Chinnor Seconds welcomed Old Raigatians to Kingsey Road for their first home league match of the season. With First and Seconds facing a front row crisis in only having two fit front row players between them, the game had to be played with uncontested scrums. This is allowed in the Zoo Shield League but, then the team has to play with 14 players and 8 players committed to the set piece scrum. Unbelievably, our Oxfordshire referee decided it was not to his liking and insisted that we play 15 men which is not permitted in the Zoo Shield. We had to scratch for a team with the first team taking 3 players plus 4 players away for Sam Ludgate’s stag weekend and 3 unavailable. We were helped out by the old age home rejects, Simon Pearson, Jon Brooks, Trevor Powell, Ed Rixon and Alan Cawston which increased last week’s average age of 22 to about 35 and we owe them a big thank you.
The game started with the Raigatians taking the game to Chinnor, when Ryan Long broke out of our 5 metre line and broke tackle after tackle running the length of the pitch, and scored under the posts, it was converted by Cathcart. This week the boys were in rugby mode from the start and the play between forwards and backs was outstanding. The boys played textbook rugby and it was a lesson in how the game should be played with flair, and the tries came at regular intervals with George Blewitt. Guy Hackshaw, Simon Pearson, George Grose, Trevor Powell and Harry Hillier all scoring and backed up with 5 conversions by James Cathcart with the first half end on 45 points to nil.
The second half was as good as the first with the Old Raigatians giving their all, but having no answer to the Chinnor juggernaut. Ricky (Leggoman) Hopwood played like a man possessed in his blue scrum cap! As with the first half tries came at regular intervals, scored by Alan Cawston, Ricky Hopwood, Matty Mountford, Adam Hastings, and a hatrick from Harry Hillier and 3 conversions by George Grose who took over the kicking duties. Final score was 95 points to nil.
This was once again a very good team performance with Captain Adam Hastings, and Max Williams standing out in the pack, and second team backs coach Matty Mountford, Harry Hillier and George Grose in the backs. But man of the match this week goes to Ricky (Leggoman) Hopwood.
Due of the referee making us play with 15 players, I have agreed and accepted with the Shield and Old Raigatians that the score will go down as 35 points to nil on record and we will gain a bonus point for 4 tries.

This makes it 4 wins from 4. Points scored 193 against 13. Tries 31 scored