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Moscow's Slava overpower Oxford in first tour match 29 –19

© Alexander HiggsMoscow's Slava overpower Oxford in first tour match 29 –19
Moscow's Slava overpower Oxford in first tour match 29 –19 - Sputnik International
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Oxford University rugby football club, in Russia for the first time on their annual tour, were well aware of the challenge facing them against local side Slava at home in Moscow on a fine autumn evening.

Oxford University rugby football club, in Russia for the first time on their annual tour, were well aware of the challenge facing them against local side Slava at home in Moscow on a fine autumn evening.

The home team made their mark in no time at all on Wednesday, Nikita Medkov scoring their first try off of a series of driving mauls within the first two minutes to set up a 5-0 lead. It set the tone for the match, with Slava’s forwards, so often outclassed by the heavyweights of the Russian league, bossing Oxford’s lighter front row.

Oxford struck back soon enough, with No. 13 Alex Cheesman touching down from a neat scissors pass, with the conversion putting the visitors into the lead, 7-5. Only a few minutes later, Oxford struck again, an interception pass allowing fly half Charles Marr a streaking run down the left wing to give them a 12-5 lead by the 17th minute.

Slava set to work, and steadily won more possession and started turning Oxford over in the breakdown. Patient work finally paid off when scrum half Gleb Babkin found a gap in the line and touched down, his try neatly converted to make it all-even at 12-12.

Slava soon followed up with another try, Ilya Osminko’s effort converted by Denis Antonov, to put them 19-12 ahead at the end of the first half.

Slava showed no sign of letting off the pace in the second half, their impeccable set-pieces giving Oxford no easy scraps, and their defence soaking up everything the visitors could throw at them.

A penalty at 12 minutes into the second half put Slava into a ten-point lead, 22-12. Just as the game seemed to be slipping away from Oxford, they struck back. A fine drop-goal attempt by the visitors deserved better than the rebound off the bar, but luck finally came with a chip through the Slava line, nicely taken by No.22 James Crozier, and then converted by Marr to bring the visitors within 3 points.

Slava’s forwards again showed their power at the last and yet again set up a furious maul that came within an ace of the line. Finally, another well set up drive sent Andrei Khorokhorin over from out wide, to bring the final score to 29-19 to Slava.

Oxford go on to play Kazan Agrarian University in Kazan on September 19.

MOSCOW, September 16 (Howard Gethin for RIA Novosti)

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