A Spirited Loss in Gubbängen

Scrums were the order of the day with over 20 counted on the day!

On a blustery but sunny afternoon, Uppsala RFC suffered a narrow 24-29 defeat to Stockholm Exiles B in a hard-fought match. The windy conditions added an extra challenge to proceedings, testing both sides' handling skills and tactical awareness throughout the eighty minutes.

The Exiles' forward dominance proved decisive, with their heavier pack establishing clear superiority at scrum time. This platform allowed them to control territory and possession for large periods, though Uppsala's defensive organization stood firm under pressure. The away side's tackling was particularly impressive, with Diego delivering a masterclass in technique as he repeatedly brought down much larger opponents with perfectly timed hits.

Uppsala's attacking moments demonstrated their potential when given opportunities. Johnny provided the highlight of the match with a scintillating break in the first half, his gazelle-like run splitting the Exiles defense before putting James in for a well-taken try. James doubled his tally later after Wilhelm's moment of audacious play - against conventional wisdom, the scrumhalf took a quick tap penalty and somehow delivered a scoring pass while being flattened by onrushing defenders, much to the initial dismay and subsequent delight of the Uppsala supporters.

Crucial errors ultimately proved costly for the home side. A miscommunication between Diego and Jack at a restart led directly to an Exiles try, while several handling errors in the challenging conditions prevented Uppsala from building sustained pressure. Jack in particular endured a difficult day under the high ball, with his teammates joking afterwards about needing to remind him to bring his hands to future matches.

Despite the set-piece struggles, Uppsala can take considerable positives from their defensive resilience and moments of attacking quality. The Exiles' Georgian scrummaging power ultimately proved decisive, but Uppsala's players left the field knowing they had pushed a strong side close.

/Jack