Sport & Societies

Match Report - Men’s Rugby 1st XV vs RUMS 1st XV

Chay Bailey

21 Nov 2024 — 3 min read

Our opponents last week were the 1^st XV from The Royal Free, University College and Middlesex Medical School (RUMS), the medical school of UCL.

Last year, RUMS competed in the league above – their current ambitions are set to return back to the highest level of regional rugby available to university sides. However, having previously met RUMS earlier this season in a 28-3 win, we were confident to outscore our opponents once again.

The Imperial side saw many regular players return this week, but with a notable absence from current 1^st XV vice-captain James McDermott, injured during training, and a notable return from 1st XV Captain Luke Butland, returning from an injury sustained earlier in the season. Butland took up his position in the second row.

RUMS kicked off and seconds later had conceded the first of many penalties. Both teams traded possession through kicks up field and penalties, but interspersed this with running rugby. Eventually the Imperial backs broke through to the RUMS line and short successive carries from the forwards resulted in Leon Christie carrying the ball over the line.

Conversion missed, 5-0.

Following a period where Imperial and RUMS equally shared the ball, a poor kick chase from RUMS lead to a broken defensive line allowing Max Wang to break through and offload to Sami Brown, who ran the ball under the sticks.

Conversion by Sam Waters, 12-0.

Almost straight from kick off, the Imperial defence was caught sleeping, allowing the RUMS centre to run through unopposed.

Conversion scored 12-7.

After the kick off play was shared between Imperial and RUMS, within the Imperial 22, the referee believed that an Imperial player went off feet in a ruck.

A penalty was given, which then scored. 12-10.

This was to be the last of RUMS points. Imperial dominate the game for the rest of the first half. With the RUMS tighthead prop being taken off due to an injury, the scrum was marched forward several times by Imperial. The Imperial forwards were clinical at the line out, allowing the backs to play some lovely running rugby. The constant pressure from Imperial was not rewarded until the last play of the half where an almost identical try to his first was scored by Leon Christie.

Conversion by Sam Waters, 19-10.

The Imperial dominance continued into the second half with RUMS showing signs of fatigue from the constant pressure. Luke Parry scored after several off-loads from a weak RUMS defence. Max Wang ran through a gap in the RUMS centres. The Imperial forwards drove over a maul from a lineout. Finally, following a scrum from 10 meters out, Leon Christie picked from the base and went over for his third of the day.

Conversion by Sam Waters, 43-10. The game ends.

Some special mentions to Walter Taylor and Max Evrard, who together won the player of the match award. As well a mention to Leon Christie, who scored a hat trick of tries, putting him on top of the league’s top try scorers list.