Queens' edged past Peterhouse-Emma-Selwyn-Tit Hall (PEST) in the first round of rugby Cuppers on Saturday afternoon, winning 14–12. It might have been different but for a last-minute penalty miss by PEST's Jasper Bates.

A man of the match performance by James Onley-Gregson (a try and two conversions) were enough to take Queens' to the second round, despite two PEST tries by Nathaniel Bean and Ben Crowther. 

On a miserable afternoon at Trinity Hall’s Wychfield pitches, momentum swung between the green shirts of Queens' (shorn of their usual teammates from Jesus) and the super team represented by Peterhouse, Emmanuel, Selwyn and Tit Hall.

PEST started the game the better team, and put the Queens' defence under lots of pressure, leading to one attacking scrum after another. Eventually, PEST got the first try after 17 minutes, scored by Nathaniel Bean and converted by Jasper Bates.

Queens' were energised after conceding, their early pressure scuppered by a knock-on after a successful scrum. They eventually scored a try, covering the length of the pitch around the half-hour mark.

It was converted by James Onley-Gregson who, minutes later, turned scorer by surging from deep. He converted his own try, completing the Queens' comeback by half-time with the score at 14–7.

The second half started quietly, with the first real attacking pressure of the half coming 15 minutes in. PEST’s Ben Crowther scored after a successful maul just yards from the try line, Bates missing the conversion from just 10 yards.

PEST’s bad luck continued in the dying minutes of the game, as they lost the ball at a lineout. They soon turned the ball over in their desperate quest for a try, and their final chance came with a penalty minutes from the end. Jasper Bates was again over the ball for PEST, and his kick initially prompted cheers from the PEST support. Unfortunately for PEST, they were deceived by the angle, and Bates’ kick went narrowly wide, handing Queens' a place in the next round.