Keble march to second division rugby title
Simon Ackroyd of Keble takes the initiative
New...................6 Keble................21
Keble recorded a comprehensive 21-6 victory over New College this week as three unconverted tries and two penalties were enough to not only deliver them the Second Division title but promotion to the elite channel of Oxford college rugby. Perching ominously just one point behind Keble going into this encounter, the meeting between the leading pair of the Second Division was a cup fi- nal of sorts.
In a winner-takesall scenario set up on the final day of the Hilary campaign, it was Keble who made their pressure count. Try-scoring trio Tom Ouldridge, Simon Ackroyd and Paul Selvey-Clinton all lunged over the line in the space of seven manic minutes in the second half to clinch the league crown. Yet up until this avalanche of tries mid-way through the second period, there was little to decide between these sides as the only scoring came in the shape of two converted penalties for each team.
Clearly refusing to be knocked off the top spot in this final day showdown, Keble had to deliver their most stout and stoic account of themselves this season. New were understandably bright and their dominance in the rucks was markedly superior over their opponents. Only a tight showing from Keble’s back line prevented the secondplaced outfit from taking the match by storm. Richard Massey opened the scoring early on with a sweetly- struck penalty kick.
New responded in perfect fashion, and promptly. Alex Doherty levelled with a confident penalty, although Keble followed up with a second as the visitors found themselves 6-3 to the good inside ten minutes. A fiercely-contested first half continued with no additions to the scoreline, and although hosts New maintained their stranglehold on the game they did not offer enough of a cutting edge to pierce the league-leaders’ seal.
They probed the fringe areas with admirable zest and determination, but a shortfall in imagination in the opposing 22 combined with Keble’s stonewall shut-out heralded a stagnant forward passage of play from New. Yet their patience paid off. Soon after the re-start New had levelled the match once more. Doherty was the man collecting the points once more, calmly posting the ball between the posts for the game’s fourth converted penalty.
The abrasive nature of the game was turned on its head moments later as a blizzard of tries caught New completely off-guard. Talented running from Keble full-back Jamie Littlejohns provided the opening for Oulrigdge to slam home for the first in a flurry of match-winning tries. Ackroyd and Selvey- Clinton then bombarded New’s ever-weakening rearguard with tries of their own, and the hosts were utterly helpless as Keble swaggered on to a remarkable victory and entry to the First Division.
2nd Feb 2006