambridge looked to regather themselves in the changing room before rallying to make the match a closer contest. It looked momentarily like this might be the case, until the 49th minute when Trinity scored their sixth try of the match.

Both sides made a number of changes close to the hour mark to finish the match strongly, and the game’s highlight for the home fans swiftly followed. Cambridge captain George Bland found a yard of space inside the Trinity half and produced a neat chip over the backline, before superbly collecting his own ball to fly over the line and make it 14-38.

Four more Trinity tries subsequently put the seal on a magnificent performance as Cambridge could only summon one more score. The final scoreboard read 21-64, with the visitors deserved victors after a complete display of raw mauling strength, pace throughout the backline, and lineout superiority. Trinity’s nous and high-conversion rate inside the Cambridge twenty-two meant they never trailed and – despite a couple of stylish Cambridge tries – the Irish always appeared to be in control.

There were positives to take from the spirited Blues’ performance, at times going toe-to-toe with a classy Dublin outfit, who had won six of their eight games of this season. Cambridge’s lack of game time was evident, and the side will look to grow in confidence as they turn their attention towards finishing the term strongly and a series of attractive, historic fixtures against the RAF, Army and Navy in the new year.