Rugby Union: Tynan sets up Canuck shoot-out

Cambridge University 31

Steele-Bodger's XV 43

WHILE Gareth Rees has been treading the boards to rave reviews at Oxford, Chris Tynan, the other half of the Canadian double act that helped see off Wales in Cardiff a fortnight ago, has emerged on the Cambridge scene to set up quite a clash of Canucks in next month's University Match.

Last week, Rees, the stand-off, scored a try against Stanley's and pulled all the strings in a thumping victory. Yesterday Tynan, the scrum- half, was controlling things quite beautifully against a vastly superior invitation side. The trouble was that Tynan failed to go the distance.

He bruised a shoulder just on the break. It was nothing too bad, but with 7 December in mind, there was no point in taking any risks. All of which rather spoiled the show and wrecked any hopes Cambridge might have entertained of putting Steele-Bodger's to the sword.

Tynan lit the Light Blue touchpaper, initially by taking on Mark Linnett. When the former England prop made absolutely no impression, Tynan bounced up to take a quick tap penalty and mount a sustained attack down the left which ended in a try for Stuart Roy. The Canadian then put over the conversion and a penalty.

Rees may be the hot shot for Canada who collected 16 points against Wales, but Tynan also strikes the ball beautifully and it could be some shoot-out at Twickenham. Hurt in a tackle as Will Greenwood scored for Steele-Bodger's, Tynan decided, after some persuasion, not to continue the good work.

He was not the only one to call it a day, either. Greenwood, son of Dick, also went off and so did Scott Quinnell, son of Derek. There was no shortage of sons of former internationals as David Rollitt's boy, Eben, appeared as a replacement.

Better than that, the young Rollitt immediately scored a try to stretch Steele-Bodger's lead to 12 points. Linnett then reclaimed self- respect with a touchdown, and although a penalty try closed the gap, Fran Clough wrapped it up by completing his hat-trick.

Cambridge University: Tries Roy; penalty try, Thompson, Boyd; Conversions Tynan, Thompson 3; Penalty Tynan. Steele-Bodger's XV: Tries Clough 3, W Greenwood, Rollitt, Linnett; Conversions Mapletoft 5; Penalty Mapletoft.

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY: A Dalwood (St Edmund's); A Arentsen (Corpus Christie), P Bingham (St Edmund's), A Palfrey (Hughes Hall), W Thompson (Magdalene); A Boyd (Jesus), C Tynan (Hughes Hall); T Hughes (Trinity), A Read (Hughes Hall), P Callow (Fitzwilliam, capt), R Bramley (St Edmund's), S Roy (Hughes Hall), P Irons (Hughes Hall), A Meadows (St Edmund's), N Richardson (St Edmund's). Replacements: J Davies (Downing) for Tynan, 40; S Phillips (St Edmund's) for Bingham, 48.

STEELE-BODGER'S XV: M Mapletoft (Rugby); P Greenwood (Richmond), F Clough (Wasps, capt), W Greenwood (Waterloo), G Bird (Hughes Hall); A Davies (Cardiff), S Bates (Wasps); M Linnett (Moseley), S Rodgers (West London Institute), W Bulloch (Coventry), R Baxter (Gloucester), S O'Leary (Wasps), P Alston (Bedford), S Quinnell (Llanelli), R Hill (Saracens). Replacements: C Pring (Queens') for W Greenwood, 40; E Rollitt (Magdalene) for Quinnell, 40.

Referee: F Burger (S Africa).