Image: Alex Jennings

#BUCSWednesday Notepad: Week 13

By Alex Jennings, James Roberts, Matt Richardson
Jan. 26, 2017
Posted in BUCS Wednesday Notepad, Sport, University Sport

You can’t have failed to miss the term two #TeamWarwick takeover of campus. Every lamppost and TV screen is dominated by the steely glares of our athletes, which makes the lack of #BUCSWednesday action in 2017 slightly disconcerting. But fear not – that all changed this week. What’s more, it was a successful return, with only two Warwick sides defeated on home turf.

Results at a glance:
8 wins, 2 draws, 6 defeats
Top three wins:
University of Leicester Women’s Lacrosse 1s 8-10 University of Warwick Women’s Lacrosse 2s  
University of Warwick Men’s Rugby Union 1s 63-7 University of Bedfordshire Men’s Rugby Union 1s
University of Warwick Men’s Squash 3s 5-0 University of  Derby Men’s Squash 1s

The “worst defence I’ve ever seen”

University of Warwick Men’s Rugby Union 1s 63-7 University of Bedfordshire Men’s Rugby Union 1s

Since the start of term campus has been awash in #TeamWarwick red, but for once it was the visitors who were decked out in Warwick colours. The red and black of Bedfordshire 1s meant that the home side sported the change strip of blue and black stripes, but this didn’t put off Warwick’s 1s. A try straight from kick off set the tone for the next 80 minutes.

The home side were in red-hot form in the biting cold, crossing over six times in the first half alone. The only disappointment was the lack of successful conversions, though this was academic compared to Bedfordshire’s problems. The lumbering visiting defence couldn’t live with the speed of thought and movement of their opponents. “Worst defence I’ve ever seen”, one Warwick player was heard to say as he ambled back to halfway after the third try of the afternoon.

The space afforded to Warwick’s wingers was scarcely believable, but take nothing away from some well-worked tries. Quick hands shovelled the ball along the back line on numerous occasions and right winger Bjornson helped himself to two quick scores in the corner. A flowing move from one 22 to the other was the pick of the first half bunch.

With the score already 32-0 a less intense second 40 minutes was unsurprising. It took the hosts almost 10 minutes to add to their tally, created by a weaving run from Osi. A rare conversion followed.

Five minutes later the impossible happened as one of the Bedfordshire forwards crashed over. Cue celebrations that were as wild as they were self-deprecating. With the score since the restart now at 7-7, Warwick turned it on in the last 15 minutes, scoring four tries in quick succession.

One of the most straightforward victories the 1s will have all season – a timely confidence-booster ahead of another Varsity crunch match.

Nottingham Trent gain the upper hand in the Squash…

University of Warwick Men’s Squash 1s 2-3 Nottingham Trent University Men’s Squash 1s

“This was supposed to be a quiet one”. Huddled in consternation, the Nottingham Trent players had not foreseen this fight. Cruising at the Midland 1A’s summit and unbeaten in their last eight matches, the away side had plainly expected to walkover a mid-table Warwick team struggling for consistency. Two matches in, however, and it was all to play for.

Image: Matthew Richardson

An emphatic display from Oli Hayes had levelled the score at 1-1. But with Alex Li two games down and Declan O’Callaghan’s fresh haircut insufficient to secure a win, hopes of an unlikely upset increasingly rested upon the shoulders of Liam Stafford. In an intensely competitive affair, Stafford took the first game 11-9, only to be pegged back 11-5 in the second. It was the third game that would prove pivotal.

Diving across the court with tenacious resolve, Stafford clawed a 5-2 deficit back to 5-5. From there on in, momentum swung as each player looked to press their fleeting advantage. After a breathless exchange of vigour and guile, Stafford was 10-9 down – to err now was to cede control of the match. To the home support’s agony, Stafford shot wide.

As it was, Warwick were left to wonder what might have been. Matt Egginton’s spirited display could provide only small consolation, recovering from a heavy blow to the face to take the match 3-2 – if one thing can be said of the men’s 1s, it’s that they never shrink from a scrap. With the defeat marking this season’s last league fixture, the team’s attentions now turn to the defence of their BUCS Trophy. After last year’s remarkable cup run, the men’s 1s are determined to retain their crown and bring the cup back to Warwick for yet another year.

…but the Table Tennis boys get revenge

University of Warwick Men’s Table Tennis 2s 13-4 Nottingham Trent University Men’s Table Tennis 3s

A Warwick team looking to consolidate league safety met a grimly pessimistic Nottingham Trent side at the Sports Centre. With only three players making the journey from Nottingham, we found ourselves 4-0 up before a ball had been served. In an amicable atmosphere, the Warwick team of Lockyer, Devjani, Van Yperen (c) and Hebdige looked to make short work of their weakened opponents.

Image: Alex Jennings

Any notions of a clean sweep were quickly dispelled though, with Lockyer falling foul of Nottingham’s Burt, 3-0. With Burt’s cross-table forehand often unstoppable and his backhand too precise, he would prove to be a thorn in the side of #TeamWarwick throughout the day’s play.

The rest of the Trent side were no match for our lads, who won 100% of their opening four ties plus two extra points for the missing man. Devjani proved a sterner test for Burt, with a robust defence and quick counter he won a game and took another to a frenetic tiebreaker, but sadly fell short.

With Lockyer redeeming himself elsewhere, it fell to captain Van Yperen to try and topple Burt. With the former alternating between excellent match-winning strokes and excruciatingly frustrating unenforced errors, it proved to be the tie of the day. Unfortunately, struggling with his unorthodox serve throughout, van Yperen eventually lost a tense tiebreaker in the fifth. Hebdige – responsible for one of the finest points won in the day but off the back of a surprising loss – managed to go one better.

A win in the final doubles fixture capped a fine day for the team, triumphing 13-4 overall. They will face tougher tests, but the guys acquitted themselves impressively at and away from the table and a healthy team spirit was evident.

Man of the match: all of the team played three, won two. But for starring in the doubles, coming close to beating Burt and not dropping a single game in his other fixtures, Van Yperen just sneaks it ahead of Hebdige.

#ClubSpotlight week 13: Warwick Wolves

For a closer look at Warwick Wolves check out our Twitter and Facebook pages. If your club wants to take part in #ClubSpotlight this term, email sport@theboar.org.

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