Cambridge boss Bob Crooks angry despite record win

Crooks has previously worked at Saracens and Bracknell

Cambridge director of rugby Bob Crooks believes Manchester should not have been allowed to play in National One this season, following their 112-7 win.

Manchester, who had to let all 42 players leave last summer, have conceded 2296 in 27 games, scoring 111, and have not picked up a point.

Crooks told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "How we got through the game without a serious injury is astonishing.

"I don't believe at this level we should have to face a team like them."

Manchester's funding was cut following relegation last season and as a result they had to cancel their players' contracts and find new ones.

Crooks added: "They are of such a poor standard. It's not fair on the other 15 teams in the league. It's a travesty. The powers-that-be should have done something about it."

Six tries from Handre Schmidt went a long way towards Cambridge amassing their record National League score, although Manchester had the last word with a breakaway try from Sergio McCabe.

Cambridge opened the scoring through Billy Robinson in the second minute. Ten minutes later, further tries from Toby Berridge, Schmidt, and Robinson again, had given them the bonus point, and the game was over as any sort of contest.

That it took the hosts a further 17 minutes to add to the score, playing running rugby on a hard pitch, was surprising, but Schmidt wrapped up his hat-trick by half-time, and Will Martin and Berridge made it 50-0 at the break.

The first minute of the second half saw Schmidt strike again and then the forwards took over. Ben Hunter, Andy Brown and Gareth McComb crossed the Manchester line, with a penalty try also awarded.

Berridge's hat-trick came on the hour, and Schmidt scored twice more either side of a surging run that resulted in a touchdown for Dan Legge.

Alex Dodge set the seal on an all-round team display as he took a crash ball in the 76th minute for their 18th try to leave Will Martin with the simplest of conversions.

Crook said: "I was only pleased with about 50 minutes of that."