Magdalen 23 – 22 Brasenose It was almost the upset of the season. Brasenose had finished at the very bottom of the fourth division and looked an easy opponent for a Magdalen side more used to playing Keble than Hertford. However, league positions can be deceptive; particularly when it comes to college sport. Brasenose have struggled to get a full side out all year, and on the one occasion that they did they put over 100 points on Merton/ Mansfield. In the minutes before kickoff, Magdalen remained blissfully unaware of this fact, and their relaxed attitude was evident from the first minute. From the moment the match began, Brasenose looked to have more initiative going forward. They were willing to attack from within their own 22, and with skilful fly-half Andre de Haes pulling the strings they were instantly threatening. When an early period of pressure saw forward Riou Benson go over on the right, de Haes easily converted to put his side seven ahead. This score seemed to shatter the fragile confidence of a Magdalen side that had been relegated the week before, and they looked shaky in defence and impotent in attack for the rest of the half. Even their usual strength, their forward pack, was nullified by a far stronger Brasenose unit which included Blues prop Olly Tomaszczyk. When six-year Brasenose rugby veteran and newly qualified ‘Dr’ Philip Duggleby raced over in the left corner, it seemed as though Magdalen were the struggling fourth division side. The addition of a penalty before half time left the score 0-17, and it seemed as though this could be a fantastic Cuppers upset. Things continued to get worse after half time for the favourites, with Blues Rugby League player Pete Forster joining League President George Smibert in the centres for Brasenose, and they were both involved in a fantastic probing attack that involved the entire backline. Minutes later, a fourth Brasenose try in the corner by flying winger A. Kang seemed to seal the game for them, with the conversion putting them twenty two points clear. However, the fairytale ending was not to be; while it was clear that Brasenose thought the game was won, Magdalen dug in and by sheer force of will turned the game around. Fringe Blues player da Costa, playing at flyhalf for Magdalen, finally started to impose himself at the match and, as the game went into the final quarter, the home team managed to score their first try. Although the conversion was missed, they came back and scored again in the same corner. The pressure was beginning to tell on a Brasenose team that had given their all, and where in the first half passes had stuck, suddenly simple ball went to ground and mistakes were made. Some huge hits from Tomaszczyk and his teammates could not prevent a third try, this time coming from a mistake at the back of the lineout that allowed Obi Agbim to storm over. The BNC side suddenly looked as though all of the fight had gone out of them, and that they could not believe how quickly their lead was slipping away. The final minutes of the game seemed inevitable; a fourth try for Magdalen made the score 20-22, followed by a dubious penalty for a high tackle on the BNC 10-metre line. As the kick sailed over, the relief amongst the Magdalen players and supporters was palpable. They had avoided what would have been a humiliating defeat at the hands of a BNC side that must feel confident of a solid run in the Plate, not to mention hopeful of success in the league next year.
by Jack Marsh
Brasenose come close to Cuppers upset
