Mixed Results from Rainout Weekend
Press Release
February 24, 2008
Written By Josh Back
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Kam Blincow running through the Texas Line
The weekend got off to a great start as the Aggies battled against Tech with some very attractive rugby on offer. A remarkable first half saw A&M loose-head Tom Read cross over four times, a feat surely not to be beaten by another front-rower for quite some time. The 26-0 score at the interval did the Maroon and White’s first half dominant performance much justice. The second half was not quite as fluid and became very disjointed around the breakdowns. Texas Tech seemed to be able to punch holes through weak fringe defense. They scored a few points of their own to make for an uneasy finish. The Aggies really should have finished the game off but became careless with ball in hand. They nevertheless ran out 31-17 victors.
A very strong 2nd XV lineup lambasted their way through the Red Raider’s seconds. The ethos of working hard for one another shone through as the Aggies comfortably won
47-5.
Sunday was the so-called “Big One”. The University Cup was up for grabs. The Longhorns were ready for some revenge after being soundly thrashed in the corresponding fixture last year. A 73-3 defeat at home cannot have been hard to swallow. In a hotly contested match, both teams performed well in blustery conditions. The battle between the front rows was particularly engaging. Unfortunately a very good match on paper was marred by some over-zealous and highly controversial refereeing. The Aggies were rarely on the correct side of the referee’s interpretations of the law. With the penalty count reaching astounding heights, one would have thought that the crowd had showed up to a musical performance of toots and whistles instead of a cup match. That being said, Texas A&M were not playing to their usual lofty standards and Texas took full advantage. The Aggies scored a try with a few minutes left and thought the cup was staying in College Station. However, the last few ticks of the game saw Texas bundle in one last try – the game winner. Texas took the cup back to Austin under a 20-19 scoreline.
The fans were treated to another brutal display from the Texas A&M 2nd XV as they laid into the Texas seconds. Clearly moved by the result earlier that day, the Aggies felt that they had something to prove on home soil. A true team performance was reflected in the 37-5 result.
Next year’s University Cup match in Austin will inevitably be on the “Ones to Watch” list.