Last night, in the brisk air of Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff University men's and women's rugby were on fire, securing the double over Cardiff Met - a significant turnaround from the results of last year.
With the sun shining down, the women’s game looked to be a cagey affair from kick-off, with nerves causing early mistakes and penalties to creep in from both sides.
As the women settled into the game, momentum fell in Cardiff University’s favour. Approaching the 15-minute mark, a rapid attack down the wing saw Katy Terell break the deadlock, securing the game’s first try. With this, Cardiff University had tasted blood, and so a relentless onslaught began.
Piling more pressure on deep in the Met half, Cardiff University won a fiercely contested ruck to win a try and take them to an early 12-0 lead after conversion.
Cardiff University wasn't done there, however. At the 25-minute mark, Katy Terell found herself, once again, on the scoresheet with a remarkable run from within her own 22-metre line all the way to the try zone.
It’s safe to say, Cardiff University fans were in delirium.
Cardiff Met weren’t going to be taken for a ride, though, as a well-earned try cut into Cardiff University’s lead almost immediately. Cardiff University had its own quick response to that, with a try shortly before the end of the half, which left the home side 19-up at the break.
Going into the second half, a Cardiff University victory seemed all but guaranteed, but Cardiff Met - the victors of the double last year - were clearly not going to give up so easily.
When play restarted, Met and University seemed, again, equally matched. Both sides put pressure on to force penalties and turnovers out of each other. That pressure would prove the defining feature of the game.
Approaching the 55-minute mark, a University kick was caught just short of touch, straight into Met's hands, starting a counterattack which would ultimately overwhelm the University defence - a Met try.
University heads had dropped; it seemed Met might now have the wind in their sails, but was a comeback inevitable?
Not to be shown up, Met were relentless in their onslaught, bringing the score back to 24 – 20 going into the final five minutes of the game with no sign of any slowdown in the play.
In those final minutes, Cardiff University held strong, putting their bodies on the line in the most physical minutes of the game. In those minutes, the only question that mattered was, how long could Cardiff University keep up that physicality?
In short, as long as necessary. Cardiff University women did it, then won 24-20 FT.
As the sun set over the stadium and flood lights switched on, eyes turned to the men. Could Cardiff University do it? Could they secure the double?
Early in the game, a loose pass picked out of the air by University allowed Llew O’Brien to open the scoring early on for the home side. Feeling the floodgates might be open, Cardiff University fans were jumping.
Cardiff University wouldn’t let up on this pressure and, soon after, they scored again to extend their lead.
Much like the women’s game, however, Met were not going to give up without a fight, replying almost immediately with a try of their own.
After an exhilarating start, both sides would remain deadlocked for the remainder of the half, the score at the break: Uni 14 – 7 Met.
Just like in the women’s game, all Gair Rhydd could wonder during the break was how Met would respond.
As play resumed, Cardiff University would’ve hoped for the same defensive reliability that had kept Met quiet during the first half. Still, unfortunately for University, it wasn’t quite there as Met secured a try early in the second half to equalise.
Cardiff University seemed to ground themselves in this wake-up, though, as they found a response of their own, bundling the ball over the line some time later. University were back in front, but Met were, by no means, out of it.
Despite endless onslaughts from the Met attack, University remained staunch in defence of their tryline, looking to frustrate the away side and encourage mistakes in what, to Gair Rhydd, appeared this game's defining feature.
With an excellent showcase of try-line defence from both sides, paired with lots of line breaks and fast runs, the men’s game was to be just as stressful to watch as the women’s.
Cardiff University, able to ground themselves in a patient approach, would eventually force a turnover, fast break, and (with the help of some clever offloads) another try - Jack Jones the scorer.
With Jones’ try, cracks in the Met defence had become visible, and spectators could sense a wave of University attack. With the momentum and some breathing space on the scoreboard, some thought University might take their feet off the gas - they did not.
Determined to give the fans even more to celebrate, University attacked relentlessly right up until the end. This would pay dividends, as with the last play of the game, the home side would drive the ball over the Met end once again – a sixth try!
Absolute limbs in the stands.
As players, teammates, fans, and coaches celebrated a result that many wouldn’t have predicted earlier in the day, Gair Rhydd saw emotion, passion, and camaraderie in the faces of the united body of Cardiff University.
