It is fitting that this team, many of whom have been playing together for ten seasons, should bring the curtain down on their time together as a team with a win.

It wasn't all plain sailing on Sunday though. A major shuffle of the pack meant we played without any recognised props although it's hard to imagine a more mobile front row than Tommo, Cam L and Guy. They struggled in their early exchanges against hefty opposition but thereafter held their own. The work rate of the forwards and the skill and pace of our backs won us the game, another affair, like last week's, where the lead changed hands a few times although this time it was us who ran out winners in the end. Once more we played to our strengths and this time we prevailed.

The wind, as it often is at Kingsey Road, was a factor. Playing against the wind in the first half we went a try down but George G pulled three points back after Henley were pinged for holding on. Henley then scored a second, somewhat against the run of play, to move into a 3-12 lead. Our first try came from our own scrum. Dan C scampered round to get the pass away and the ball found its way to Dan R who finished with customary aplomb and George added the conversion. 10-12 would have been a satisfactory half time position but there was time for Nic to score the try of the game when Lewis burst through and offloaded in the tackle to Nic, who used his cricketing skills to hold on to the low ball and run through for the score to make it 15-12 at half time.

Henley drew first blood and retook the lead after the break with a burst from the left wing to score in the corner but we soon came back. Henley recycled the ball for what seemed like an eternity in our twenty-two but pressure from the forwards wore them down and forced the error which allowed Dan to pounce and run the length of the field for his second score. George added the simple conversion and then another three points from a penalty to move us into a 25-17 lead. Nic was unlucky not to get a second when the final pass was adjudged to have gone forward and although Henley had plenty of possession in the middle part of the half they rarely threatened the scoreboard. We were using the wind intelligently when we had the chance and long kicks up-field frequently saw our opponents pegged back whenever they lost possession. The conclusive score came late on when Cam L burst though to the disbelief of the covering winger who saw himself outpaced by a prop!

This was a real team performance and everyone deserves great credit. I have already mentioned the makeshift front row but in addition Barney had a stormer; George B caused havoc all over the park; Dan's finishing was sublime; Nic was a threat every time he got the ball and Lewis put in another virtually faultless performance at full back.

Thanks for the memories lads, not just today but for the past however many years. You have always won with a smile and lost with grace. I hope you all go on to enjoy many more years of playing rugby and that we'll see you back together in the black and white hoops some time in the future.

For the record, the Chinnor team on Sunday was: Guy Carter (captain); Tommy Evans; Cam Leff; Ieuan Mainwaring; Barney Matthews; Connor Green; Rob Gascoyne; George Bartlett; Dan Cundy; George Grose; Nic Barker; Tom Hook; Dan Rowland; Cam Harvey; Lewis Aitken. Subs (all used): Sacha Rond-Allison; Harry Reed; Connor Wheeler; Jason Hankin; Ross Bunsell.