UCC advance to semi-finals

UCC qualified for the semi-finals of the inaugural student European Championships with a four-point victory over Oxford at the Mardyke yesterday evening. Both teams went into last night's Pool Four qualifier unbeaten and following their victory UCC now enter the draw for the semi-finals alongside Swansea, Toulouse, and Uwic.

UCC led 6-3 at the interval, thanks to two penalties by Colin Healy but it was a tremendous second-half performance that saw them through.

Tries from winger Paul Barry and Lennie Twomey as well as a dropped goal from Twomey were enough for UCC to graduate to the final four.

UCD left Toulouse yesterday after a 35-3 defeat by the local university side Sabatier in their final pool game. The Irish students had nothing to compare with the more experienced and heavier pack, who dominated the match for the French side. The Irish were also playing their fourth competitive game in six days.

A lone penalty early in the first half from Hugh McMahon was all UCD could muster as the French ran in six tries. Working from their pack, Sabatier simply ground down UCD and crashed in from the rucks and mauls close to the Irish line. Unusually, the French did not try to run the ball wide, using big punts instead to pin UCD in their own territory.

Trinity finished their third game with a heartening display but were not good enough and suffered a 22-5 defeat by Swansea. In the most appalling conditions at West Hartlepool the referee had to abandon the game after 60 minutes because he couldn't recognise the muddied players.

Swansea scored three tries in the first half, two of which were converted, and a penalty. In the second half, the Irish students, through outstanding defence, did not allow Swansea to cross again. Shane McLoughlin did, however, go over for a wonderful try.

Leicester coach Bob Dwyer is relying on England flanker Neil Back to provide the control that was lacking in the midweek defeat at Richmond when the Tigers take on Harlequins today. Leicester enter their third match in eight days, in a run of six games in 22 days, with both hosts and visitors already anxious about grabbing a crucial top-four place in the Allied Dunbar Premiership.

Back missed last weekend's half-century win over Sale and the collapse at Richmond.