DURFC vs Exeter: As it happened

Follow our live text coverage of tonight’s crunch game semi-final as DURFC aim to return to Twickenham.

Wrap: Great performance tonight from 1 to 15 from the Palatinates, with 5 tries to 2  – Durham’s rolling maul was unstoppable at times, with guile and flair shown at other points, DURFC shading two impressive back-lines. Crushing power and technique shown in defence, with Duncan Finnie named as MOTM, although with honourable mentions for the whole DURFC backrow together with Robinson.

Thanks for reading, I’ll leave you with some footage to make the mouth water for the final, where the Palatinates will take on Cardiff Met (formerly UWIC) at Twickenham, a repeat of the 2011 final from which Durham emerged victorious. One thing’s for sure – it will be a cracker!

 

20:13 FULL TIME – DURFC RETURN TO TWICKENHAM FOR A 3RD SUCCESSIVE YEAR! DURFC 36 – 20 Exeter

Scrappy last moments, as Exeter seem to recognise that this is one step too far for them. They go through a couple of limp phases, before the ball is turned over, and Hammersley clears the ball into touch. That’s the ball game!

20.11 2 minutes or so to play here as Durham win the scrum and again start on a series of pick and drives, before Exeter are awarded a penalty for holding on. Hoofed clear, and then Hammersley’s garryowen return goes out on the full. Exeter ball just inside Durham’s half.

20.10: Collins drops the ball at the back of the line-out, Exeter attempt to collect but  ball quickly becomes unplayable. Scrum to DURFC (team going forward), and this is a great attacking platform.

20.08: Durham win the line-out, and start on yet another driving-maul. It is eventually hauled down, but the referee brings play back to an offside around the fringes, and Treglown puts the ball towards the corner, Durham ball just inside the Exeter 22.

20.06: Big scrum wins Durham the penalty. Treglown looks to clear, and finds touch just past halfway. Score still 36-20 in Durham’s favour, and this game is drifting towards its conclusion

20.04: 8 minutes to go here, and it’s looking good for the Palatinates. Exeter scrum deep inside their own half. Robinson struggles off with a leg injury, rewarded with generous applause, and he’s another Durham player to have had a great game. Exeter win the penalty, quick-tap, and they’re off! Impressive back play here, as 12 makes a break, but makes a forward pass with only Hammersley to beat! Another chance butchered by the visitors…

19.59: TRY! DURFC 36 – 20 Exeter. Durham opt again to kill the game off and pass-up the 3 points in favour of the line-out. Beautifully taken  before the driving maul comes out again – Exeter have no answer and they go over again! Treglown fades his kick wide to sully his copy-book, but Durham are now 3 scores clear again.

19.56: YELLOW CARD – EXETER Beautiful feet from Hammersley here, goose-stepping past two men before a beautiful SBW-esque offload. Penalty conceded by Exeter, and they see yellow for the first time.

19.54: Durham now back to 15, and use the bench, Pattinson and Stonell both enjoying well-deserved ovations, replaced by Payne and Bache.

19.51: Durham concede a penalty at the scrum, and Exeter find touch midway between half way and the Durham 22. Line-out is claimed cleanly, before Exeter are penalised for not rolling away, and the Palatinates clear their lines.

19.48: Long period of Exeter pressure here, looking to use another 10 minute man advantage. Beaumont with an opportunistic grab when the ball pops out the side of a ruck, and it’s a turnover! Durham break with pace, but ultimately cant make it stick as they are also turned over. End to end stuff here, as Exeter counter, before a forward pass gives Durham a scrum on the halfway line. Great start to the half from the visitors, you have to say.

19.45: YELLOW CARD – DURHAM Loose ball everywhere here, Beaumont among others with a rare handling error. Ref is making no friends, as he pings Durham right in front of the posts, and produces another yellow card! Collins is the guilty party, although this looked a marginal call, Durham fans would definitely argue that the ball looked to be out the ruck. Durham down to 14 again. Exeter opt for the scrum, and are turned over! Durham clear their lines.

19.43: “NOT STRAIGHT!” is the cry from an increasingly lairy crowd at the lineout, but ref allows play to continue, before play breaks down, and it will be a Durham scrum. Exeter sub a prop in.

19.41: Great Durham take off the restart, but then knocked on in contact. Exeter scrum, try to use the line, and another HUGE hit from Pattinson, who is then penalised for hands. Exeter use touch, and it will be their ball on the Durham 40.

19.37: PENALTY – DURFC 31 – 20 Exeter. Durham crowd sensing a change in momentum, now roaring on their team. Knock-ons by both teams here, bit scrappy. Exeter break into the Durham 40 after the scrum, Jack Pat hitting everything that moves here, but Exeter win the penalty, and their 15 slots it. Come-back on the cards?

19.34: TRY! DURFC 31 – 17 Exeter – The Exeter No.8 is, to be fair, massive. Hasn’t seen enough of the ball thus far, but shows what he can do now, running onto an offload, bouncing off two or three Durham defenders, and stretches his legs to dot down under the posts. Exeter tails are up here. Kick is good.

19.32: This game has really opened up big-time. Fluid stuff, with intelligent tactical kicking into space. Exeter scoop up deep inside their own half and decide to run this time, but Josh Beaumont is EVERYWHERE at the moment, revelling in his final home appearance, making two great tackles in quick succession, first in the middle then popping up on the wing to plug a defensive hole.

19.28: KICKOFF – Durham restart, and contrary to my prediction there’s some flowing stuff from both sides, which then unfortunately descends into some aerial ping-pong, before Hammersley attempts an outrageous drop goal from 50 yards out. It comes up short, but shows Durham really aren’t lacking in confidence

19:23 – So Exeter really need to make the most of the next ten minutes after half-time, while Durham will be looking to play possession. Rain still pouring, wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a low-scoring and scrappy second half

OVERHEARD AT RUGBY: Person 1 “If this place got bombed 90% of the Durham rahs would die” Person 2 “Yeah I know, and think about it, half of the world’s tweed would go with it. Double win”. I think most of the crowd are getting fairly complacent about the match outcome…

HALF-TIME: DURFC 31 – 10 Exeter: So quick out of the blocks from Durham, with two tries in the first 8 minutes, followed by another couple to really stamp their authority on the game. Exeter will be encouraged by the man advantage they’ll enjoy after the break, although going by the crowd reactions “Ref’s only trying to make it fair” “Someone make him a cuppa” “Send another one off ref, we can take them with 13”, Durham shouldn’t be overly concerned.

19.11: YELLOW CARD – DURFC: Exeter line-out on the Durham 5m right hand side, and the Palatinates turn it over, and kick clear. Exeter look to swing it all the way to 11, and win a penalty at the break-down. They go for touch again, this time 5m lineout on the left. Half-time isn’t far away now, and there is a yellow for Durham! Nathan Holmes for cynical play on the 5 after Exeter had won the ball. Exeter go for touch again, but can’t make anything from it, the ball goes out from a Durham boot, and it’s half-time.

19.07: TRY! DURFC 31 – 10 Exeter: Durham win a scrum directly from the line-out, and now have a great attacking platform on the 5m line. Huge shove, and they win the penalty. Beaumont goes for the jugular, and opts to pack down again, and Durham go over from the scrum ! Finnie with the score off a driving maul, and the skipper’s confidence in his pack rewarded. HUGE kick from the tramline, and Treglown maintains his hundie percent. So much Barbour, so much tweed, many pints of ale and a merry crowd braving the elements.

19.04: A pause now as another Exeter player is down. Exeter 13 screaming to his team-mates for more momentum – they clearly need half-time fast. It’s raining like a bitch now and getting colder, which might make for a more limited game in the second half. Not currently though, as Durham break straight through the middle with a top-offload from Jack Patt. They go wide, beautiful hands over the top followed by a miss pass, and Murray Lowe takes it on the wing, looks to beat his man on the outside, and is ushered into touch on the Exeter 5. Good scramble defence from Exeter.

19:01: Differences in body-language so noticeable here – Durham look so relaxed, while Exeter are clearly tense, even uncomfortable – they’ve done a hell of a lot of defending this first half-hour. Finnie absolutely SMASHES the Exeter 9, and they look to turn over. Exeter just about hold onto the ball, but their line is a mess – their hooker has inexplicably been at first receiver for the last 3 phases, and they consequently cant get it past the first couple of passes, especially with the sheer intensity of the Durham line-speed. The longest Exeter have had on the ball, but they now lose it forward in the tackle. Training-ground swagger coming across from the Palatinates

 

18.58: Neither of these backlines are particularly big, but the hands, especially from Durham, have been so slick this evening. Scrum off the Exeter kick-off, Durham ball, and having won it they look to mount another attack, before a spill halts them on the Exeter 22.

18:55: TRY: DURFC 24 – 10 Exeter: That shouting obviously did the visitors some good. They put pressure on the kick-off and win the penalty, before setting up a line-out on the Durham 5m line. Taken off the top, and Exeter 12 goes straight through the defence, and touches down under the posts. Kick is good. Complacency trickling into Durham’s game?

18.52: TRY: DURFC 24 – 3 Exeter: This is an impressive showing from the Palatinates. Exeter have an injury before the scrum sets, and use the bench. From the set-piece, Durham run phase-ball at will, with good sharp hands, and on the 4th there’s a break, just stopped by Exeter on their goal-line. Tight rucking ensues, before Durham dive over! Carson with the pick and go – ref checks with linesman, and it’s good! Exeter looked bemused – they’ve been outclassed thus far. SSSHHHH for the kick, and it’s over! First signs of Exeter disharmony as they remonstrate with each other trotting back to the half-way line.

18.50: Play tightens up after Exeter restart, with some scrappy play around halfway followed by some kick tennis of varying quality, before Exeter 15 gets bored and decides to run it. “CHOP HIM! CHOP HIM!” from the crowd, mostly half tucked into a couple of cold ones, and DURFC oblige. Exeter go wide, but lose the ball forward.

18.47: PENALTY: DURFC 17 – 3 Exeter: Durham restart, and regain possession after a slack punt from Exeter. Surge forward again, keeping it compact around the fringes, and win the penalty as several Exeter plays go offside. The ref has a word with Exeter for repeat offending, and Treglown is going to go for posts. 40 yard kick, and the now-capacity crowd hushes, apart from the inevitable iPhone chirrups, and he slots it over!

18.44: PENALTY: DURFC 14 – 3 Exeter: Durham finally take a restart cleanly, and look to surge back over halfway. Big hit from Exeter, and they win the penalty. Quick tap and kick with good chase from Exeter, and they force a penalty for obstruction on the Durham 22. They decide to go for points, and their 15 bends the attempt just inside the post to put the visitors on the score board.

18.41: TRY: DURFC 14 – 0 Exeter: Lots of sports socials warming up for Wednesday night with a casual bit of rugby, with Trevs and Hild Bede most prominent. Lack of lasses though…Palatinate players will be disappointed with that one. Not concerned for now though, as the line-out ball is taken by Durham just outside the Exeter 22, and they look to drive, Exeter looking shaky here, and the rolling maul has momentum, Exeter defence shredding as Bilbo emerges from the mess to touch down just to the right of the posts! Treglown adds the extras and this is a great start from Durham. “TEAM DURHAM BOYS, WATCHA GONNA DO” the crowd chant, even if it sadly doesn’t quite scan. What a tune tho:

18.39: Exeter try working the left hand side after taking their line-out ball. Durham defend hard, and look to turn the ball over before being awarded the penalty for holding-on. Kick for touch to clear

18.36: Durham City still filling up, but a cracking atmosphere already. Exeter kick off, and yet again Durham spill it. Backwards says the referee, and the Palatinates spread it down the line, before giving away a penalty for holding on around the Exeter 10m line. They kick for touch, just outside the Durham 22.

18.34: TRY – DURFC 7 – 0 Exeter. Scenes. HUGE first scrum from Durham and they win the penalty. Quick tap, and they’re off, spreading down the line, before a beautiful offload in the tackle releases No. 11 Jamie Clements to break the line coming off his wing, and dot down under the posts. Kick is good, and we’re 7-0 to the good. What a start!

18.33: KICK-OFF: Exeter kick off, and Durham knock-on. Scrum down.

Preamble: Wednesday Night Lights return. It’s semi-final night, as DURFC and Exeter face up at Durham City, both aiming to reach the BUCS Cup final at Twickenham. The winner will face Cardiff Met, who defeated holders Hartbury 27-13 in the other side of the draw. Expect big things tonight as two titans of uni rugby collide. Kick-off is at 6.30pm

Typical northern weather up here in Durham tonight. Fog and drizzle all over. It’d be a soft day in Dublin, mind you.

If you need any further pumping up for this fixture, try this one on for size from the cup winning season of 2011.