Ross Stewart frustrated by Cambridge's run of form

Six defeats in a row for Cambridge

Ross Stewart has admitted that it is the manner of Cambridge’s six successive defeats that is the most frustrating aspect of their run of form.

A horror seven-minute spell against 14 men was a huge contributing factor in their 39-30 defeat to Birmingham Moseley, as they went from 8-8 just before half time to 32-8 down after 47 minutes.

It has been a similar tale for Cambridge in recent weeks, as matches in which they have had a strong foothold have disappeared out of sight in no time at all.

“Without wanting to make the interviews all sound the same, had we come away like we did at their place, a well-beaten team (Cambridge lost 74-14) or even playing Hartpury where we managed to score 30, you walk away,” said director of rugby Stewart.

“But we came here to win this. The challenge for the players was to be the first Cambridge team to beat Moseley, and we’re hugely disappointed that we didn’t.”

Stewart had pinpointed a 20-minute period as being crucial, as together with the period when they conceded points, they had 10 minutes against 13 men when they were unable to trouble the scoreboard.

“The reason I said 20 as we had opportunities in that 10 to score,” said Stewart. “When the clock wound down they just knew they could pump it down.

“They are just silly errors. They are switching off, moments of just lapses in concentration. How do we improve that? We’ve tried a few different things over the last six games and nothing has yet worked.

“We will keep going, and I have always said that we were always going to make mistakes this year. It was the learning process which was the key bit and it’s taken us a bit longer than we would hope to learn about this controlling the game, but it will come.”

He added: “The game is hard. The boys are working hard and they are tired and being able to make decisions when you’re tired is massive.

“It’s something we’ve got to keep just pumping away at and the club is in a great place, the squad are in a really good place, we are just not getting the wins.

“And I think it’s the style in which we’re not getting them that’s the frustrating bit.”

Cambridge did earn a bonus point for four tries though, with Alex Moon, Tom Nutley Gareth Baxter, Mike Ayrton and Dan Seal all touching down for the hosts, with Dan Lewis kicking five points.

Cambridge are away to bottom-of-the-table Macclesfield this Saturday.