Attention Cambridge Folks - Sidney Sussex College RFC?

[ExHookah]

Sidney Sussex are on a tour of the US right now, I shall be seeing them in NYC tonight against Columbia.

Anyone got the foggiest what to expect?

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Anyone got the foggiest what to expect?

Lots of tweed, cravats and bullshit! And no chins!

 

[Toby Warren]

Touring side from the UK? 30 pissed(drunk) blokes in different states of undress normally.

 

[ExHookah]

Touring side from the UK? 30 pissed(drunk) blokes in different states of undress normally.

Yeah, I know that much. Was hoping for some input from someone who knows the quality of the individual college teams at the Oxbridge Universities.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Yeah, I know that much. Was hoping for some input from someone who knows the quality of the individual college teams at the Oxbridge Universities.

Wikipedia says it's got 350 students so that perhaps assumes a team drawn from 125ish blokes. In these more enlightened times, do talented Rugby players (from posh schools or wherever) still blag their way into Oxbridge? (manages to keep straight face). I suspect they do. The size of the college perhaps suggest a weaker than average team. I dunno.

 

[ExHookah]

Wikipedia says it's got 350 students so that perhaps assumes a team drawn from 125ish blokes. In these more enlightened times, do talented Rugby players (from posh schools or wherever) still blag their way into Oxbridge? (manages to keep straight face). I suspect they do. The size of the college perhaps suggest a weaker than average team. I dunno.

So, not pulling from a large population, but could be pretty useful if they have some good players from some of the decent private schools.

 

[OB..]

With small numbers, most college teams fluctuate quite a lot. The fact that they have organised a tour suggests they are currently on the up slope. (May be that is p**s-up.)

 

[Simon Thomas]

Depends on tour objective - serious, semi-serious or total piss-up.

Expect L8 or L9, decent ex-school 1st XV players at least. They will allknow what they are doing.

Last time I reffed Jesus v Old Boys it was at least L8, and some players much better than that (Old Boys had two blues playing for them, National League players).

 

[Dixie]

My own experience from many years ago suggests that anyone turning out for the college will be doing so on a very part-time basis, and a lack of fitness occasioned by being let loose in the proximity of women and alcohol will serious counter any prior expertise earned when at school. I'd say L.9 may be optimistic.

 

[ExHookah]

My own experience from many years ago suggests that anyone turning out for the college will be doing so on a very part-time basis, and a lack of fitness occasioned by being let loose in the proximity of women and alcohol will serious counter any prior expertise earned when at school. I'd say L.9 may be optimistic.

Hopefully there will be plenty of 1st years then, who can rely on their 6th form experience, and have not yet been corrupted by the wild women of Cambridge.

 

[Toby Warren]

With a serious hat on EX-H there is really very little point on trying to guess as;

1. They are on tour
2. It's pre season
3. THey are on tour
4. Student rugby is normally poor until Nov (once the 1st years have bedded in and the patterns have been established)
5. They are on tour


Enjoy the game, what is interesting is that people look for 'intel' on the teams they are doing, if it's a league fixture I'll look at the league table and that's it.

What do others normally do?

 

[Dixie]

Hopefully there will be plenty of 1st years then, who can rely on their 6th form experience, and have not yet been corrupted by the wild women of Cambridge.

This is the UK - the 1st Years won't go up to Cambridge until about October!

what is interesting is that people look for 'intel' on the teams they are doing, if it's a league fixture I'll look at the league table and that's it.

What do others normally do?

To be fair, Ex-H is facing an unknown quantity here. I suspect he's trying to figure out whether there are 8 of last year's Blues in this team ready to challenge his management skills and fitness, or whether they're going to fall off the team bus trying not to spill their Guinness. FWIW, I usually tried to get a feel for a new team if I was heading out of county.

 

[Adam]

I'd say L.9 may be optimistic.

So for all Yorkshiremen this will be a level 12, if that.

 

[ExHookah]

This is the UK - the 1st Years won't go up to Cambridge until about October!

To be fair, Ex-H is facing an unknown quantity here. I suspect he's trying to figure out whether there are 8 of last year's Blues in this team ready to challenge his management skills and fitness, or whether they're going to fall off the team bus trying not to spill their Guinness. FWIW, I usually tried to get a feel for a new team if I was heading out of county.

I suspect they are going to be fairly serious, they are also playing Yale and Harvard, but as Toby validly said, they are on tour.

I'll let you guys know after the match.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

So for all Yorkshiremen this will be a level 12, if that.

Wait until you've done Old Whitgiftians vs Crawley before you become as cynical as me.:biggrin:

 

[Adam]

Wait until you've done Old Whitgiftians vs Crawley before you become as cynical as me.:biggrin:

That's only next week! I have been part of another society you know! That wasn't quite the reaction I was hoping for.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

That's only next week! I have been part of another society you know! That wasn't quite the reaction I was hoping for.

I've mellowed!:biggrin: