‘We should’ve got one more’
WILLIAMS BELIEVES ANOTHER FIRST-HALF TRY COULD HAVE CHANGED GAME
CAMBRIDGE director of rugby Richie Williams was left “massively disappointed” after seeing his side relinquish a 13-0 half-time lead to lose 43-13 at home to London Scottish on Saturday.
The Blood & Sand seized the ascendancy in their bottom-of-thetable clash at Volac Park with a converted try and two penalties in the first half, but the visitors ran in seven unanswered tries in the final 27 minutes of the contest to emerge as convincing winners.
The result leaves Cambridge rooted to the foot of the Championship table, while London Scottish moved up to third from bottom with their resounding victory.
“Ultimately, we didn’t score enough points in the first half,” Williams told the Richie & Jacko Podcast.
“That was a big old wind, and the opportunities that we created compared to the opportunities that we scored from ultimately cost us.
“I think another score, if you’re going in 20-0 up as opposed to 13-0, you’ve got a bit more of a buffer, but we’ve missed two clear-cut opportunities in that first half.
“There was a chance right on half-time where he got held up over the line, which was a bit disappointing, on another day we score that.
“I think second half, we’ve got to take a really hard look at ourselves with probably some of the desire that we showed with our attack.
“We started reasonably well, that first five to ten minutes we created some good opportunities, but then the tries they’ve scored, they’ve not had to work hard enough to score those points.
“There were three intercepts that they’ve scored directly off, and against any team in this league, you give teams opportunities and they’re going to hurt you.
“I’m massively pointed.
“I thought the first 40 minutes, we showed a little bit of what we’re about; we contained them very well, we looked very comfortable in defence, but ultimately credit to London Scottish. They’ve come here, they’ve got five points, we’ve got nothing.”
Cambridge remain on 17 points from 17 matches played with their defeat, eight points adrift of secondfrom-bottom Caldy with three games of the season left to play.
The Blood & Sand face back-toback away trips as they take on Cordisapnish Pirates and Caldy in their next two matches, before rounding off their campaign at home to Ampthill on May 25.
Asked what he is looking for from his side in the remaining games of the season, Williams said: “I think more consistency with what we’re doing.
“I’ve just referenced today’s performance as an example.
“For 40 minutes we were okay, we did some good stuff, but then we fell off a cliff in that second half.
“At any level, if you want to win games, if you want to finish off the bottom of the table, you’ve got to be really consistent with what you’re doing.”
I think second half, we’ve got to take a really hard look at ourselves.
Richie Willams