The University of York Rugby Union Football Club

University of Leeds 2nd/3rd XV 53 – 19 University of York 2nd XV

The Cup. A relatively easy draw. A chance to progress past the first round. Such positivity seemed well founded until arrival at Leeds and the realisation that despite playing Leeds 3rd XV they had instead chosen to field their 2nd XV.
York did not start well, errors in defence and attack, saw Leeds score at will, their big runners causing havoc in the visitors defence, and by half time the score was a chastening 28-0. Captain Will Tate was not best pleased and implored his team start playing rugby. This they did. George Wissen came on to shore up the scrums, shrugging off his man flu to star in a man of the match performance. And within ten minutes of the restart the score was 28 -19. An intercept score form Des Pollen had proved a catalyst for some fantastic attacking play which saw York cross for two more well deserved tries. The eclectic Carmony, Limerick’s answer to Carlos Spencer, showed his quality executing a cross field kick into the arms of the onrushing Pollen to take the score to 28 – 14. Before a converted try from Ryan Johnston cut Leeds lead to nine points.
This is how it stayed until the final few minutes, when following a raft of Leeds substitutions, the home team managed to take advantage of York’s flagging defence with some fine offloads and tries.
Will Tate, although disheartened by the defeat, was impressed by the manner in which the team had responded to his halt time ponderings. He philosophically reflected that the team had learnt far more in defeat than they would have in victory.

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