With the UoB’s Rugby League 1XIII already under some early season pressure having gone the first four games without victory, the Bulls took to Metchley knowing a result against arch-rivals Loughborough could kick start their season into some form of which they are more than capable.
And the boys did indeed start the game well, putting the opposition under immediate pressure from first play and soon running over for the first try of the match and taking a 4-0 lead. However, an unfortunate handling error allowed Loughborough back into the game and they duly converted for a 6-4 lead.
Whilst Birmingham struck back with a second unconverted try just before half time, taking the score to 8-6, the fashion in which the Loughborough try was conceded would foreshadow the way the remainder of the game would go.
Brum finlandish a try successfully to make it 14-6. #Brum pic.twitter.com/nEG36FyYOp
— Birmingham Uni RL (@BirminghamUniRL) November 11, 2015
Despite some excellent intensity in patches, Birmingham struggled as the game went on with their fitness clearly lacking. Ultimately this proved fatal, as Loughborough proceeded to score well over half of their points in the last twenty minutes of the match. A quick fire double from Loughborough ultimately broke the Birmingham resolve, and from then on more errors creeped into the game.
As well as missed tackles, in defence Birmingham were getting far too easily stretched when Loughborough ran it down the line as opposed to going for immediate territory. Things went from bad to worse when Birmingham had a player sin-binned for dissent, however by this stage Loughborough had in all but name secured the three points.
In face of this tough start to the season, should Birmingham improve their fitness they will definitely start to pick up results soon. In truth they were the better side in the game, and should they cut out these early season errors few would be surprised to see the Bulls charge up the table in the new year.
UOB Rugby League 1st’s vs Loughborough 2nd’s by Burnfm_Sport on Mixcloud
Jack Fantham
Feature image and video courtesy of @birminghamuniRL
