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In bitter wind and cold, Chinnor’s make shift side went down by 43 points to 8 against a sharper Canterbury side.

With absentees, injuries and match day injury problems. Chinnor had to change 5 of their team on the morning of the match. They held out well but the faster pace and well drilled ploys of their opponents eventually wore them down.

For the first 10 minutes, Chinnor clearly had the upper hand and were unlucky not to score. From a very quickly taken lineout on their 22, Canterbury ran a sweeping backs move to go 5 points up, courtesy of an unconverted de Kock try, on 13 minutes. Shortly afterwards, Chinnor lost prop Paddy Conlon to a yellow card for entering a ruck from the side.  Canterbury’s Pratt took quick advantage by scoring a try two minutes after, converted by Wolmarans. Running the ball from deep, Chinnor managed to knock on the final ball with an undefended Canterbury line 10 metres ahead. On 26 minutes, an indiscretion by Canterbury saw Chinnor’s full back Hewitt score Chinnor’s first points of the afternoon from a penalty goal. Canterbury increased the pressure particularly at scrums where Chinnor were second best all afternoon. Chinnor’s Hutchings was yellow carded for overenthusiastically freeing himself from being held back. Another Canterbury try from de Kock was matched by a Chinnor breakout by Hewitt who began an intricate interpassing move that saw Duder touch down for an unconverted try on 36 minutes. At 17-8 down, Chinnor were holding out when Canterbury ripped the ball from a maul and a surprised lock Keir strolled over unopposed for Canterbury’s fourth try and bonus point. Wolmarans added the 2 points for a Canterbury half time lead of 24-8.

Chinnor once again started the half brightly and were denied a score by stout Canterbury defence on the line. 7 minutes into the half, lively Canterbury winger Melford touched down for Canterbury, Wolmarans converting. 10 minutes later, the other Canterbury winger, Pratt, repeated the treatment, Wolmarans again converting to give Canterbury a 38-8 lead. Just on full time Canterbury scored again from lock Keir – this time unconverted to win the match comfortably, 43-8.

For Chinnor, Rixon, covering at no 8, carried the ball well and repeatedly got a retreating Chinnor scrum out of trouble. Hewitt attacked well from full back. Canterbury’s fly half de Kock was a class act, scored two tries and steered Canterbury to victory.

Chinnor: Hewitt, Seymour, Williams, Pritchard, Carter (White 72), Duder, Wiseman, Winpenny, Immelman, Conlon (Whelan 73), Burrows, Hutchings (c), Beets (Jackman 64), Benson, Rixon
Scorers: Hewitt (pen); Duder (try)