After more than two months of pre-season training, Wednesday saw the York first team take to 22 acres for their first BUCS fixture of the year. They were up against Newcastle 4s, who looked mentally alert in attack, taking quick tap penalties and always looking to catch their opponents out. This caused York a couple of problems early on, but in the end, the home team were more than up for the challenge, comfortably winning through quite brilliant attack of their own.
Despite the final result, things didn’t start quite how York would have hoped. In little over 10 minutes, Newcastle scored first, bolting towards the centre of the field to tap a penalty. The York players were unable to get into their defensive positions in time, allowing Newcastle to take advantage of an overload on the left wing.
Regathering their thoughts, York hit straight back with fifteen minutes on the clock. Efficiently moving from one phase down the right wing to another down the left, they created the space for a try down the middle. A minute later, York were over the try line again, this time as a result of a quality line break and offload on the halfway.
York looked to do the same offloading move again at about thirty minutes. However, in the excitement of having the opportunity to assert more scoreboard pressure so early on, a dropped ball was intercepted by the visitors for their second try.
Putting another vaguely irritating concession to the side, York forced two more tries of their own before the half-time whistle. Both came from lineouts, one a driven phase after a maul, the other through rapid handling off the top and down the line.
Going into the second half, York were 4 tries to 2 up and looking confident. Just over 5 minutes and a few challenging carries later, York secured their fifth try of the afternoon. Try number 6 came another fifteen minutes later, and by the hour mark try number 7 was rather appropriately scored by the York number 7.
It may sound like the Newcastle team left before the second half, but it wasn’t their lack of effort which determined the result. In fact, they remained alert to any moments where York weren’t completely switched on. They scored a third try (at sixty minutes) in the phases immediately after another tap penalty, and were close to a fourth try following two more in their own half.
The defining quality, which saw York win the game so comfortably, was their attacking flair. Every time they were with the ball in their own half, they sought to work their way towards their opponent’s half in a controlled manner, carrying straight and committing to every kick chase. Once in their opponent’s half, it was the well-executed textbook stretching of the defence across the pitch that dealt the fatal blows.
The men’s first team go to Durham for their fixture next Wednesday.