Blood and Sand fall to defeat in their opening match of year

STREET-SMART Ampthill came away from Grantchester Road with all five points after a 45-26 win in a proper arm-wrestle of a local derby as Cambridge, with 14 players on club debut, struggled to gel in their first Champ outing after a long summer of recruitment and integration.

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Dave Ward’s side fronted up, strung out their defence and forced the hosts into too many errors, exacerbated by the conditions, and scored seven tries in the process, starting with a perfunctory dive over in the corner by Sevanaia Kava, converted by Louis Grimoldby on his return to the club he captained last season.

Hooker Seb Smith profited from an overthrown line for the second, Grimoldby again successful from the tee, but it was a day for scoring against former sides as Jake Ellwood opened the season’s account for the hosts with a storming finish, converted by Eli Caven.