Cup joy for the seconds

Saffron Walden RFU II 23 Norwich II 10 Saffron Walden Rugby Club seconds defeated Norwich on Saturday to progress to the second round of the Eastern Counties Second Team Cup. Walden welcomed Tony Misa and Jordan McGowan to the club as part of the player e

Saffron Walden RFU II 23 Norwich II 10

Saffron Walden Rugby Club seconds defeated Norwich on Saturday to progress to the second round of the Eastern Counties Second Team Cup.

Walden welcomed Tony Misa and Jordan McGowan to the club as part of the player exchange set up with New Zealand Club Waiuku and they were given a debut for the seconds.

Walden started strongly and the first score came with a penalty converted by Nick Dawson and soon after, Walden were 10 points up thanks to some great pressure that gave Misa the space to run into and break a couple of tackles to score.

Walden again worked the ball into the visitors half and Dave Foster scored a drop goal from 30 metres out, although Norwich came back with an unconverted try of their own to leave the half-time score at 13-5.

Walden were down to 10 men for the first 10 minutes of the second half as Matthew Lancaster was unluckily sin binned in the last play of the first half for alleged retaliation when punches were thrown by a Norwich player.

Norwich used the extra man to their advantage when a five metre scrum was awarded and they pushed over the line leaving the scrum half an easy score.

This was the closest Norwich got to winning and with Walden restored to 15 men they dominated the rest of the match.

Further scores came with another Nick Dawson penalty and in the final move of the match, Dave Foster scored a converted try after a 40-metre jinking run leaving a string of Norwich players bemused.

Cambourne Exiles 19 Saffron Walden III 37

Saffron Scorpions put in a strong performance to defeat Cambourne Exiles on Saturday.

Scorpions had a tremendous first half where they completely dominated the play going into half-time with a 32 point lead.

The astute kicking of scrum half Sean Murphy lead to the tries for Robin Bannister and Tom Fairweather with further tries for Murphy, Esterhuizen and Balaam.

The try of the season so far was scored by James Burton after great team play involving him, Murphy, Barker and Tom Fairweather.

Cambourne came back well as the Scorpions took their foot off the gas, but another try from Esterhuizen led Walden into the comfort zone and another fine win which makes it six in a row.