Cup run and season ends in semi-final defeat at Brunel

Brunel University dominated the Counties 1 Herts & Middlesex league this season, winning 20 out of 22 matches, scoring 1,085 points and running in 20 try bonus points. The previous week they defeated Pirates Amateur, the league leaders from Counties 1 Tribute Western West, to reach the semi-finals.

Cobham, having defeated Surrey/Sussex League winners Twickenham, on their way to the last four were competing at the highest level and that was apparent in the first five minutes of the game as they pressured Brunel deep in their half. A penalty advantage saw Rory Penfold come close to breaking the line, before Dellapina was able to slot over three points from the original penalty to put Cobham in front (0-3).

It was clear that Brunel were going to be a force to be reckoned with when their Prop Akspesiri Erhawah powered over for a try that Jack Thorn converted (7-3). Cobham responded and a Penfold turnover at the scrum led to a further penalty infringement by Brunel, giving Dellapina another opportunity. In a tight game, the Cobham fly half knew how important points would be and, even though it was straight forward kick in front of the posts, he took the time available to ensure Cobham stayed in touch (7-6).

With the first quarter over, this was a tense game as both teams sparred with each other and for the many Cobham supporters, using the ridge to gain a good view of the match, it felt like the calm before the storm. As a sign of the physicality of the match, Noah Joyce came on for an injured Matt Frost in the back row as the opening quarter ended.

In the first of two displays of exceptional running rugby, Cobham's opening try ranked as one of the best of the season; Penfold fed McQuade and with yards gained, the ball was fed along the backline through Dellapina, Alcorn and Palmer, with Bond running in from full back to enjoy interplay with winger Wilf Saywell, who raced over the line making sure to touch down under the posts. Dellapina added the extras and the visitors were back ahead (7-13).

Jake McQuade has been a stalwart all season and his driving runs from the 'stand-off stand-off' position, which he has made his own, provided so much momentum for Cobham. However, Brunel knew they had to reassert themselves and converting a penalty from just inside their half suggested that they would take whatever points were on offer. That attempt from Thorn failed but another succeeded soon after to cut the deficit (10-13). They followed that up by restoring their lead when pressure on the Cobham line resulted in hooker Matthew Hicks picking and going over for their second try, which Thorn converted (17-13).

Looking back, Cobham will want to erase their memories of the first quarter of the second half, so in keeping with that desire, we’ll skip forward two Brunel converted tries and a penalty that took the score line to 34-13. Instead, we will provide a running commentary on Cobham's second try; from a scrum in their own twenty-two, the ball passed down the back line for Bond to provide an extraordinary kick ahead from the halfway line, resulting in Saywell to outpace the defence and touch down (34-18).

Murphy and McQuade came off to warm applause, with Stewart and Blackwood substituting. Soon after, Cobham were rewarded when their pressure on the Brunel try line resulted in a penalty try (34-25). There is a Ted Lasso episode called 'The hope that kills you' and that was possibly what the supporters were feeling as the match entered its final stages.

As Director of Rugby Davison cleared his bench to ensure every member of the squad participated in this final game, Brunel finished the match with a penalty 37-25 and a final try in the corner to complete the scoring (42-25).

There was always going to have to be a last match report of this momentous rugby season and although it wasn't the result everyone would have wanted, as Director of Rugby Billy Davison said to the team and supporters in his post-match huddle, this was a season for which all the squad should be immensely proud.

Enjoy the summer – we go again in September.

Cobham 1st XV Squad:

1. Chris Lippiatt (Capt.)

2. Andrew Murphy

3. Ryan Aujla

4. Joe Harker

5. Connor O’Byrne

6. Ollie Fielding

7. Matt Frost

8. Jake McQuade

9. Rory Penfold

10. Connor Dellapina

11. Wilf Saywell

12. Ollie Alcorn

13. Will Palmer

14. Will Springett

15. Jordan Bond

Substitutes:

16. Dave Stewart

17. Timon Botha

18. Gabe Clark

19. Alex Blackwood

20. Noah Joyce

21. Evan Williams

22. Josh Millerd

Scorers:

Tries: Saywell (2), Penalty

Conversions: Dellapina

Penalties: Dellapina (2)