The Light Blues experienced playing against opponents clad in Dark Blue on Wednesday evening, though they will be hoping the scoreline is somewhat different at Twickenham in a month’s time.  Cambridge were never at their best as they lost to Bristol by a decisive margin of 10-40.

Cambridge took the lead within five minutes.  Murdoch found himself in space on the left wing, and a clever kick and chase won his side a penalty.  Despite it being only five metres in from the touch line, it was excellently slotted by Stevens. Cambridge’s conservatism in taking the points rather than pushing for a try was perhaps motivated by their narrow loss and draw in the past two weeks.  This week, however, the three points became academic in the drubbing that was to come.

The drubbing took some time coming, however, as Bristol’s audacity was turned to scrappiness by the greasy conditions.  Eventually a backs move came off, as Speight capitalised on an overlap on the left wing to score out wide, though too wide for Bristol’s fly-half Jarvis to convert.

As Bristol’s scrum rumbled into action, Cambridge’s fate was decided.  As in previous weeks against professional opposition, Cambridge were demolished at scrum time.  Once established in the Cambridge 22, Bristol won a series of free kicks and penalties, always opting for a scrum.  They drove Cambridge back until Manners touched down from number eight.  The referee was right to overrule the linesmen and award Jarvis the conversion, which took the score to 3-12.

Despite being overpowered in the set-piece, Cambridge were competitive at the breakdown, and won a good deal of ball from clever rucking.  Their best opportunity of the first half came from a turnover, but Murdoch’s inside pass, as he was being tackled over the left touch line, was just out of reach of May, who fumbled over the try line.  Bristol broke away in response, Murdoch sprinting back to make a try-saving tackle on the opposite wing.  However, he only delayed the inevitable, as Bristol flooded forward and Amesbury went over for a try.  Jarvis added the conversion to give Bristol a half time lead of 3-19.

The Blues started the second-half by retaining their own short kick-off, but their boldness was their undoing moments later, as a floated pass was intercepted by Uren, who had a clear run to the posts for a converted try.  As Bristol’s dominance in the scrum grew so great that they began to win against the head, it only took one pass from the scrum base to Jarvis to expose a gaping hole in the defensive line. The fly-half scored without a Blues player laying a finger on him, adding the conversion himself.  The Cambridge spirit began to fracture along with their defence, allowing Bristol to flood through into their 22.  After being held up over the line, Bristol were awarded a penalty try at the resulting scrum.  Jarvis added another unmissable conversion for 3-40.

Bristol had been hostile throughout the night, and Bristol lock Sambucetti’s playground roughness grew tedious even for his own teammates as he stripped Cambridge’s Smith of his shirt.  But Cambridge had some revenge with a consolation try in the dying minutes.  Nick Viljoen got his name on the scoresheet, and Stevens conversion took the score to its final tally of 10-40.  That this was only Cambridge’s second try scoring opportunity of the match is a cause for major concern, however.  They will need to create more chances and strengthen their scrum in the coming weeks if they are to succeed against the Dark Blue opposition that matters in just over a month’s time.