Ansbro, a 22-year-old double Cambridge Blue and two-time Varsity winner, played for 73 minutes in the win over the Tigers and scored a second-half try. This marked the end to what the player himself admits has been a frustrating few months.

“It was fantastic to play,” he said. “It has been a long time since I played competitive 15-a-side rugby, not since the 2006 Varsity match! I did feel a bit rusty but obviously was happy to score.

“I was feeling nervous, but that is a good thing.

“It was a good atmosphere at the Gardens, although the crowd was a little smaller than at Twickenham! But you have to block that out. A game of rugby is a game of rugby.

“Thankfully I’ve not had a terrible time on the sidelines. We’ve got a good group of lads here at the club who have been very supportive.”

Although Ansbro was in the Saints Senior Academy last season, his commitments at Cambridge prevented him from turning out in any competitive matches for the club.

However he did play for the Light Blues against the Wanderers, scoring two tries. Cambridge’s fixtures last season also included matches against Leicester, Wasps and Harlequins, and Ansbro is in the perfect position to compare the pressures of Varsity and professional rugby.

“It’s hard to compare at the moment because I haven’t been playing week in, week out,” he says. “But I’m sure once I get going there will be a lot of pressure.

“We are all trying to achieve excellence.”