Game of two Halves

The Sun was shining on a glorious sunny day in the Buckinghamshire countryside, where 18 Chiltern players were raring to get the season started. It Felt like the start of a new era, under new captain Sam Wheeler.

The team consisted of a mixture of youth and experience throughout the pack and backline. In the build-up the tension was palpable with a lot of players building new partnerships and some resurrecting ones of old. As the whistle blew for the kick-off confidence was high and Chiltern started well stringing a few good phases together and good work rate in defence. Chiltern started to build pressure on the scoreboard with Ben Dugdale knocking over a couple of penalties and Toby Neill scoring a well worked team try. There was some big carrying from the forwards and some good width from the backs to help keep a good 10 point lead into half time. The biggest positive from the first half was the scrummaging and work rate in defence. Heads were high and confidence was brimming.

Chiltern started the second half with a quick interception try from Ross Gladdish, from within the Chiltern 22, which unfortunately, due to the heat and the illness Ross was still getting over, was his last real act of the game. This then lead to a reshuffle in the backline.

Whitney then took advantage of the re-shuffle and unleashed their backs to get two quick tries. The Chiltern one up tackles had started to disappear and heads dropped but the boys kept trying to play our rugby when in possession of the ball. It was a long second half full of defending and some average rugby. Going into the last minute there was still a losing bonus point on offer, but it was not our day and a penalty was given away which their scrum half slotted, as he had all 5 of his previous kicks that day.

The Boys came out the match with lots of positives from our first half and a number of work-ons from the second. The Jekyll and Hyde performance is not one anyone want to see again and everyone was keen to make up for it in two weeks time away at last seasons champions Bracknell

MOTM: Lewis Culverhouse – brilliant tackling and some big carries. DOTM: Toby Neill – stepping himself and falling over.

This Match report was brought to you by the excellent writing of Josh Porter.