Wonder try by Foster sets up Cardiff for a famous victory
ROUND 6 of BUCS Super Rugby saw established reputations challenged and emerging ones burnished. The cameras were at
Cardiff Met for a second consecutive week as record numbers of viewers watched the South Walians break their six-year winless streak against a misfiring Loughborough.
Main Met man Dan Milton spoke of their ambition before the game, saying: “the way we want to play is an attacking brand of rugby, which perhaps hasn’t been as flowing as we’d like it to be.”
His troops duly delivered, scoring five tries on their way to a resounding 32-19 victory.
The first half was typified by quick line speed from both sides as they looked to pressure handling in dewy, greasy conditions.
Despite the ferocious tackling, both teams created moments of real quality with man of the match Dawid Rubasniak and George Davis trading first-quarter tries.
Slick Met hands then set Corey Whane free for an unconverted score before Loughborough pulled ahead 14-13 courtesy of a wonder try from Will Foster, with Chris Davies adding the toppings once more.
An ill-disciplined second half saw the sides share four yellow cards but the difference was Met’s clinical attack. Tom Morgan’s boot was uncharacteristically off-target for most of the night, so it was up to quick tries from Ben Holt, Jac Arthur and Tom Benjamin to seal victory, despite a late Richie Lewis consolation.
Leeds Beckett, in search of their first-ever home win in the competition, welcomed undefeated Exeter, to whom they showed little deference, winning comprehensively with a bonus point.
The scores were locked at 7-7 at half-time, with Beckett striking first through a converted Dan Kelly try, before James McRae countered, with Ted Landray adding the extras.
Dan Leake gave Beckett the lead once more early in the second period and by the time he crossed for his second, Exeter were on the ropes, trailing 21-7.
With their comeback the week before against Hartpury fresh in the memory, the men in green came back knocking but couldn’t break Beckett.
The home defence stood resolute and just like they did against Loughborough seven days prior, they scored in the last play of the game - part two of a Dan Kelly brace - securing a historic bonus point
win 26-7. Hartpury’s faltering start to their title defence continued in alarming fashion. They went down 12-26 at Gillman’s Ground to Northumbria.
‘Pury went into the break 12-3 up thanks to a penalty try and one from winger Elias Cavan but it proved a false dawn as they conceded 23 unanswered points in the second half.
Oli Robinson, Ruairi Howarth and Josh Bragman all dotted down, with Bragman adding one conversion and three penalties in all as Northumbria stretched their lead at the top of the league. In the Friday fixture, Bath broke Nottingham Trent hearts at the death to register their first win of the season in the basement battle at Lady Bay.
Both sides picked up scoring bonus points in a game that went down to the wire 26-27.
A Tom Doughty hattrick, a Wil Partington try and a nerveless Will Flinn conversion did for Nottingham, who remain winless.