It was all change as the Senior Academy, instead of squaring up to the division lower Ampthill B as advertised, locked horns with the two leagues higher Verulamians, and they will have learned an awful lot about themselves despite the 34-19 loss at Donkey Lane, writes Jonathan Landi.

Still with an outside chance of winning the Herts-Middlesex Colts Division Five title, Ignatians started the game with a number of players which had sat out the last-minute loss to Staines a week earlier but they were very soon on the defensive.

However, the rugby sophistication, despite taking to the field with 14-men, of the very well-drilled visitors soon kicked-in, and some forceful play saw Verulamians claim an early lead after Ignatians had fatally dithered by failing to catch the ball cleanly from the kick-off.

Kicking well out of hand, the visitors’ very varied repertoire which involved some cute switch and loop moves, allied to pace to burn on the wings, saw them add a further two tries to their ledger to lead 17-0 in a game of uncontested scrums.

Having initially struggled to get out of their half despite some good work from Cassius (good carries) and Josh (assured in the line out), Ignatians belatedly re-surfaced for air, and they worked the ball to the right wing where some nifty footwork from Celestine kicked in. Having cut back inside, the speedster also did very well to thread his way through a gap en route to the try line.

A very fine individual try was converted by Ben, as the hosts reduced the half-time arrears to 17-7.

The second-half saw Ignatians bring on their bomb squad, with the likes of the hard- carrying duo Isiah and Micah, and county triallist Emmanuel, all pressed into service but it was Verulamians who initially continued to land the telling blows.

However, a very hard-working Ignatians, certainly earned their corn defensively, as they twice repelled the close-range attacks of the visitors from close to the line penalties by heroically meeting the challenge head-on, before eventually running out of bodies.

Ignatians continued to defend like Trojans but were simply powerless to deal with the searing pace of the left winger, with the latter scorching clear to land his side’s sixth and final try.

Despite having a mountain to climb, Ignatians eventually resurfaced as an attacking force. By now winning the lion’s share of penalties, and with Verulamians’ copping a couple of yellow cards for their pains, they were also far more on the front foot.

However, their moves did prove a little telegraphed and so easy to read at times, but they still managed to tap into their potential, and when they added a bit of attacking flair and variety to their game they were rewarded.

Having spun the ball right to the far touchline, they deferred to centre, Emmanuel, whose arcing, angled cut back inside run, caught the visitors on the hop as it blew the opposition defensive line wide open. The scorer also converted his own handiwork.

Ending the game on a high, Ignatians’ continued their siege of the Vs’ line, and they ran a close-range penalty, with Emmanuel repeating an earlier trick by attacking the space out wide, having successfully isolated the last defender, as he completed his brace.

The conversion was missed but it was certainly a good, well refereed game of rugby which was a credit to both teams, and a good learning curve for the Senior Academy as they build towards their exciting title decider against Harrow at Donkey Lane on March 1.