Despite Ives making the brighter start and looking the more threatening side with ball in hand, it was Cantabs who opened the scoring against the run of play. Their early try gave the visitors the advantage and set the tone for a hard-fought first half in which neither side was willing to give an inch.

Ives responded through Tommy Newman, who crossed for the hosts' opening try following sustained pressure. Matthew Millar added the conversion to level the scores.

The home side continued to build momentum and were rewarded when James Inman finished well for Ives' second try. Millar was again successful from the tee, giving Ives a 14-5 advantage heading into the closing stages of the first half.
Cantabs, however, refused to go away. Two converted tries before the break swung momentum back in their favour and handed the visitors a 19-14 lead at half-time.

The second half belonged entirely to Ives.

After a physical and fiercely contested opening 40 minutes, the hosts emerged with renewed energy and purpose. Josh Taylor crossed shortly after the restart to reduce the deficit and spark Ives into life.

The forwards laid an excellent platform and the backs capitalised, producing some superb passages of attacking rugby. Jamie Smith added Ives' fourth try before Jamie Pickervance crossed as the pressure continued to mount. Millar maintained his excellent afternoon, landing his third conversion to further extend the advantage.

As Cantabs struggled to contain the growing momentum, Ives continued to move the ball with confidence and intent. The final word belonged to Jeremy Irons, who’s late try not only sealed the victory but also marked his first try for the club, capping an excellent all-round team performance.

Captain Ben Peach praised the side's resilience after the match:
"It was by no means an easy game, one that was a battle at the beginning, but after half-time we showed great passages of ball movement."
His comments perfectly reflected the nature of the contest, with Ives overcoming a difficult first half before producing some of their best rugby after the interval to score four unanswered tries and pull away from their visitors.

Special praise also goes to Tom Graves, whose outstanding display earned him a well-deserved Man of the Match award.

Having trailed 19-14 at the interval, Ives shut out Cantabs in the second half and ran in four unanswered tries. A performance built on resilience, physicality and excellent ball movement ultimately secured a convincing 36-19 victory.