Tigers Development XV V Cambridge University

By TigersTart
November 2 2003

A Tigers Development XV, made up of senior players, notably Ramiro Pez, and young academy players, including Leicester’s latest signing Neil Baxter, combined to entertain a record crowd against Cambridge University winning by 60-6 points.

The U21s initially made a difficult start to the season, as they lost heavily to Munster, but since that defeat the season has been on track. The previous weekend the U21s had narrowly beaten Oxford University by 7-14 points. This game was down on the U21 fixture list but re-named as a Development XV.

Dean Richards and John Wells were present, eyeing up the talent in line perhaps for a re-shuffle for this pending weekend’s Premiership first team game away at Bath, as well as a large crowd of 4,157 spectators who had all been targeted by the recent mail shoot by Tigers.

The first half saw Tigers put down their marker within the first 2 minutes, as winger Neil Baxter proved why Leicester had signed him. Tigers gained ground down field through their forwards, and then shipped the ball down their back line, where Baxter was on the end to find a gap in Cambridge’s defence. Pez converted the try. Cambridge came back with two penalties, narrowing the scoreline to 7-6 by the 8th minute, but then it was all one-way traffic.

The lynch pin for Tigers manoeuvres was Pez’s control at No.10, as he fed the ball quickly out and looked for space, whilst also kicking out well, but somewhat seemingly under pressure when he kicked to touch. Steve Glitherow came on to a neat pass by Pez to burst over in the 11th minute. More magic was to follow, as captain Adam Balding made an inspired break down field, and fed Baxter down the wing to score. Pez converted again and scored a penalty.

In a classic Leicester move, Pez kicked a Tigers penalty into touch. Rob Cooke caught the resulting lineout and the pack drove over the line, with Michael Holford underneath. Pez added the conversion but missed another penalty. Just before the half, scrum-half Nathan Jones made a break down the wing, looking odds on that he’d scored, but the defence tackled him into touch.

Going into the second half, Tigers were 29-6 in the lead and were dominating Cambridge, putting the pressure on the University’s defensive skills. Within the first 9 minutes, three players had been sent to the sin bin, which did not reflect the night, as it was predominately a clean game. Cambridge’s prop Tom Kirkmann was the first to go, for collapsing the scrum and 6 minutes later Cambridge’s captain Gavin Webster and Tigers Ricky Nebbett were involved in a hand-bag fracas and were sent to the bin. This involved some re-shuffling of packs from both sides.

In between the sin-binnings, Tigers pack set up the ground for Balding to pick up from the base and score. Once, everyone was in the bin, Tigers scored again as Luke Abraham’s break fed Balding, who was over again. Pez converted Balding’s first try and then missed a penalty.

Tigers seemed to take a back seat, as their missed passes and gave the ball away, as Cambridge made a decisive drive towards Leicester’s line but Tigers defence held strong. In the later stages of the second half, there was some awesome play. Sam Raven burst through defence, but found that there was no one supporting him. Only a few minutes later, centre Dan Hipkiss set up flying winger Joe Ajuwa who ran to the corner. The resulting lineout saw Tigers catch and drive, with Clarke under the pack. Ross Broadfoot, who had replaced Pez, converted the try.

Selections for try of the season will have to be judged against full back Tim Taylor’s 79th minute try. Tigers were pegged back to just short of their own line and decided to run it, Baxter came in from his wing and did a Steve Booth type mazy run through Cambridge’s defensive line running across pitch and then back inside again, where he sweetly off loaded the ball to the incoming Taylor, who jinxed through a narrow gap, despite covering defence, to score under the posts.

The Development side put together a commanding and entertaining performance. Despite the difference in rugby levels, Cambridge battled on even when the game was already won. It’s very difficult to pin point the man-of-the-match for Tigers, as so many players put in good performances.

In terms of the backs, Baxter and Akinyemi proved why they are fast paced wingers but equally showed how they can set up ball and create tries. Taylor especially had a commanding game, equally so with Jones; as Taylor was tight and controlling in defence but chose the right moment to come into the back line of play and Jones decisively controlled the pack and combined well with Pez.

For the forwards, Balding took the role of captain on his shoulders, with his experience showing through all night. Ryder and Cook were powerful in the lineout. Clarke and Abraham put in running displays, attacking the Cambridge line.

All in all, the game was a fantastic uplift after a defeat by Saints. Engaging play, fantastic backs and powerful forwards who stuck to a simple game plan who put in an awesome display – what more could we have asked for?

Scoring sequence:
2 mins Tigers try Neil Baxter 5-0
Tigers con Ramiro Pez 7-0
5 mins Cambridge pen Dafydd Lewis 7-3
8 mins Cambridge pen Lewis 7-6
11 mins Tigers try Steve Glitherow 12-6
15 mins Tigers try Baxter 17-6
Tigers con Pez 19-6
20 mins Tigers pen Pez 22-6
23 mins Tigers try Michael Holford 27-6
Tigers con Pez 29-6

44 mins Tigers try Adam Balding 36-6
Tigers con Pez 38-6
51 mins Tigers try Balding 43-6
55 mins Tigers try Joe Ajuwa 48-6
76 mins Tigers try Peter Clarke 53-6
79 mins Tigers try Tim Taylor 58-6
Tigers con Ross Broadfoot 60-6

Tries: Baxter 2, Glitherow, Holford, Balding 2, Ajuwa, Clarke, Taylor
Cons: Pez 4 (miss 3), Broadfoot (miss 1)
Pens: Lewis 2 (miss 1), Pez (miss 1)

Date: Monday 27th October 2003
Time: 7pm k/o
Weather: cold but dry
Crowd: 4,157

Ref: Rhys Davies assisted by Tony Gardiner and Ashley Rowden

Man-of-the-match: Ramiro Pez for showing off his skills but for me personally, it was Tim Taylor, as he represented what a full back should be – defensive but engaging in back line play

Sin-bin: 43 mins 3 Tom Kirkmann (Cambridge) collapsing the scrum
49 mins 3 Ricky Nebbett (Tigers) fighting
49 mins Gavin Webster (Cambridge) fighting

Tigers team:
15 Tim Taylor
14 Neil Baxter
13 Danny Hipkiss
12 Steve Glitherow
11 Yomi Akinyemi
10 Ramiro Pez
9 Nathan Jones
1 Michael Holford
2 Stuart Friswell
3 Ricky Nebbett
4 Rob Cooke
5 Tom Ryder
6 Luke Abraham
7 Peter Clarke
8 Adam Balding (CAPT)
Reps: 22 Joe Ajuwa (55 mins on for 12 Glitherow), 20 Ross Broadfoot (55 mins on for 10 Pez), Tom Tierney, 19 Loney (69 mins on for 6 Abraham), Matt Hampson, 18 Sam Raven (55 mins on for 4 Cooke) and Daniel Montagu.

Cambridge University team:
15 William Hughes
14 Nick Wells
13 Tom Craven
12 Michael Mantle
11 David Akinluyi
10 Dafydd Lewis
9 Alex Bryant
1 Douglas Bryant
2 Allan Gladstone
3 Tim Kirkman
4 Gavin Webster (CAPT)
5 Phil Robinson
6 Oliver Saddler
7 Jared Smith
8 Ben Wheeler
Reps: 16 Gareth Forde, 17 Jonathon Chandler, 18 Ricjhard Hegarty (40 mins), 19 Phil Elliott, 20 Chris Worsley, 21 Simon Ringhshaw (43 mins), 22 Phil Stevens, 23 Charlie Desmond and 24 Chris Dibben.